Year: 2025

At times, things are difficult at work, and there’s nothing we can do about it.  We might have a colleague we have asked to include us in meetings, and still they ignore and exclude us.  We might have a supervisor we have brought concerns to, and they don’t do anything in response.  Maybe we just have a job that is boring or isn’t exactly what we want to be doing, but this is the job we have.  There is so much at work that is stressful that is out of our control.  But what about what is in our control?

I mentioned in a recent Staff Senate meeting that I am taking a class in the Industrial and Organizational Psychology program, and this semester, I am in Survey to Occupational Health with Dr. Robert Sinclair.  Learning about the different theories and strategies for occupational health has been incredibly relevant and helpful in the work that I do.  In class, we have been talking a lot lately about the different models of work stress.  One of these models, created by A. B. Bakker and E. Demerouti (2007), is called the Job-Demands-Resources model, or JDR.  JDR says that our collective job demands create stress and strain, which can eventually lead to physical and mental health problems and negative outcomes for the organization.  For example, if we have to lift heavy things daily, we might experience muscle strain that could eventually become an injury.  On the mental health side, if we feel demeaned and bullied by a supervisor, we might experience daily shame, fear, and anger, which can lead to increased depression and anxiety.  Either of these could lead to turnover, absenteeism, and a less well workforce. 

At the same time, the JDR model says that our collective job resources motivate us, which can lead to positive organizational outcomes, such as productivity, profitability, and employee engagement.  Job resources include autonomy, feedback, support, and even tangibles such as adequate annual leave.  When we have sufficient resources, we feel more motivated to do the work we need to do, and the organization benefits.  These two, interconnected processes are detailed below. 

Many of our job demands and job resources are just parts of the gig.  We can bring up our concerns, and we can (and should) advocate for ourselves.  However, even if change occurs, it will come slowly.  In the meantime, the idea of job crafting lets us take action now by enhancing our job resources on our own.  Job crafting essentially says if we cannot get what we need from our jobs, can we find that resource elsewhere?  If we are not getting the support we need from our supervisor, maybe we can find a mentoring relationship elsewhere and seek support outside of the formal hierarchy.  If we do not have the autonomy we want, maybe we can take on a separate project or join a staff development program like CU Grow that allows us to direct some of our own work.  Job crafting begins by taking stock of what we have and what we don’t have and then brainstorming ways to get what we need.  Here are some ideas:

• Apply for a development program like CU Grow, Extension Emerging Leadership Institute, or CCIT’s Leadership Development Program.
• Run for Staff Senate, or if you already have, run for a leadership position.
• Find external trainings that could enhance your skills and knowledge.
• Find colleagues and mentors who are willing to share feedback with you.
• Connect with colleagues on a personal level.  Maybe go to lunch or after-hours events.
• Look for gaps in what your department does, and present a plan for how you could take on responsibilities to fill that gap.
• Volunteer to do something you haven’t done before, such as present in front of the whole division or author a report.

At some point, you might decide that the job you have is ultimately not the job you want.  But changing jobs is also not simple or quick.  While you have the job you have, take some time to craft it into what you want it to be.  In addition to strengthening your skills and engagement, job crafting increases your job satisfaction and overall happiness.  Craft away!

Bakker, A.B. and Demerouti, E. (2007), “The Job Demands‐Resources model: state of the art”, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 309-328. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940710733115

Getting your MBA has never been so easy – live where you want, learn how you want, and let Clemson help cover the cost with Employee Tuition Assistance! Learn more during our upcoming virtual info sessions or Coffee Chats! Can’t make it? No problem! Please email us to set up a call with our team: mbaprogram@clemson.edu

Register for our upcoming Coffee Chats & info sessions here!

Dear Fellow Staff,

Greetings; I’m Stacey Miller, your Vice President for Staff Senate.

A new year is a time for renewal. Taking care of yourself is the greatest gift that you can give yourself. I recently had the opportunity to complete a workshop called “Struggle Well/Learning to Thrive.” This workshop was hosted by Dr. Anna Courie (Clemson’s Chief Well-being Officer) and Clemson’s Well-being Council. One takeaway from this training is that we all struggle, but it’s about struggling well. Did you know…One of Staff Senate’s missions is to advocate for your well-being in the workplace. My wish for you this new year is for you to invest in yourself, take a walk, breathe, or catch up with a co-worker over coffee.

We hope you can attend our next meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 13, 2025, 2:30-4:00 PM, Riggs, room 305. Reminder: If you would like to ask a question, please request to speak during the open comment period by contacting our office or relaying your questions to your senators.  

Giving back is the greatest gift that you can give yourself and others. There are a few opportunities to give back this month.

The battle of the Senate 2.0 will be held February 3-15, 2025. Please consider donating; all proceeds go to the Employee Emergency Fund, which supports your co-workers who may need additional kindness through financial assistance.

Staff Senate Blood Drive, scheduled for February 21, 2025.

Take care of yourself, Tigers; you matter to us!

Go Tigers!

