WashU is committed to fostering an inclusive, safe and equitable work environment to help you achieve your professional goals while maintaining work-life balance. As a manager, please talk with your team members and provide resources they might need to thrive. We have provided some tips below to help guide your conversations.
Model healthy work-life behaviors.
Remind your team it’s important for their well-being to take break during the workday. Ask your employees to take breaks for rest, meals and hydration, and clock-out over lunch time. You can send a strong message when you model this behavior yourself. If you see your employees are working outside normal work hours, make sure they know you support them having a life outside of work.
Talk with your employees.
If you notice changes in any of your employees or if an employee shares with you a personal situation or struggle, acknowledge this and offer support. One way to do this is to refer an employee to WashU’s employee assistance program (EAP), which provides emotional, financial, legal and work-life services. Behavior changes you should take note of may include:
• Personality changes (irritable, intolerant, declining attitude, etc.)
• Work behavior changes (decreased productivity, impaired judgment, missed deadlines, etc.)
• Physical changes (red or blurry eyes, distressed appearance, etc.)
Contact the EAP directly at 844-365-4587 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also reference resources and support available to managers through WashU’s EAP in Box.
Consider a leave of absence.
If an employee shares with you he/she/they are struggling outside of work, Leaves of Absence may be available to eligible employees. Additional information can be found online.
Ensure you’re aware of WashU resources available to employees.
This includes mental and emotional health, physical health and welfare, mindfulness programming, child and older adult care support, financial well-being tools, and more. Visit the Well-being Hub to learn more or contact WashU’s Benefits Service Center.
Leadership Learning Byte: Empower yourself to be a better manager.
These manager-oriented videos provide quick and effective tips to managers to help hone your supervisor skills.
• LinkedIn Learning: Practical Tools for Supporting a Struggling Employee
• LinkedIn Learning: How to Support Your Employees’ Well-being
If you need guidance on employee issues, contact WashU’s Employee Relations team.