Well-being in your Team

When you feel good, you are better able to support, guide and inspire your team with energy and attention. After all, a healthy manager is better able to listen empathetically and pick up on signals. You increase your resilience, maintain and overview and can make more conscious choices – even in challenging situation. Moreover, by actively working on your own well-being, you set a good example. You show that it is OK to guard your boundaries, take time for recovery and take health seriously. This way, you contribute to culture in which team members also feel room to take good care of themselves.

Tips

Take time for your own rest, development and work-life balance.

Tools

• Make use of the available well-being offerings at UT, such as enrolling in (sports) course or gaining personal insight through a lifestyle check.
• Attend a workshop or lecture during the Well-being Weeks.
• Do the workplace scan and make sure your (home) workplace is set up in a healthy way.
• Make use of the Occupational Health Service’s open consultation hour if you wish.  

Courses

UT offers a wide range of courses and also provides individual support for you as a manager. For example, enrol in the course Time-management in which you learn about the most common pitfalls and identify strategies to overcome them. After all, time-management is self-management.

There are also all kinds of interesting online courses that you can (partly) follow around the theme of well-being:

• Zest for Life - Eat, move, sleep, repeat. This training course will teach you how to get better at all of that. Small lifestyle changes can actually change your life.
• The 80/20 Rule - Feeling tense and worn out? Sort out your priorities quickly with the 80/20 rule. Soon enough, you'll have time to spare!
• Get a Grip, Clear Your Mind - Calm down, you busy little bee! Get a grip and relax, because clear minds are more productive and more creative.
• How to Say No - Guard your well‑being guilt‑free with the most powerful two‑letter word in the English language. (Group exercise possible).
• Bye-Bye Burnout - When it comes to burnout, prevention is better than cure. This training course will teach you all about how to handle it.
• Make Your Time Matter - Rediscover the basics of time management and start harnessing the power of planning, prioritising and focus time. (Group exercise possible).
• Mind Your Brain - You exercise to keep your body fit. But what about your brain? Take the course Mind Your Brain to exercise those grey cells.
• Mindfulness - Learn to stop living life on autopilot by being attentive and cherishing the moment. Foster mindfulness in your day to day.
• Oh Yes, It's Stress - Stress as a helping hand? Most definitely! Healthy tension boosts performance, so you get things done. How? This training course will teach you.
• Resilience - How do you handle loss, stress and drastic changes? Our Resilience training course is here to help.
• The Power of Breathing - Nothing has a bigger impact on your mental and physical well-being than your breathing. Use this training course to make proper breathing a good habit.
• The Power of Sleep - A good night’s sleep makes for a creative, fit and energetic you. Do you feel like your nights could be better? Check out The Power of Sleep.
• The Science of Happiness - Are you looking for ways to inject more joy into your life? Researchers in positive psychology have discovered a wealth of techniques to help you reformulate your thinking. Get ready to start brewing bliss!
• Work-Life Circus - Struggling to juggle it all? You’re not alone. Life may be a circus, but you can be the ringmaster. It's time to take control of your work-life balance.

Psychologically and socially safe environments are essential for well-being. Within UT, we strive for a learning organisation where we are allowed to make mistakes together. Research by Amy Edmondson also shows that teams in which employees feel safe to make mistakes and voice their opinions are more productive and satisfied.

Tips

Ask open-ended questions during meetings, encourage employees to share ideas or concerns, respond constructively to feedback, and highlight the available help structure. 

Tools

• Make use the Toolkit Social Safety, Social Safety web page and (Social) Safety Climate web page.
• Do the GoodHabitz training Fostering Psychological Safety together with your team with the special group exercise.
• Discuss work environment and inclusion as a topic during the annual interview.

Courses

Within UT's course offerings, you will find several courses on this topic, such as the Active Bystander course.

Take part in a masterclass social (un)safety in which you get to work with tools but also with self-confidence to foster and strengthen social safety in your team and take right actions when a socially unsafe situation arises.

