Dear Student Services Colleagues
So, we have reached the end of week 6 and heading into the second half of term. This can be a tough stretch of the year at the best of times and I know that many of us feel like we have been on this treadmill for too long now. So I wanted to highlight a few things.
- As I said in my last update please do plan your annual leave and any toil that you have accrued at the beginning of the year. Many of us carried over additional leave from last year, so if you are feeling that treadmill fatigue do plan how you can use your leave to give yourself some respite. Normally we discourage staff from taking leave during term time but we need to take a more nuanced view of this this year. So please do talk to your line manager about what would work for you and for your team.
- Do have a look at the many resources available on the HR wellbeing site. There is some really good advice about looking after yourself. You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from this guidance, in fact it is much better to use it to avoid getting into a situation where you are struggling.
- In relation to COVID specific wellbeing – there are a range of resources on the HR wellbeing site that are specifically relevant to COVID related issues.
CiC – Managing anxiety over return to workplace during COVID-19
CiC – Guidance on living with those who may be vulnerable to COVID-19
CiC Return to work during Covid
CiC- Mental Health During Covid-19
CiC Social Anxiety after Lockdown
CiC – Coping with Panic Attacks
CiC – Dealing with Uncertainty
4. If you do need to self-isolate you should follow the guidance below
Please inform your line manager and they will report this using the appropriate online form. If you have had a positive test either the Covid case management team will be in touch or your line manager will be asked to liaise re close contacts in the workplace. If you are self-isolating but are sufficiently well and can work from home, then you should continue to do so. Just remember to keep in regular contact with your line manager, especially if your situation changes. If you are too unwell to work, you will need to complete the NHS self-isolation note and should follow our standard sickness reporting procedure. Please ensure you keep your manager informed. If you are a line manager, further guidance is available in the ‘Guidance for Managers’ section.
5. Finally, the introduction of the new temporary lockdown may not have significantly changed a lot of things for some people as we are still working in the same way as last week, Children are still going to School etc. However, I do recognise that it will represent an important change for some of us, especially if you are in the Extremely Clinically Vulnerable category. So, although Student Services will, for now, carry on working in the same mode as we have been, if you have a personal situation that you feel makes you more vulnerable over the coming four weeks (or you are in the extremely clinically vulnerable group), do please talk to your line manager so that we can consider how you can be supported.
A remarkably short update from me!!
Best wishes
Paddy