Covid-19 Employee Resources

Resources for All Employees

All employees and their families have access to free, confidential services through our Employee Assistance Program. It provides confidential counseling and coaching and can help employees locate support resources/referrals, including alcohol and drug abuse programs, mental health specialists and self-help programs.

Please note that these are optional resources and are not necessarily endorsed by Montclair State University.

Wellness Resources

New Resources

New Wellness resources have been added to increase overall wellness and promote a healthy lifestyle for our active employees and their covered family members. We encourage you to take advantage of the resources provided on the website as your schedule permits.

Wellness Highlights

• The State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) offers a voluntary employee wellness program called NJWELL. The program is designed to help and reward eligible employees and their covered family members for completing activities designed to promote a healthy lifestyle. For more details visit the site here Employee Resources.
• SHBP MEMBER UPDATE – Wellness Webinars – Stay healthy in mind, body and life. Consider attending these March webinars; topics will cover at-home exercise routines, sleep health, financial health and the importance of self-care. Simply click on the title to register. Space is limited.
• For a list of recorded webinars, please visit https://www.horizonblue.com/shbp/njwell/njwell-webinars.

Community Cares Listening Line 1-877-719-1117

The Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW) has developed a culturally responsive helpline to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on African Americans and people of African descent who are employed as first responders and essential workers. The Community Cares Listening Line will provide emotional support and resource information in critical areas of need.

Headspace (Online Mediation App)

Headspace is offering some free meditations to assist individuals during COVID-19. Make sure you are selecting the free meditations.

Stress Management – Techniques for Coping with Stress (Online Course)

Discover helpful coping strategies that can make a real difference to your day with this stress management course.

Cornerstone Cares (Online Courses)

Free (requires registration). Courses include: Promoting self-care and helping you manage stress; Helping you be productive while working from home; Supporting the transition to an online classroom.

EX. Play list in Cornerstone Cares: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Supporting infection prevention and control of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Infographic, Hand Washing Techniques, Managing Stress and Anxiety During an Infectious Disease Outbreak)

Mindfulness Matters (Article)

Strategies for Centering, Reflecting and Meditating in the Workplace

Care for Your Anxiety (Article)

Meditation techniques to reduce stress and anxiety

Why Getting Regular Sleep Is Even More Important Right Now (Article)

Talks about the importance of getting rest and how it affects your health.

Productivity and Happiness Under Sustained Disaster Conditions (Article)

It is entirely possible to be peaceful, productive, and even happy under sustained disaster conditions. For newcomers to system-wide crises, I will share some of my insights here, building on the essay I wrote last month. As always, take what is beneficial to you, and leave the rest.

Stress and Coping (Article)

Understand that everyone reacts to stress in different ways, but it is important to remember to take care of yourself by taking measures to reduce stress and take care of your mental health

COVID-19 Resource Page for SHBP and SEHBP Members (Tools and Articles)

The New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits (NJDPB) has created a COVID-specific resources page that compiles all of the various resources available to our members during this time. Not only is there coverage information for SHBP/SEHBP, but additional behavioral health resources (e.g., Joyable –digital mental health solution available to members at no cost with one-on-one coaching and a personalized eight week BH program), wellness resources, and other important information from our carriers (Horizon and Aetna) and Pharmacy Benefit Manager (Optum). We are onboarding additional behavioral health, wellness, and telemedicine capabilities for our members and will be updating the website on a daily basis. Please share with your constituency and use these resources!

If you have any feedback or would like for us to explore additional ways in which we can serve our members in the SHBP/SEHBP, please reach out to Meaghan Dunfee (Meaghan.Dunfee@treas.nj.gov) with subject line “SHBP/SEHBP COVID Resource Request.”

10 Free Workout Apps (Article)

10 free workout apps to keep you fit while staying home and social distancing

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Your Practical Guide to Wellbeing (Videos/Articles)

Your homebase for wellbeing tips, resources and support. Browse articles and videos on reducing stress, staying active, being productive, sleeping well and more.