There are also all kinds of interesting online courses that you can (partly follow) around the topic of psychological and social safety:

• Conflict Management - Got tangled up in a conflict? Conflict doesn't have to be a problem as long as you deal with it professionally. Take this course to learn how!
• Confronting Bullying and Harassment - How do you create a safe workplace for your employees? What obstacles stand in your way? Learn how to deal with bullying, discrimination and harassment in this training course.
• Coping With Aggression - Do you know how to cope with aggression? Maybe you’re a bit of a hothead yourself. Our course Coping with Aggression can help you prevent and deal with workplace aggression.
• Asking for Feedback - Dying to hear how you’re doing? Hungry for feedback? This course will help you find the right way to ask for it.
• Are You Listening? - Truly listening is not the same as hearing, but nor is it a superpower reserved only for the likes of Gandhi and the Dalai Lama. If you’re looking to level up your powers of compassionate comprehension, you’ve come to the right place!
• Fostering Psychological Safety - Create a space where your team can speak up without fear—and supercharge their happiness and performance. (Group exercise possible)
• Cultural Diversity - Learn to navigate today’s ever-changing cultural landscape by embracing diversity in your daily life, and at work too.
• Curb Your Bias - Don't want to let your bias control you? This training course will help you become aware of your assumptions and curb your bias.
• Diversity and Inclusion - What is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? How can embracing DEI transform your workplace? In this Masterclass, Asad Dhunna will answer these questions and many more!
• Ethics - What values inspire your behaviour? Ever thought about ethics at work? After this course, you’ll be a prime example of integrity and responsibility.
• Let Your Body Do The Talking - What does your body language say about you? Include your face and physique in your message. The best way to do that? This course is here to help!
• Neurodiversity - How to build a workspace that’s more inclusive for all brains – no matter how they’re wired (Group exercise possible).

To create a pleasant working environment in which everyone can enjoy contributing to the UT goals, it is important to communicate openly and transparently about relevant organisational developments and team goals on a regular basis. Daily communication is often seen as an integral part of the work and as a manager you do not always think about actually organising communication and planning conversations. To increase involvement and ensure the well-being of your employees, interaction and dialogue are essential to know what is going on in your team and to link personal goals and ambitions to our organisational goals.

Tips

Schedule regular one-to-one meetings. Hold structural team meetings in which there is room for dialogue, questions and feedback. Also make sure there are enough moments for each team member to participate so you can recognise and reward their knowledge and expertise. Because you also have an exemplary role, it is also important to have insight into your own communication.

Tools

The MC communication advisor of your faculty or service department can support you in organising your communication. Within the masterclass on Leadership Communication, tooling is also provided for this purpose and you will receive an explanation of the guidelines below.

Courses

Follow the masterclass on leadership communication and learn how communication works, receive practical tools to organise communication within your team and gain insight into your own communication to get started with your leadership communication skills right away.

There are all kinds of interesting online courses that you can (partly) follow in which, among other things, transparent communication is addressed:

• Exciting Meetings - Are people dozing off at your weekly gatherings? Revitalise your workday by making meetings the most exciting part!
• Are You Listening? - Truly listening is not the same as hearing, but nor is it a superpower reserved only for the likes of Gandhi and the Dalai Lama. If you’re looking to level up your powers of compassionate comprehension, you’ve come to the right place!
• Teamwork - A team is so much more than a group of colleagues. Mutual trust, shared goals and clear agreements… that’s what makes a team!

Regular, non-voluntary bilateral work meetings are essential to gain a good understanding of the experienced work pressure and the well-being of your team members. This allows you, as manager, to notice any concerns or problems early on and offer the appropriate support in time.  

Tips

Plan the one-to-one meetings structurally and provide an agenda format in which workload, challenges and well-being are discussed. By returning to this every meeting, you as a manager give the signal that attention to well-being is not a one-off topic, but a ongoing priority.

Tools 

To date, we have not found a tool for this. Do you have a good tool you would like to share with your fellow managers? Contact us soon and together we will see if we can add it to this information page.

