Your Wellbeing

• Panic alarm buttons are located at Welcome and Reception desks throughout Student Experience departments.
• The systems are connected to Queen Mary Security, and sound in this location (France House, Mile End) when one of the buttons is pressed.
• On hearing the alarm Queen Mary Security will call first and then attend to investigate.
• A decision to call the police should be taken by the Manager if there is no response from Queen Mary Security.
• If at any point a member of staff is concerned for their own or colleagues’ safety the police should be called immediately on 999.
• Queen Mary Security will complete an incident report form on your behalf.
• The Panic Alarms are tested on a weekly basis.
• Prior to testing staff should call Queen Mary Security on ext. 5000 to let them know that the panic alarm is about to be tested.
• A record of weekly testing should be noted on the Panic Alarm record sheet.
• An annual drill should be undertaken, where Queen Mary Security are NOT informed that the panic alarm is to be tested. This should also be recorded on the record sheet.
• Record sheet to be stored centrally on the server in an easily accessible file.

Workplace Options gives assistance with life's everyday issues

Your employee assistance programme is a free, confidential and independent resource to help you balance your work, family and personal life. Available anytime, any day, by phone, email or online, the service provides information, resources, referrals and counselling on any issue that matters to you, such as work-life balance, relationships, debt, child care, anxiety and depression, bereavement and loss.

Freephone:    0800-243-458 (username and password not required).
Email:            assistance@workplaceoptions.com.
Website:         www.workplaceoptions.co.uk (username: queenmary and password: employee is required).

The following information should be of assistance to staff working at Queen Mary campuses. Please take time to read through it:

Personal Safety Guide

The Queen Mary Personal Safety Guide provides invaluable information and advice on how to stay safe, both on and off campus.

Access Control

The Queen Mary Security Service issues access control cards to staff and students. There is a £12 charge to the department where a card has been lost by the staff member.

Crime Prevention

Take Five to Stop Fraud: A national awareness campaign led by FFA UK which urges you to stop and consider whether a situation is genuine or are you being targeted by fraudsters.

Reporting Crime

Contact the Security Control Rooms as a first point of contact to report a security incident:

Mile End - Ground Floor, Queens' Building
Tel: 020-7882-5000
Email: mile-end-security@qmul.ac.uk 

Whitechapel - Garrod Building, Room G.07
Tel: 020-7882-2599
Email: whitechapel-security@qmul.ac.uk  

Charterhouse Square - Dawson Hall, Front Entrance
Tel: 020-7882-6020
Email: chsq-security@qmul.ac.uk 

Establishing a healthy and safe working environment for those working alone/out-of-hours can be different from organising the health & safety of others at work. It will often be safe to work alone however, the law requires Queen Mary to think about and deal with any health and safety risks before people are allowed to lone work. Consideration should be given to:-

• Assessing possible areas of risk (such as manual handling, threat of violence etc).
• The suitability of the individual to work alone.
• Whether the workplace itself presents a risk to them.
• Having control measures in place to keep in touch and be alerted to any issues from lone workers.

Queen Mary's policy on Lone Working and Out-of-Hours Working describes the requirements that must be adhered to for all staff and students and the guidance explains the procedures that all Faculties and Directorates must apply in order to achieve compliance with the policy.  The QM Lone Working Risk Assessment should also be completed by staff when required.

Points to consider

It is essential that lone workers understand the policy and guidance and abide by the local rules in force for the control of lone working in their area. Before seeking consent to lone work individuals should consider the following:

1. Do you really need to lone work or can working practices be altered so as to avoid it?
2. Have you confirmed that the lone working activity is not prohibited either within the policy or within your Faculty or Directorate?
3. Has the risk assessment covering lone working been completed?
4. Are all control measures identified within the lone working risk assessment in place before lone working begins (such as emergency contacts, lone working alarms, the use of buddy systems etc)?

For further advice or information contact your department Safety Rep.

Queen Mary promotes staff wellbeing through an annual programme which is normally run across two weeks in November. It includes various talks and workshops and further information will be posted once available. The programme covers the following topics:

• Mental wellbeing
• Physical wellbeing
• Occupational Health
• Supporting Students
• Dignity at Work
• Policies

For further details visit the HR website section on wellbeing.

Guidance and information for staff dealing with workplace stress and anxiety:

Warning Signs

• Feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed.
• Apathy, or loss of interest in work.
• Problems sleeping.
• Fatigue.
• Trouble concentrating.
• Muscle tension or headaches.
• stomach problems.
• Social withdrawal.
• Using alcohol or drugs to cope.

