2023 Year in Review
The academic year 2022-23 brought opportunities for the WorkLife Office (WLO) to live its values of care, compassion, collaboration, inclusion and equity. Meeting people where they are and offering help and understanding are fundamental to the work of the WLO.
The WLO and ten other units on campus welcomed the leadership of Dr. Alexis Travis as the Assistant Provost and Executive Director of the newly created University Health and Wellbeing unit. When MSU’s 13,000+ faculty and staff experienced changes in leadership, tragedy and trauma, the WLO stepped up. The WLO team assisted in mobilizing emergency wellbeing services in response to the tragic events of February 13, 2023.
Embracing collaboration and equity, the WLO increased its Employee Resource Groups to meet the needs of university employees. The WLO created connection and fostered community through the Fatherhood Forum and the return of Take Your Child to Work Day, both incredible successes. Working in cooperation with units and colleagues across the university, WLO proved that their team members can rise to any challenge while delivering exceptional support, resources and hope in times of crisis.
The WLO will continue to grow and evolve as they integrate into the University Health and Wellbeing unit, expanding their reach and resources for the faculty, staff, and graduate student employees at MSU.
Advocacy
The WLO team showed up around the university in workgroups, committees, associations and programs to share their knowledge of employee needs and best practices to advocate for work life integration, inclusion, equity and wellbeing. The WLO recognized MSU employees as their priority and continued to be committed to bringing the needs of employees to important conversations on campus. The WLO increased skills and opportunities for MSU by participating in national associations and visiting other universities to remain on the leading edge of information, programs and services for employees and their families.
Wellbeing workgroups
Campus and community connections promote diversity, equity and inclusion. The WLO team has been involved in campus committees including Women’s Networking Association (WNA), Women’s Advisory Committee for Support Staff (WACSS), Institutional Diversity: Excellence in Action (IDEA) Coordinators, Faculty & Staff Wellbeing Working Group, Families of MSU Students Wellbeing Working Group, MLK Planning Committee, International Employee Resource Group, MSU Dialogues facilitation, Women of Color Community (WOCC), and Global DEI Task Force.
Building Communities
Helping people in the MSU Community find their place is important for the WLO team. The WLO continued to coordinate multiple employee resource groups such as the Family, Adult Caregiver, Post Parental Leave, and International Employee Resource Groups, as well as family related programming including the New Parent Series, and Annual Fatherhood Forum. In total, these family/caregiving-related groups have seen 474 attendees in FY23.
In addition to their own internal ERG’s, the WLO hosts and promotes other campus-wide employee resource groups, including Asian Pacific Islander Desi American/Asian Faculty Staff Association (APIDA/AFSA), Black Faculty, Staff and Administrators Association (BFSAA), Chicano/Latino Association (ChiLA), Educating Anishinaabe: Giving, Learning and Empowering (EAGLE), Employee Pride and Inclusion Coalition (EPIC), MSU Women of Color Community (WOCC), and others.
National Involvement in Work-Life-Family
Jaimie Hutchison, Director of the WorkLife Office, was selected as the President-Elect of the national work-life organization, the College and University Work-Life-Family Association (CUWFA). In this role, Jaimie will raise MSU’s profile and is positioned to bring innovations and best practices to the university. Jaimie presented Worklife, “Through an Equity Lens” at the recent CUWFA conference in Virginia while other WLO team members attended sessions throughout the week.
Ebony Lucas is currently the co-chair of the CUWFA Membership Engagement committee. Rachel Perez and Alaina Charette are involved with the CUWFA Mentorship group.
Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ebony Lucas of the WLO team helped co-chair this year’s MLK Planning Committee which celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For the third year in a row, Jaimie Hutchison worked on the Stuff the Library campaign. This campaign aims to fill school libraries with books on topics of social justice and with characters representing diverse backgrounds for local schools. This year, donations were slotted for the Flint Community School District.
WLO Team Commitment to DEI
Each month the WLO continued DEI learning and engagement for their staff and interns. Work-life issues are equity issues, and WLO has a commitment to develop learning and understanding in this area for our personal and professional growth. This commitment allows the WLO team to effectively advocate for the needs of MSU employees.