Working Remotely

Zoom Training Resources (videos, webinars, articles)

Are you looking to enhance your Zoom meetings or simply need a refresh on Zoom basics? Zoom provides a wealth of resources (live training sessions or pre-recorded webinars) that all Montclair State University employees can access and utilize. The following resources can also be found via montclair.zoom.us: Video Tutorials, Live Training, Webinars & Events, Knowledge Base, Zoom How-To Videos, Zoom FAQs.

The Ultimate Guide to Remote Meetings in 2020 (Article)

Learn how to set up effective virtual meetings with distributed team members

How to stay focused when you are working from home (Article)

Helpful tips on how to continue to be productive while working from home.

Transitioning to Work from Home (Article)

Helpful tips on how to continue to be productive while working from home.

Remote Working: Setting Yourself and Your Teams Up for Success (Online Courses)

16 Courses Include: Working Remotely, Time Management: Working from Home, Productivity Tips: Finding Your Productive Mindset, Executive Presence on Video Conference Calls, Thriving at Work: Leveraging the Connection Between Well-Being and Productivity, Managing Stress for Positive Change, Building Resilience, Developing Resourcefulness, Leading at a Distance, Managing Virtual Teams, Leading Virtual Meetings, Microsoft Teams Tips and Tricks, Learning Skype, Learning BlueJeans Meetings, Learning WebEx, Learning Zoom

Finding the Time to Better Manage Your Time (Article)

In this four-part series focused on time management and work productivity in our new reality, I share some practical advice on how to better lead ourselves through structuring our day to feel better, work more effectively, and adjust to our new reality by actively designing our new reality rather than feeling that the new reality is designing us.

Working from Home: Proactive Planning to Deliver Results (Webinar)

After attending this session, participants will be able to explore how flexible work systems should be implemented and sustained, identify the success factors for working remotely and take the necessary steps to show the value of working remotely.

Save Your Sanity: 21 Productivity Hacks that will Transform the Way You Work (Webinar)

Tips and techniques you can use to stay on task and productive. Fun, free apps to increase productivity and get more done in your workday. Keyboard shortcuts and hidden settings on your computer to end distraction.

Resources for Managers

Please note that these are optional resources and are not necessarily endorsed by Montclair State University.

Remote Coaching for Success: Building Engagement & Accountability with a Virtual Team (Webinar)

In this webinar, you will learn how to take your remote coaching skills to the next level. In developing a stronger coaching mindset, you will learn how to create and identify remote coachable moments and act on them.

7 Tangible Strategies for Virtual Leaders: Quick tips for leading a high-functioning, remote team (Webinar)

Join HR professionals and leaders to discuss and learn 7 strategies and best practices when it comes to effectively leading a high-functioning, remote team.

10 Tips for Successfully Managing Remote Workers (Article)

SHRM Online has collected the following 10 tips to help managers who work with remote employees.

Remote Working: Setting Yourself and Your Teams Up for Success (Online Courses)

Highlighted topics from this LinkedIn Learning series include: Leading at a Distance, Managing Virtual Teams, and Leading Virtual Meetings. Please note, to access these courses, you must register for a free 1-month trial.

The Agile Leader: Tips for keeping employees engaged, connected, and productive during disruption (Article)

How can your organization thrive during a global disruption? By keeping employees engaged, connected, and productive. Your teams are looking to your organization’s leadership to provide stability, updates, and vision for a future that is uncertain. Organizations with the strongest leaders are in the best position to rally their workforce behind a shared vision—and pivot quickly as requirements change. Yet, given the unprecedented disruption we find ourselves in, our traditional leadership strategies are being challenged. Agile leaders must inspire productivity through new ways of working and additional leadership interventions.