 

Tip 1: Beat Workplace stress by reaching out:

Sometimes the way to reduce your stress levels is simply by sharing your concerns with someone close to you, by talking to colleagues, friends and family face-to-face can be a highly effective way of blowing off steam and regaining your sense of calm. The other person doesn't have to "fix" your problems, they just need to be a good listener.

Tip 2: Support your health with exercise and nutrition:

When you are overly focused on work it is easy to neglect your physical health. When you are supporting your health with good nutrition and exercise you're stronger, and more resilient to stress. Taking care of yourself doesn't mean a lifestyle overhaul, even small things can lift your mood, increase your energy and make you feel like you're back in the driver's seat.  Make regular time for exercise!

Tip 3: Make smart, stress-busting food choices:

Your food choices can have a huge impact on how you feel during the work day. Try:

To minimise sugar and refined carbs. When you’re stressed, you may crave sugary snacks, baked goods, or comfort foods such as pasta or French fries. But these feel good foods can quickly lead to a crash in mood and energy, making symptoms of stress worse, not better.

Reducing your intake of foods that can adversely affect your mood, such as caffeine, trans fats, and foods with high levels of chemical preservatives or hormones.

Eating more Omega-3 fatty acids to give your mood a boost. The best sources are fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines), seaweed, flaxseed, and walnuts.

Avoiding nicotine. Smoking when you’re feeling stressed may seem calming, but nicotine is a powerful stimulant, leading to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety.

And finally drink alcohol in moderation. Alcohol may seem like it’s temporarily reducing your worries, but too much can cause anxiety as it wears off and adversely affect your mood.

Tip 4: Sleep Well:

• You may feel like you don't have the time to get a full night's sleep, but skimping on sleep interferes with daytime productivity, creativity, problem-solving skills and the ability to focus. The better rested you are, the better equipped you will be to tackle your job responsibilities and cope with workplace stress;
• Aim for 8 hours a night sleep;
• Turn of screens one hour before bedtime. The light emitted from TVs, tablets, smartphones, computers, etc can suppress your body's production of melatonin and can severely disrupt your sleep;
• Avoid stimulating activity and stressful situations before bedtime, such as "catching up on work". Instead, focus on quiet soothing activities, such as reading or listening to soft music while keeping the lights low;
• Do not drink caffeine after 4pm - it is a central nervous system stimulant and will prevent you from getting a good night's sleep!

Further details and a good source of  information concerning tackling stress in the workplace can be found on the NHS website, where you can also find some Top Tips to Deal with Stress.

Mental health is the mental and emotional state in which we feel able to cope with normal pressures of everyday life. Positive mental health is rarely an absolute state. Factors both in and out of work affect the mental health of staff and move them up or down a spectrum that ranges from good to poor.

Anyone can suffer a period of mental ill health. It can emerge suddenly, as a result of a specific event, or gradually, where it worsens over time. It can range from feeling stressed to common conditions such as anxiety and depression and, in limited cases, to sever mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

The Government’s Department of Health advises that one in four of us with experience mental ill health at some point in our lives. Staff with positive mental health are more likely to work productively, interact with colleagues and adapt to changes in the workplace. Staff who feel unable to talk to their manager about their mental health may attend work when they are too ill to carry out their duties, which may be a health and safety risk.

A good source of information is the NHS site Every Mind Matters, which provides tips and advice on looking after your mental health.

• Non Religious Meditation for Relaxation
• Offered free of charge to students and staff
• St Benet's is a good place to be – or become, or just be still, whatever your beliefs.
• Everyone is always welcome.
• You can book a one to one Zoom meeting with Ella at least 24 hours in advance by visiting St Benet's Chaplaincy.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust is working towards a safer society. Aiming to reduce the risk of violence and aggression through campaigning, education and support through the provision of free safety tips, managing the National Stalking Helpline and delivering community projects.

Mind is working to make sure nobody has to face a mental health problem alone with more than 160 local Minds. InfoLine open 09:00 - 18:00. Regular E-Newsletters. InfoLine Text Service.

A Help Guide to help you start improving your mental health and wellness today. Their mission is to empower you with information you can use to help yourself and your loved ones.

Live Well, NHS provides advice, tips and tools to help you to make the best choices about your health and wellbeing.

For those staff who find it difficult to work during a heatwave, information is provided by the NHS regarding how to cope in hot weather.