Advocating for Caregivers
The WLO provided one-on-one consultations to support caregivers. Sixteen percent of our one on ones were directly related to family care, that equates to 751 individual connections.
MSU faculty, staff and students have utilized backup dependent care services for over 3,300 hours of services this fiscal year.
88 Faculty, Staff or Students utilized Backup Dependent Care in FY23- 47 Faculty (53%)
- 19 Staff (22%)
- 22 Students (25%)
- Parent/Guardian is Faculty: 73 (52%)
- Parent/Guardian is Staff: 31 (22%)
- Parent/Guardian is Student: 37 (26%)
Health & Wellbeing
The WorkLife Office continues to promote a culture of health and wellbeing by presenting frequent topics like “Building Your Best Colleague” and “Psychological Safety and Transparent Communication at Work.”
In FY23, the WLO provided 168 presentations to MSU and community stakeholders.
The Well-Being at Work Guide was developed to provide evidence-based best practices to recruit and retain high-quality candidates and create healthier workplaces and teams, including guidance on hybrid and flexible work arrangements.
WorkLife Conference 2022 themed, ‘The Whole Person Workplace” rallied around the idea that people bring their entire selves to work – that includes the pressures and joys of their home life, their goals for their careers, their ailments, concerns, and values. By honoring people as they are we provide the opportunity for a better overall experience for individuals and departments.
This year there were 250 attendees for the virtual conference.
Outreach & Engagement
The WorkLife Office meets employees where they are and engages them across the university and across the state. WLO continues to increase its outreach and engagement, serving thousands in the MSU community and beyond.
They maintain a national presence with a membership in Colleges and Universities Work Family Alliance (CUWFA), the nation’s premier professional association focused on work/life issues and practice in higher education. Our director Jaimie Hutchison is currently Interim president of CUWFA. This allows the WorkLife Office team is knowledgeable about growing trends and best practices.
In FY 23, all of the presentations made to MSU colleges or units, with a mix of 69 events and 99 presentations.
Events reached 4,802 participants and presentations reached 3,900 MSU employees across the state – An increase of 76% over FY 22.
Support & Celebrations
The WorkLife Office continues to be a source for consultations, resources, and connections. Supporting and celebrating the MSU community members at each stage of work and life with kindness, compassion, and an extensive knowledge base will always be central our mission.
One on One Topics from WorkLife Consultations
- Workplace
1,664 consultations, 34%; - Community
1,570 consultations, 32%; - Family
751 consultations, 16%; - Newcomers
693 consultations, 14%; - Career
186 consultations, 4%.
Employee Resource Groups
Employee resource groups have proven to be of value to the MSU community. There are ongoing and recently created groups to provide information and relationships around common topics. These include monthly groups of employees that meet and attend events around areas of interest including adult caregiving, parenting, women’s advancement, and sharing experiences as international employees. In total, 474 people participated in or attended an employee resource group event. The WorkLife Office has been a longtime host for many of the Women’s Networking Association (WNA) events as well.
- WNA – 372 attendees
- Adult Caregivers ERG – 165 attendees
- Family ERG – 79 attendees
- International ERG – 41
- Post-Parental ERG – 20 attendees
Signature Series Attendees:
- New Parent Series – 120 total attendees
- Supervisor Training Series – 732 total attendees
The Supervisor Training Series held nine sessions that gathered a total of 732 attendees interested in skill building and culture change.
Newcomer and Final Round Applicant Consultations
The WLO doubled the “Final Round Applicant” and “Newcomer” consultations to a total of 220 individuals providing in-depth information and resources to those new to campus.
“Including the WorkLife Office in the final interview process was very well received by our candidates. Our administrative team felt that including the WorkLife Office conveyed an acknowledgement of the excitement, but also the stress of making a move and starting a new job. Having the WorkLife Office as part of the process was a great way to connect candidates with the university and community resources to ease that transition. We see the WorkLife Office as a mainstay in our interview process.”
Top 5 “Rewatchables”
Recordings of presentations with the most views.
