In March, the All Staff Council (ASC) created a chat group in Microsoft Teams called “Staff—Remote Work Support Group.”  This group was formed to share remote work best practices, obtain crowd-sourced responses to remote work inquiries, and connect staff from across campus. If you’re not part of this group, here is a sample of what’s been shared. If you are a staff employee and interested in joining, please send an email to ascspecialinterest@drake.edu. 

Working from home. What seemed impossible has become the daily routine for many. Thanks to technology, including ITS remote best practices, we are creating a blueprint that will serve us well going forward.

Taking care of work and your children. One of the biggest challenges for parents is juggling work and parenting, while also taking on the role of teacher. Websites such as educateiowa.gov and National Geographic at Home offer online education tools. For those wishing to focus on this topic, the ASC recently created a Teams chat “Parents Group.” To join this chat group, please send an email to jenny.jones@drake.edu.

Wellness tips. Taking care of yourself can often be a challenge. Throw in a pandemic, closed gyms, and social distancing and your well-being can take a hit. But there are a multitude of resources to help, starting with Drake’s Group X virtual workouts. The ASC recently created a “Wellness Group” Teams chat for those who wish to focus on this topic. To join this group, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.

Other resources. The “Staff—Remote Work Support Group” has become a repository of helpful, and sometimes just plain fun resources. Whether you want to use a video background in Teams, are looking for some free entertainment (online classes, games, movies, etc.), or are simply trying to find some 20-second songs to sing while washing your hands, this chat group has it.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

May is Mental Health Month, and given the challenging circumstances we are all facing, it is an important topic to address. While one in five people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health.

The good news is there are practical tools that you can use to address your mental health and reduce the amount of anxiety you may be feeling with COVID-19. With so many factors out of our control right now, focus on what you can control such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, getting enough sleep, following the CDC guidelines, and limiting the amount of news you consume, while still staying informed.

If you are taking steps to manage worry and anxiety during this COVID-19 pandemic, but they don’t seem to be helping, there are additional resources available.

Employee and Family Resources (EFR) is offering weekly webinars to help address stress and anxiety during the pandemic. Past topics include All about Attitude, Coping with COVID-19, Stress and Resiliency, and Navigating Change in Times of Uncertainty. Access past recorded webinars  and view upcoming webinars.

EFR has also created a series of podcasts called Emotion Well Podcast.  They can be found on their website, as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

If life is weighing you down, EFR offers a variety of Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) resources to help you now, or anytime. You can reach EAP by phone (800-327-4692) or visit their website at https://www.efr.org/login/. All EAP benefits are confidential and available 24/7/365.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The Des Moines Corporate Games are an annual company-based competition normally held June 1–July 31. Events range from team-based to individual and competitive to recreational. Activities are held in the evening and on weekends, and are free (except cart rental for golf). The games are open to all full-time and regular part-time employees, interns, and retirees.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Iowa Sports Foundation to get creative with these games. They are developing plans for alternative activities that allow employees to have a positive experience while maintaining social distancing. This will include launching a Des Moines Corporate Games Virtual Challenge. This weekly challenge will be designed to allow companies to compete and earn points while keeping safe. Some of the traditional events will be given this virtual option including the fitness walk, yoga, fitness class, and trivia. Other events may be postponed and moved to a later date in the summer (if possible). They are also planning to add additional opportunities for employees to be active and earn company points.

Corporate Games is still working through the changes but are anxious to get teams put together to start the process.

If you are interested in more information or to register for these games, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources