Remote Working Wellbeing

Your Social Health

• We ask that you stay in regular contact with your line manager, and likewise, your manager will check in with you on a regular basis.
• Please keep in contact with colleagues to ensure that you are connected to your team and to the University community.
• Remember that international staff members may find it particularly challenging to be removed from family and home at this time, please make an extra effort to show understanding of their situation and stay connected.
• If you know of any staff members who live/work alone, please also make an effort to stay in touch with them.
• Teams may wish to set up virtual coffee breaks for those who are interested to have a chat about their day – this can be done on Microsoft Teams.

Your Physical Health

• Please continue to respect the public health advice with regard to social distancing and hand and respiratory hygiene. Your actions will save lives if you adhere to public health advice.
• You can review some useful and practical instructions from the HSE on protecting yourself and others from the virus on their website here.
• Follow the travel advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs here.
• Clinical staff can review the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre advice and guidance for healthcare workers available here.
• Working remotely is a new challenge and may cause issues in relation to workplace setting and environment. This is intended as a temporary measure in exceptional circumstances, but you can ensure as much as possible that you have a workstation that is not impacting your physical health by setting up adequate seating and display equipment. Guidelines on temporary remote working can be found on the Health and Safety Authority website here.
• When working remotely, please remember to take regular breaks and your lunch period, and follow normal time management processes.

Your Mental Health

• It can be stressful to manage work and caring responsibilities at this time. Line managers and the University are understanding of these exceptional circumstances, and the health and welfare of your family are paramount.
• ASK FOR HELP if you need it. SMS Hello to 50808 if you need help while going through mental health or emotional crisis.
• If you would like to speak to someone about any feelings or pressures that you are currently experiencing, the University of Galway Employee Assistance Service (EAS) is available to you 24/7. Please review the website here for further information and contact details.
• Our staff with HSE commitments may also contact the HSE EAP service for the Saolta Hospital Group here.
• If you are responding to students in distress, please note that Student Counselling is continuing to operate remotely via counselling@universityofgalway.ie.
• You can access the University of Galway LinkedIn Learning platform through the apps in your Office 365 account or directly from the University of Galway LinkedIn Learning Login Page where you can access a number of short video's & Courses relating to Mental Health.
• Follow the HSE Guidelines for minding your mental health during this time here. Their website provides further information under each of the following headings:

- Stay Informed but set limits for news and social media
- Keep up your healthy routines
- Stay connected to others
- Talk to children and young people
- Try to anticipate distress and support each other
- Don’t make assumptions
- Use available online and phone supports when needed