- Wellbeing Wednesdays: Therapeutic Yoga for All Bodies
- Supervisor Training Series: How to Recognize and Minimize Burnout During Uncertain Times
- Adult Caregiver ERG: Demystifying Dementia & The 6 Pillars of Brain Health
- WNA Presents the Confident Women Series: Emotional Intelligence as a Foundation to DEI Work
- Supervisor Training Series Part II: U.S. Surgeon General Recommended Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace
Return of In-Person Events
The Take Your Child to Work Day and Fatherhood Forum events were back and held in-person for the first time after a three-year hiatus. The events support a family-friendly workplace and build Spartan points of pride. The events welcomed a combined 1,659 attendees.
Take Your Child to Work Day
This event highlighted the university’s support for its employees, their families and all MSU community members. MSU Units and Departments hosted tours and activities geared towards kids ages 8-16 and younger ages were welcome. Attendees planned for a day spent visiting the places they will enjoy.
Participants included
- 36 units
- 1610 registrants
It felt like an immersion to MSU for myself and it was so fun sharing it with my kids. It really helps lead to them wanting to be future Spartans and we are excited to do sessions we couldn't fit in next year. This is something they already look forward to doing again and now we know it would even be fun for my husband to take the day off and join us.
Fatherhood Forum
In collaboration with Student Parent Resource Center and Employee Assistance Program.
This was the first forum back in person since 2019. We were excited to offer an in-person Fatherhood Forum to bring fathers in the community together. The Fatherhood Forum was an excellent opportunity to build connections and reinvigorate the sense of community that we all love.
“I really enjoyed the forum. It helped put me in a good mindset,” attendee.
It was a great time learning more and being around proactive dads.
Team Reflections
The WorkLife team doesn’t just speak the values of a positive workplace that honors the whole person and provides opportunities for growth through encouragement and support — they live this within their team and as a model to other departments. Living their values out loud, and across campus, wherever they are asked to present, participate in workgroups or committees, or plan an event. They lead by example, demonstrating a culture of care for their team and the people they work with across the university. By living the model of a positive workplace, they have influenced a ripple of other people to impact their own departments.
“I learn more and more from them as I work along side them, participate in meetings with them, and solve problems together. This has helped shape the spirit of compassion, collaboration and collegiality within the Office of the Provost communication team. Our team then attends other meetings, working alongside other departments and reflecting those same values. A culture of care within a team is an intentional decision, carried out daily,” said Erica Venton, marketing manager for the Office of the Provost communication team who has worked alongside the WLO for years. “The WLO champions the value of people, and promotes collaboration and trust in the workplace. MSU is lucky to have such a dedicated team advocating for worklife awareness within our organization.”
A culture of care within a team is an intentional decision, carried out daily.
Jaimie Hutchison, Director
I am incredibly grateful to be part of a fully staffed team that not only shares common values but also demonstrates them in their daily actions. This team is more than just a group of individuals working together; we are a tightly knit community that supports and uplifts one another. It’s truly inspiring to witness how everyone consistently comes through for each other, going above and beyond to ensure our collective success.
What makes this team even more exceptional is our commitment to work-life integration and workplace wellbeing. We understand the importance of maintaining a healthy blend between our professional and personal lives, and we actively encourage and support one another in achieving this goal. It’s remarkable to see how each person brings their unique strengths, skills, and perspectives to the table, contributing to the team’s success. I could not be prouder to be a part of this team where every member is valued and respected, and where our shared dedication to excellence shines through in everything we do.
Ebony Lucas
I began my journey with the WorkLife Office in January 2022 after transitioning from Detroit. The position of WorkLife Consultant aligned perfectly with my personal and professional ethics, focusing on the philosophy of a whole-person workplace. Despite the challenges of relocating and adapting to a fast-paced environment, I thrived. My role involves facilitating resources for caregivers, families, and international employees. I also supervise Bachelor Social Work and Master Social Work students to maintain social work, educational, and professional standards. The WorkLife Office has been pivotal in my professional growth, allowing me to advocate for whole-person workplace values in both my professional and personal life.
