Talking Stick - September/October 2008 - (Page 18)

Res Life Supervisors cannot wait for staff to ask for help; they need to let them know from the very beginning that confidential counseling resources are available and that the support process will take place on neutral ground. Griffin proposes that educational consultations be made a required part of the support-response model and that supervisors should emphasize to staff that these are preventative measures and not evaluative ones. He suggests that supervisors build follow-up visits into their work management: “Once the initial consultation (and possibly referral to additional resources) is completed, it is good to build in a follow-up/checkins over the next several weeks to assess the staff member’s personal/academic/ employment functionality. These are not evaluative sessions but are an opportunity for the supervisor to express support, continue to educate and normalize, and, where helpful, promote the use of additional helping resources.” In some cases, even after a staff member has sought help and is actively working through their problems, they may not recognize that taking a leave of absence could be a positive addition to their healing. It may not be apparent from their work performance that they need this kind of help, and they may feel that taking leave is a sign of weakness or that being encouraged to take one is an evaluation of their work. As Wallington notes, “One of the biggest challenges is when a staff member may be having some issues, dealing with grief, seeking counseling, etc. but the job performance is good and not in question.” She explains that conversations about taking leave are hard to have; they’re told they are doing a good job, but in the next sentence they’re being encouraged to go: “I have heard more than once ‘But I am still doing my job.’ Knowing how to handle this from a human resource perspective is always helpful. There usually are policies in place where a person can get time away, leave, etc. I think we are hesitant to use these policies at times.” If departments are hesitant to maintain and strengthen a support structure for staff, the health of staff – and thus of the entire department – will suffer. Supporting staff in crisis is a logical extension of responding to and supporting students in crisis, and staff need to be aware of all the internal and external sources available to them. Most of all, as Paladino explains, they need the same reassurance all of us need in times of crisis – “that they do not have to go through anything alone.” ts Camille Perlman is the managing editor of the Talking Stick. Struggling to Grasp the Power of Assessment? The National Standard for Campus Housing Assessment Resident Assessment Apartment Assessment Student Sta Assessment Based on ACUHO-I, CAS and NASPA Leadership and Learning Reconsidered National Standards Partners With acuho-i Since 1998 Contact: Melanie Monteleone 417-429-0081 www.webebi.com http://www.webebi.com http://www.webebi.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - September/October 2008

Talking Stick - September/October 2008 Contents Online Now Vision Just In Your ACUHO-I Transitions Res Life Facilities Business Calendar Safe Harbor Think Globally, React Locally Conversations First Takes Reporting Out New Members Snapshot

Talking Stick - September/October 2008

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