When Crisis Strikes, Lead with Humanity (Article)

Three ways to provide reassurance while acknowledging uncertainty

Discovering What Matters: Conversations That Count in a Time of Change (Webinar)

You will leave this session with a process you can use to discover what matters most to your employees, a proven conversation model to engage your employees in conversations that matter to them, a fun career driver conversation activity that’s effective and easy to implement, and best practices to help employees craft a plan for career development success.

Leading Through Crisis (Webinar)

Join our experts and your peers online as we discuss the nuances of how to effectively lead through a crisis. Our panelists will share honest and authentic perspectives on how to: Maintain a steady hand when you’re faced with extreme uncertainty, doubt, and constant fires; Make decisions without complete information; Negotiate the competing interests of different stakeholders; Balance your fiduciary responsibility with the very real health concerns facing students, faculty, and staff; Sustain your energy through long days filled with stress, anxiety, and confusion.

Mapping Uncharted Territory with Employee Communications (Webinar)

Tips on how to communicate with employees and help them navigate the “new normal” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Managing Virtual Workers Today (Webinar)

Find out what it takes to successfully manage virtual workers, learn the pitfalls and successful tools and techniques other organizations are successfully using on this topic, and increase your confidence for effectively getting work done through workers who are not in the office.

Managing Remote Teams with Upwork (Online Course)

In this course you’ll learn the tools and develop the skills and strategies needed to hire, manage, and optimize remote teams.

How To Manage Employee Health And Well-Being During Stressful Times (On-Demand Video Webinar)

During periods of uncertainty and disruption, managers need to make an extra effort to ease workplace anxiety and promote healthy priorities. What benefits, work procedures, and managerial insights provide the best results?

In This Together: Mindful Leadership Through Times of Crisis (Webinar)

Mindful leadership principles and best practices for times of crisis. Tips on supporting your team as they navigate the impact of working from home. How to embed mindfulness into your working culture, even when remote.

Resources for Parents

Please note that these are optional resources and are not necessarily endorsed by Montclair State University.

A Guide to Self-Care for Parents: Why Making Time for Yourself Matters (Article)

This article from Waterford.org discusses self-care for parents, why it’s important, and how to teach self-care to children.

Live Online Classes

Conquer the school year with live online classes for K-12. Please note only certain classes are free.

OLogy by The American Museum of Natural History (Online Activities)

OLogy is the science website for kids from the American Museum of Natural History. You can explore games, activities, stories and more.

Wide Open School (Virtual Classrooms/Activities)

Wide Open School is a free collection of the best online learning experiences for kids curated by the editors at Common Sense. There is so much good happening, and we are here to gather great stuff and organize it so teachers and families can easily find it and plan each day.

Sesame Street: Caring for Each Other (Online Videos, Games and Art)

Your friends on Sesame Street are here to support you during the COVID-19 health crisis. We know that these are stressful times, and families everywhere are creating a new sense of normalcy. So our site is filled with content you can use to spark playful learning, offer children comfort, and focus a bit on yourself, too.

7 Tips for Working From Home With Kids When Coronavirus Has Shut Everything Down (Article)

This article includes a few strategies and real-world tips from remote workers who’ve balanced careers and children in close proximity.

Working and Learning from Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak (Article)

This article shares some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics to help you cope with the “new normal” until the virus is under control.

Age-Based Tips to Help Juggle Parenting & Working at Home During COVID-19 (Article)

This article provides some age-appropriate suggestions to help avoid frustration and keep your family moving forward during the pandemic.

Beyond the Chalkboard (Online Activities)

Beyond the Chalkboard is the work of a host of staff from Boston Children’s Museum, with additional contributions from educators from a number of organizations. It offers hundreds of free activities to teach in your after-school.

Explore U.S. National Parks (Video/Virtual Tour)

Explore U.S. National Parks through Google Arts & Culture tours.

Tour Museums and Exhibits from Around the World (Video/Virtual Tour)

Tour museums and exhibits from around the world with Google Arts & Culture.