Rachel Perez
The 22-23 academic year was certainly a year of growth for me in my career at MSU. I began my role as a WorkLife Consultant in June of 2022 and I’m proud to say that I’ve successfully completed one full academic cycle with the WorkLife team and feel very confident moving into my second year with this great team! With this role I’ve had the opportunity to improve my public speaking and professional communication skills, which have also resulted in improved networking and relationship building. Spartans across campus are associating my name with the role of a WorkLife Champion! My work in coordinating large scale projects such as multiple employee resource groups and two large campus wide events have stretched and improved my strategic planning and coordinating skills. I’ve also been provided the opportunity to continue my professional development through the completion of a Global Career Development Facilitator Certification. This certification has given me foundational knowledge and up to date information on how to best provide guidance and support in the role of a career consultant. I’m looking forward to applying what I’ve learned in my first year with the WorkLife Office to the upcoming academic year and all the positive impact we can make on campus and across the state.
Alaina Charette
I began my role as Operations Coordinator for the WorkLife Office in November 2022. I jumped in with both feet into a fast-paced new world of work-life and higher education. My professional background was in healthcare, and Michigan State University feels like a whole new world. This role has reinspired me to learn and be more engaged with my community. I have stepped outside of my comfort zone many times, especially when it comes to public speaking. Each of these are an opportunity to grow professionally, especially as I step in to help lead the Women’s Networking Association and the Outstanding Supervisor Awards Committee this next academic year. I was also thrilled to attend the College and University Work-Life-Family Association (CUWFA) conference this year, which gave me a deeper understanding of this important work. I am very thankful to be a part of such a wonderful and endlessly supportive team.
2022–23 Interns and Student Assistants
Thank you: Emerson Stehlik, Tess Bond, Bella Berns, Vanessa Nguyen, Chahat Sharma, Nyah Phillips, Shahriar Hossain
At the WorkLife Office at Michigan State University, our interns are indispensable assets who breathe fresh life into our initiatives and programs. They bring a unique blend of creativity, enthusiasm, and academic perspective that invigorates our mission to create a supportive work environment for staff and faculty. Whether they are assisting in research, developing training modules, or actively participating in outreach events, our interns provide valuable insights that help us stay ahead of emerging workplace trends and challenges. Their contributions not only enhance our current operations but also provide us with new ways of thinking that shape our future endeavors. In short, our interns are vital catalysts for innovation and growth within our office.
The MSU WorkLife Office has had a transformative year, marked by meaningful collaborations, innovation, and dedicated service to our campus community. Amid a landscape of challenges, we’ve managed to expand our programs, fortify relationships with stakeholders, and establish a renewed commitment to fostering a culture of work-life integration. Our achievements are a testament to the collaborative spirit of MSU, and they underscore the indispensable role the WorkLife Office plays in making the university a great place to work, learn, and grow. As we look forward to the next year, we are excited to continue evolving and driving initiatives that support the well-being of our faculty, staff, and graduate student assistants. Thank you for being an integral part of this journey. Here’s to another year of success, work life integration, and wellbeing!
Thank You To Our Partners
We extend our deepest gratitude to all of our collaborators who have joined us in this vital mission. It truly takes a collective effort to support the well-being and work-life integration of over 13,000 faculty and staff members at MSU. Your partnership has been invaluable in expanding our reach and enriching the quality of our programs. Thank you for being an essential part of this community-centered endeavor.
Alzheimer’s Association
Bailey Childcare Center
Black Faculty and Staff Administrators Association
Care.com/MSU
Child and Family Charities of Lansing
College and University Work-Life-Family Association
Employee Assistance Program
Expectant Parent Organization
Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau
Health4U
Higher Education Recruitment Consortium
Ingham County School District
Kennedy Care Safe at Home
Michigan Breast Feeding Network
Michigan Financial Services
MSU Community Club
MSU Extension
MSU Human Resources
MSU Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
MSU Trauma Services and Training Network
MSU Women of Color Community
Next Generation Lactation Service
Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs
Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development
Office of International Students and Scholars
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Office of the University Ombudsperson
Resource Center for Person with Disabilities
Student Parent Resource Center
The Community Mental Health Authority
TIAA
Tri-County Office on Aging
University Health and Wellbeing
University of Michigan
Women’s Advisory Committee for Support Staff
