Thunder Bay Faculty and Staff are invited to participate in Campus Beautification Days 2024 as we encourage our Lakehead community to spend time outdoors with peers and colleagues while lending a hand to spruce up our campus.

Activities Include:

• Tidying up our gardens
• Collecting debris
• Revitalizing our courtyards

We aim to create a clean and welcoming environment that instills a sense of pride in our physical surroundings.

Departments and individuals are encouraged to sign up ahead of time, but drop-ins are welcome. Registration is available via Google Form. Interested participants can bring their own garden gloves and trowels but is not required.

Volunteers are welcome to participate anytime between 9 am to 1 pm each day. Check out our registration form for further details.

A Call to be Kind

We all have the capacity to be compassionate, and we know that doing so can make an enormous difference. This year’s Mental Health Week is centered on the healing power of compassion.

Join us from May 6 to 12, 2024 to explore how compassion connects us all.

--- Human Resources Events Page

TBDHU's Get Real Photovoice: Mental Health at Work Matters

--- Student Health and Wellness Events Page

In a world plagued by suffering, we emphasize that kindness is equally intrinsic to our humanity.

Find CMHA in your area

#CompassionConnects #MentalHealthWeek #CMHA
https://cmha.ca/mental-health-week

In the summer of 2017, the Superior Mental Wellness @ Work project asked the community to portray their mental health at work through creative photography.

REAL images and stories were submitted by REAL people who bravely and honestly answered two questions:

• How do you really feel at work?
• How do you take care of your mental health at work?

This exhibit features a collection of photos and captions selected from the submissions received. Each one is unique but collectively, they shed light on the reality of mental health in the workplace. The goals of the campaign are to reduce the stigma associated with talking about employee mental health and to inspire positive change towards healthy workplaces for everyone!

Check out some of the entries received in the video below.

***The Get Real Photovoice campaign is a project of the Superior Mental Wellness @ Work advisory group. Their mission is to create workplace environments that reduce psychological hazards and maintain positive mental health for employees in Thunder Bay and District. 

What can you do to support mental wellness at work?

• Learn more about the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.
• Have zero tolerance for disrespectful behaviours.
• Ensure staff is clear about what is expected of them and how their work contributes to the organization.
• Provide opportunities for staff to develop their skills.
• Support employees that come forward with concerns.
• Encourage and listen to staff ideas.
• Be as flexible as you can with work schedules.
• Make consistent and fair decisions.
• Celebrate achievements and recognize staff commitment.
• Ensure employees have the resources they need to do their job well.
• Promote healthy choices and encourage breaks.
• Encourage staff to work safely and to report any hazards in the work environment. 

• Take regular breaks. Walking outside in the fresh air can be very helpful.
• Practice relaxation and breathing techniques.
• Maintain healthy work/life balance.
• Eat well, be active, drink water and get enough sleep.
• If you are having trouble coping, talk to someone you trust. Get help from a health professional if you need it. There is no shame in asking for help. Visit the Menal Health Support page for a comprehensive list of mental health services nearby.

• If a co-worker seems troubled, let them know you are there for support.
• Listen without giving advice. Ask what you can do to help.
• Encourage them to take breaks.
• Support them to get professional help, if needed. Visit the Mental Health Support page for a comprehensive list of mental health services nearby.

Helpful Links

• Workplace mental wellness resources for workplace leaders
• Mental wellness for employees
• Free local workplace mental wellness resources

For Further Information

Call the Healthy Living Program at (807) 625-5900 or toll-free at 1-888-294-6630, or email workplacewellness@tbdhu.com. 

Lakehead's Social Committee is hosting a gathering to help our faculty and staff refocus after a long winter and the many stresses of these past few years.

Faculty and staff are invited to the Residence Dining Hall from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024 to rest and relax with some trivia in the style of Family Feud, entertainment, prizes, snacks and refreshments.

There will also be a 50/50 draw with proceeds going toward future events organized by the LU Social Committee.

Please RSVP by Thursday, May 2nd, 2024 to reserve your spot.

***Non-perishable food donations for the LUSU Food Resrouce Centre will be collected at the door.

P.S. - We're looking for your input on our first edition of Lakehead Coworker Feud. Submit your answers to some of Lakehead's most common questions here: https://forms.gle/XKwwxM7yT5FrnejK7.

#LakeheadGathers #AnAfternoonOfWellness #LakeheadUniversity #SocialCommittee

We are delighted to extend a warm invitation to the 2023 Employee Service Recognition Event.

