University Support

The University of Pittsburgh understands that healthy and supported employees are better equipped to meet life’s challenges.  

Employees often face considerable pressure managing the demands of everyday life while managing their workload. The driving force behind encouraging participation in our various wellness offerings is an understanding of the demands that employees face while maintaining a work-life balance and the impact that wellness has not only on employee well-being, but the effect it has on the University. 

By recognizing the importance of self-care and by providing resources to support our employees, the University strives to foster a more positive and sustainable work environment. This caring approach acknowledges that investing in the well-being of our employees is an investment in them and in the future of our University.

Why Departmental Wellness?

Academic leaders and department heads play a critical role in nurturing a culture of wellness. They can emphasize the importance of self-care and mental health by cultivating a supportive environment where people feel valued through open discussions about well-being during departmental meetings and creating safe spaces in which everyone feels heard.

The convenience of bringing wellness topics to your staff encourages their participation and shows leadership support in the health of their team. Investment in wellness is not a nicety; it is a necessity that yields a positive return on investment with team members who are less stressed, more balanced and happier.

Available services

There are a variety of services departments can offer to their staff; each option can be tailored to the amount of time you have available. Categories of services include:

• On The Go’s: Used to engage employees in wellness conversations on various topics. On the Go is a program developed to bring quick and effective activities to employees such as: stress management, physical activity, and nutrition. These can be done in person or virtually upon request. The time for each activity is 15-20 minutes but can be tailored to the amount of time you have available.

This option is great to offer during staff meetings or a full day of training to break up the flow.

• Stop by Booths: Used to engage employees in wellness conversations on various topics. The on-site health coach will be at a table with information on a variety of wellness topics such as: stress, physical activity, tobacco cessation, hypertension, lower back pain, and healthy holiday eating. The table should be placed near high traffic areas such as employee cafeterias, lunchrooms, or lounges. Each session includes an interactive activity and a Coach on Call educational piece with follow up. Times are usually scheduled in two-hour blocks.

This option would be great to offer if there is a certain day of the week when most of your team will be in the office.

• MyHealth Kitchen: Looking for new recipe ideas that are quick, easy, and help achieve your health and wellness goals? Welcome to the MyHealth Kitchen where participants can learn in real time how to accomplish healthy, nutritional-based foods in the comfort of their home. Each demonstration will range from 20-30 minutes highlighting different aspects of nutrition that is inclusive to all.

Only offered virtually.

• Presentations (Lunch & Learns): Educational sessions offered in a wide variety of topics. Each session can range in length from 30-45 minutes.
  
  Sessions can be offered in person or virtually.

Cost: FREE!

For questions or to schedule, please contact Ashley Boykin at BeWell@pitt.edu.

Departmental Testimonials

Testimonial from Kelly Pittman, Office of the CIO:

"The program is amazing!!!

Bringing quarterly Wellness sessions to Pitt IT has been a wonderful opportunity for all of Pitt IT. It gives us the opportunity to talk about issues that many of us face but rarely have the opportunities to discuss.

The lunch & learns are not mandatory. However, we consistently get 50-90 people who join each session. The conversations can be lively. Some of our favorite sessions included: Achieving Harmony: How to Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance, Minimizing Worry to Maximize Your Life, Coping with Social Isolation and Loneliness, Your Way to Health (Getting Started), and Healthy Boundaries: Building Gates, Not Walls. We’ve found that the quarterly cadence has worked well for our organization.

The Wellness Specialist sends out a list of available lunch & learns each year with a brief description. It appears the Wellness team tries to keep the list of offerings fresh by adding new sessions each year. We’ve found value in each session that we participated in. Since I typically schedule for the entire academic year at one time, it’s been extremely easy to schedule these sessions. I’ve also been able to send the meeting invites from our calendar and send out reminders before the session.

The Wellness Lunch & Learns have been wildly successful. They allow us the opportunity to push away from the work desk and focus on ourselves. Since some of our team is hybrid or remote, they have also provided watercooler moments that we may have not had otherwise. For some, these sessions have provided support and sometimes even some team building."

Testimonial from Megan Mough, HR Client Services:

"Our staff spend most of their time at work trying to solve problems, answering questions, or generally providing support to others. We wanted to start bringing Wellness discussions and activities to the group to provide THEM with support and to recognize and address THEIR needs. We saw this as a team-building opportunity as well as a break from the everyday routine to which we can become accustomed.

University Benefits/WorkPartners/LifeSolutions staff have made scheduling as easy as possible. They’ve been flexible in formatting and graciously accommodating to last-minute changes. 

I have, personally, found our Wellness activities to be very beneficial and welcome breaks to the standard work day routine. Our team greets these opportunities with enthusiasm and eagerness, and they enjoy participating. Being able to provide our team with reassurance that their health and well-being are important to their managers and directors sends a clear and positive message about the culture we strive to maintain."