join us for the lakehead employee holiday gathering as we jingle & mingle

president gillian siddall and her executive leadership team with the social committee invite you to the annual holiday gathering to celebrate all we've accomplished together this year.

decompress and connect with friends and colleagues as we set our intentions for a wonderful year ahead.

get ready for:

• buffet dinner and festive desserts.
• fun games and activities.
• raffles and prizes.
• a visit from santa!

plus, help support a great cause by donating to the lusu food resource centre.

please rsvp here: https://forms.gle/hmte4bydtjuwcq6fa

let's celebrate the holiday season together!

world aids day, observed annually on december 1st, is a global day dedicated to raising awareness of the aids pandemic caused by the spread of hiv infection and mourning those who have died from the disease. it was first observed in 1988 and has since become a crucial platform for advocating for hiv prevention, treatment, and care.  

this year's theme, "take the rights path: my health, my right!", emphasizes the importance of human rights in ending the aids epidemic. unaids reports that by protecting everyone's rights, we can achieve the goal of ending aids as a public health threat by 2030.

join the thunder bay district health unit and student health and wellness in the agora on monday december 2nd to learn more about hiv/aids and to get tested for free.

getting tested and knowing your status is critical in protecting yourself and your sexual partners.
together, we can create a healthier future.

#worldaidsday #hivprevention #knowyourstatus

6th annual creating healthy organizations conference

"win-win organizations: sustainable success & employee wellbeing"

december 6 & 7, 2024
virtual event

we are pleased to announce the 6th annual creating healthy organizations conference fall 2024. special emphasis of the conference will be “win-win organizations: sustainable success & employee wellbeing". shrm continuing education credit workshops will be available.

conference program    click here to register

festival of trees competition 2024 - thunder bay 🎄

support our food resource centre and spread some holiday cheer! sign up your office, department, or club to display a festive tree that will be put in a competition for best festive tree. last year we saw trees made of books, felt, cardboard boxes and so many more creative objects!

to sign up click here!

• application deadline: monday, dec. 2
• set up day: friday, dec. 6 after 11 a.m.
• pick up date: thursday, dec. 19 before 3 p.m.

trees will be on display from december 9th to 19th for everyone to enjoy. during this time, we are encouraging everyone to vote for their favourite tree. one donation to the food resource centre equals one vote. you may vote as many times as you like (each vote will also go toward your yearly tally with the frc departmental food challenge!). winner gets a prize for their team (2022-23, 2023-24).

if you have any questions, please contact jennifer mccallion in food and conference services at coord2.confserv@lakeheadu.ca.

you’re invited!

tbdhu will be hosting a free webinar for all workplace leaders (formal and informal) across the thunder bay district on the practical steps that employers can take to support the mental health of workers. it will be facilitated by local workplace wellness consultant, krystina hunter of k. hunter workplace consulting.

creating a psychologically healthy workplace - simple steps for workplace leaders

while it's no secret that employee mental health challenges are on the rise, adequately addressing them can be quite intimidating for an employer, leaving leaders with good intentions but lacking the knowledge to enact meaningful change. join our workshop for practical guidance on fostering a psychologically healthy work environment. designed for hr professionals, leaders, and informal influencers, this session breaks down the process into practical key actions any organization can take. discover how a focus on training, communication, strategy, and stigma reduction can lay the foundation for a supportive workplace culture. throughout this session you will hear examples of local organizations who have benefited from taking these steps. you will learn how you can also take meaningful action even with tight budgets, busy schedules, and competing priorities. let's kickstart the journey towards a healthier, more resilient workplace, together.

 learn about:

• the importance of taking intentional steps to support the mental health of your workforce - and the costs of doing nothing;
• simple steps any workplace leader can take, even those with competing priorities, to start or continue building a psychologically healthy work environment;
• practical approaches in the areas of training, stigma reduction, strategy development, and communications; and
• general tips informed by best practices and backed by experience to ensure your efforts are worthwhile, valuable, and effective.

wednesday, december 4, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:00 am

the webinar will be hosted by thunder bay district health unit and offered over zoom. it will be recorded and the link to the recording will be shared with all registered participants afterwards.

visit superiormentalwellnessatwork for more information and to register.

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 faculty, administration, and staff are invited to unwind and connect with colleagues on november 20th, 4:30-6:30 pm in the outpost.

don't miss out!

dear lakehead employees,

the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 social committee is excited to open up voting as part of the 2nd annual employee halloween contest!!!

we've received some amazing entries in the following categories:

• best group costume
• best decorated office space

now, it's your turn to help us choose the winners! please take a moment to vote for your favorite picture in each category.

voting will open at 4:00 pm on october 31st and close at 4:00 pm on november 1st.

thank you for your participation! we look forward to announcing the winners here and in the bulletin.

for any questions, please contact jonathon racine wellnesscoordinator@lakeheadu.ca

🎃 👻 🧛

get your costumes and halloween decorations ready!

the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 social committee is inviting faculty and staff to the 2nd annual employee halloween contest for best group costume and best decorated office space. employees are welcome to register in one or both categories!

here’s how it works:

prepare: plan your halloween group costume and/or department decorations with your team members.

pre-registration (optional): although registration is not required, any group or department participating in either of our contestcategories can pre-register. this registration will be shared** with the nanabijou child care centre and our lakehead community so that others may admire your decorations and creativity in person!

action: on halloween, take a group photo for “best group costume” and/or a photo of your office area for “best decorated office space”.

submissions: photos to be submitted on thursday, october 31 (halloween day) before 2:00 pm. please provide only one departmental/group photo submission per category

• best group costume
• best decorated office space

online voting: open to all employees – have your votes submitted before 4:00 pm friday, november 1st. voting will open at 4:00 pm on october 31st and close at 4:00 pm on november 1st.

winners bill be announced here and in the bulletin.

for any questions, please contact jonathon racine wellnesscoordinator@lakeheadu.ca.

🎃 👻 🧛

dear lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 , faculty and staff,

response collection has ended - thank you to everyone who shared your feedback!

lakehead launched its first wellness strategy in 2020. since that time, it has guided the university’s efforts to support the wellbeing of the communities we work, study and live in. as we enter into the last year of the five-year strategy, we want to hear from you!

you’re invited to take the wellness strategy pulse check - share your insights into our progress so far and identify key areas for focus in the upcoming year.

please complete the pulse check before tuesday, oct. 22 to ensure your response is included in our review.

click here for the wellness strategy pulse check

thank you for taking the time to share your insights, your feedback is invaluable!

if you have any comments about the pulse check or would like to learn more about the wellness strategy, please contact:

jonathon racine
wellness strategy coordinator
email: wellnesscoordinator@lakeheadu.ca
phone: 807-343-8010 ext. 7246

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.