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 24, 2024,from 2:30pm to 4:00pm.

Let's come together to celebrate the remarkable dedication of our colleagues who've reached milestones of 20, 30, 40, and even 50 years of service, as well as those who retired before July 1, 2023. It promises to be a memorable occasion filled with appreciation and camaraderie. We can't wait to see you there!

Light refreshments will be served.

Please see a list of employees who will be recognized at this year's reception below.

20 Years of Service

• Lynne Thibeault, Contract Lecturer, Nursing
• Hilary Chesterman, Manager, Security Services
• Trudy Russo, Librarian III, Library
• Kathleen Michalchuk, Research Analyst (Quality), Institutional Analysis
• Tiffany Moore, Laboratory and Biosafety Specialist, Human Resources
• Daniel Rogalla, Electrician, Physical Plant
• Rhonda Dubec, Coordinator of Instructional Development, Teaching Commons
• Susan Wright, Manager, Research Ethics & Contracts, Office of Research Services
• Robert McCluskey, Electrician, Physical Plant
• Kevin Schlyter, Planning and Construction Manager, Physical Plant
• Colleen Woods, Administrative Assistant, Professional Development in Education
• Barbara Bingham, Caretaker 1, Residence Services
• Janice Mutz, Librarian IV, Library
• Christina van Barneveld, Associate Professor, Education
• Jesse Canuel, Manager, Enterprise Resource Planning, Technology Services Centre
• Ursula MacDonald, Manager, Health, Safety and Wellness, Human Resources
• Joanne Liikala, Library Clerk, Library
• Jo-Ann Vis, Associate Professor, Social Work
• Kirsten Oinonen, Professor, Psychology
• Naqi Sayed, Associate Professor, Business Administration
• Leonard Hutchison, Associate Professor, Natural Resources Management
• Kam Yu, Associate Professor, Economics
• Todd Randall, Dean Science & Environmental Studies
• Rosanna Scaffeo, Chief of Staff, President's Office
• Baoqiang Liao, Professor, Chemical Engineering
• Apichart Linhananta, Associate Professor, Physics
• Renee Fratpietro, Operations Supervisor, Paleo-DNA Laboratory

30 Years of Service

• Jennifer McKee, Administrative Assistant, Economics
• Thomas Puk, Professor, Education
• Dennis McPherson, Associate Professor, Indigenous Learning
• Josephine Tan, Professor, Psychology
• Louis Pero Manager, Varsity Sports, Athletics

40 Years of Service

• Philip Fralick, Professor, Geology

Retirees

• Bahram Dadgostar, Dean of Business Administration/ Professor, Business Administration
• Francis Clayton, Head Coach, Men's & Women's Wrestling, Athletics
• Edward Karell, Maintenance - Lead Hand, Residence
• Judy Mackie, Programmer Analyst II, TSC
• Kathy Matic, Placement Officer, Education
• Joanne McEvoy, Caretaker I - Lead Hand, Residence
• Shelley Unwin, Administrative Officer Principal, Orillia Campus
• Johane Joncas, Lab Supervisor/QC, Office Instrumentation Laboratory
• Frances Helyar, Associate Professor Education
• Alexandra Lawson, Associate Professor Education
• Edward Rawana , Professor, Psychology
• Linda McKay, Associate Professor, Nursing
• Heather Morrison, Contract Lecturer, Music
• Kathleen Traynor, Library Assistant (Archives Technician), Library
• Glenn Colton, Professor, Music

Today is National Employee Appreciation Day!

On behalf of Lakehead University – As a special thank you for all your hard work, each employee has been automatically entered into a random draw. Winners are chosen throughout the day and announced on the Human Resources web page.

A wide selection of prizes are available including gift cards, clothing, swag items, and three (3) Grand Prize draws! Winners are to collect their prizes from the Office of Human Resources:

Thunder Bay – UC 0003
Orillia – Room OA 2012

For any questions, please reach out to Jonathon Racine, Wellness Strategy Coordinator, at wellnesscoordinator@lakeheadu.ca or 807-343-8010 ext. 7246.

Remember to check out the HR web page to see if you are one of our lucky winners!

Do you know a co-worker who deserves recognition?

We all know individuals who make our campus a better place - those who demonstrate a commitment towards the continued success and well-being of the entire Lakehead University community.

Join us throughout the week to write a beautiful anonymous message on our Wall of Champions for all to see. Please share a positive message or story about a colleague who makes a difference in our Lakehead community!

To see the entire employee Thrive schedule, visit lakeheadu.ca/EmployeesThrive