Stacey Miller
Vice President 2024-2025

Ready to retire? Human Resources offers in-person “Navigating Your Retirement” course for those approaching retirement

Navigating Your Retirement is a group educational session designed to help employees identify where to begin the retirement process, understand their roles and responsibilities, and maximize the benefits offered by the State of South Carolina. These sessions will be most beneficial to those planning to retire within three months to a year. Sessions will be held monthly in the training room of the Administrative Services Building and registration online via Tiger Training is required.

Heart Health during Heart Month!

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for in the United States – but with the State Health Plan, you can take steps to prioritize heart health! Hello Heart is an easy-to-use program that helps you track, understand and manage your heart health from the privacy of your own phone. The Hello Heart program is offered at no cost to eligible State Health Plan primary members ages 18 and older. Participants will receive a free blood pressure monitor that connects to an app on their smartphone to help monitor and understand their heart health.

W-2s available online; paper forms mailed Jan. 31

Electronic W-2s are now available online for all active Clemson employees. W-2s can be accessed through Employee Self-Service under the Payroll and Compensation tile.

Payroll mailed paper W-2s to employees who did not consent to receive their form electronically on January 31.

Accessing Your W-2 Online

1. Navigate to the Payroll and Compensation tile in Employee Self-Service.
2. Click on the View W-2/W-2c Forms tab on the left-hand side.
3. Select View Form to generate a secure PDF of your W-2. You may experience a slight delay while your W-2 loads.

If you have trouble accessing your W-2 online, make sure your browser allows pop-ups. For further assistance, contact the CCIT Support Center.

Individuals who separated from Clemson University will no longer have access to the online system. W-2s will be mailed to employees who have separated from the University and those who did not consent to receive their form electronically.

For more information about W-2s, please visit the W-2 Information page on the Payroll website.

1095-C Forms will be prepared and available in Employee Self-Service no later than March 1. Paper copies will be mailed to individuals who did not consent to receive their documents electronically.

Questions? Ask-HR.

The class, open to all female University faculty, staff and students,  teaches women realistic self-defense tactics and techniques, covering awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance.

This course enables participants through hands-on training and teaches them how to take an active role in their own self-defense and psychological well-being. Nationally certified instructors provide students with information on physical and non-physical defense options as well as insight into the mindset of an attacker. Participants must attend both days of the class for successful completion. To sign up, contact Nicole Rife (nrife@clemson.edu).

R.A.D is the largest network of its kind, with more than 11,000 certified instructors to date. Instructors teach at various colleges, universities, municipal law enforcement agencies and other community organizations. Since the program began in 1989, RAD has trained more than 900,000 women.

In the last Staff Senate meeting, Wendy Howard from the The State Retiree Association of SC (SRASC) dropped by to present on the opportunities being offered from both the SRA and the Clemson Area Bosom Buddies. Additional information and resources can be found below at their websites below alongside their respective brochures.

For any additional questions regarding the SRASC or Bosom Buddies, contact Wendy Howard (hrwendy726@gmail.com).

https://srasc.wildapricot.org (PDF)

https://www.clemsonareabosombuddies.org (PDF)

We’re all quick to remember our mistakes, losses, and miscommunications.  I want to remind us to stop and celebrate our wins.  I’m covering this topic for two reasons.  First, I recently did a training about resilience, and at the end I asked participants what they were taking away from the training.  Multiple people mentioned this concept of celebrating wins and how they needed the reminder to reflect not only on their shortcomings but also on their daily wins.  Second, I rewatched the Disney movie Soul with my son.  Soul came out during the pandemic, and when I first saw it, I was less impressed by it than I was by its creative and plot-heavy cousin Onward, also released during the pandemic.  This second time, though, I think I better understood its point:  While life can be full of huge ups and downs, dreams dashed and dreams realized, in between life is full of small, beautiful moments that we might miss if we are not careful. 

To me, these are related.  I would hope that anyone celebrates big accomplishments like a promotion, a raise, a graduation, and acceptance into a new program.  But what about these?  You finish a difficult conversation with your supervisor, and you share with them everything you intended to.  Or you set boundaries with a friend and then stick to those boundaries, even when they push back.  Or you hear the same passive-aggressive comment from a colleague, and this time you keep your cool.  These are all wins that might get unnoticed, especially if you are instead focusing on what you forgot to say in those conversations or what you wish you hadn’t said.  Celebrating wins does not mean you deny your mistakes.  It means that while you acknowledge the times you messed up, you acknowledge the times when you got it right. 

I will admit, celebrating everyday wins does not come naturally to me.  I was really struggling with a colleague recently; every interaction we had filled me with self-doubt and stayed in my mind as I tried to fall asleep at night.  Then we had an unpleasant interaction, and for that day, I was able to let it go.  When I told my husband about the interaction and how I didn’t really care, he congratulated me and (sort of) forced me to stop and reflect on what a big deal that was.  I can’t control what this colleague thinks of me or how they respond to me, but I can control how much I let it consume my time and energy. 

Here are a few ideas for celebrating everyday wins:

• Journal at the end of each day or each week to document the wins
• Make a plan with a friend or colleague to check in on each other’s wins
• Create a celebration jar where you document wins as they happen
• Commemorate wins on a calendar, so you can go back and look at your progress
• Treat yourself regularly

We are quick to hold on to our loses.  Let’s start to hold on to the wins.