Courses

Within the UT course offerings, you will find various courses on this topic, such as the course supervising PhDs. There are also all kinds of interesting online courses that you can (partly) follow in which, among other things, conversation skills are discussed:

• Difficult conversations - No matter how often you’re the bearer of bad news: some conversations are never easy. Learn the best way to deliver an unpleasant message.
• Social Intelligence – Do you feel like a fish out of water in social situations? After this Social Intelligence course it’s awkwardness no more!
• Welcome Back - Is one of your colleagues returning to work after having been gone for a while? Your support matters! (Group exercise possible).
• Are You Listening? - Truly listening is not the same as hearing, but nor is it a superpower reserved only for the likes of Gandhi and the Dalai Lama. If you’re looking to level up your powers of compassionate comprehension, you’ve come to the right place!
• Great Conversations - Want to help your employees to develop, and ensure sustainable employability? Take the online training course 'Great Conversations'.

Autonomy contributes to motivation and well-being. Studies suggest that employees who have control over their work, report higher satisfaction and better performance.

Tips

Give team members ownership of projects and responsibilities, and allow flexible working where possible.

Tools

To date, we have not found a tool for this. Do you have a good tool you would like to share with your fellow managers? Contact us soon and together we will see if we can add it to this information page.

Courses

There are all kinds of interesting online course that you can (partly) follow around teamwork:

• Self-Organising Teams - Want to empower your team and have them organise themselves? Start today! Take the online training course ‘Self-Organising Teams’.
• Teamwork - A team is so much more than a group of colleagues. Mutual trust, shared goals and clear agreements… that’s what makes a team!

The extent to which a manager trusts in the team has a direct impact on the well-being of team members.

Tips

Trust the expertise of your employees and avoid micromanagement.

Tools

To date, we have not found a tool for this. Do you have a good tool you would like to share with your fellow managers? Contact us soon and together we will see if we can add it to this information page.

Courses

There are all kinds of interesting online courses that you can (partly) follow around teamwork:

• Teamwork - A team is so much more than a group of colleagues. Mutual trust, shared goals and clear agreements… that’s what makes a team!
• Coaching Your Team - What makes a great coach? This course will give you the right coaching attitude to set your team up for success.

People thrive when they can develop. Research shows that growth opportunities contribute to both job satisfaction and overall quality of life.

Tips

Discuss regularly with employees their career goals and the opportunities for further training or workshops.

Tools

• Bring the possibilities of the Career Development Centre, UT’s Course Finder and other online learning environments, such as Goodhabitz, to the attention of employees. Check out the information on the Development of your Team page.
• You can also put an employee in touch with the Career Development Centre for a personal advisory meeting for a career or development question.
• Find information on the annual interview and discuss development goals during the interview.

Courses

There are all kinds of interesting online courses that you can (partly) follow around the topic development:

• Building Company Culture - Successful organisations all have one thing in common: a thriving company culture. But how do you build one?
• Great Conversations - Want to help your employees to develop, and ensure sustainable employability? Take the online training course 'Great Conversations'.
• Talent Development -  How to help your employees be the best they can be? This ‘Talent Development’ course is an excellent start to make them shine!

Constructive feedback boosts employees’ self-confidence and competence.

Tips

Give targeted, positive feedback and offer constructive suggestions for improvement.

Tools

A useful tool for giving feedback is the SBI model (situation, behaviour and impact).

Courses

There are all kinds of interesting online courses that you can (partly) follow on the topic of giving and receiving feedback:

• The Art of Feedback - Constructive feedback helps people improve, and it boosts the atmosphere at work! From now on, the feedback you give will be received as a gift.
• Asking for Feedback - Dying to hear how you’re doing? Hungry for feedback? This course will help you find the right way to ask for it.

A poor work-life balance can lead to stress and burnout. Research shows that managers who support a good work-life balance, have a positive impact on well-being.

Tips

Encourage your team members to take breaks and respect their working hours. Set realistic deadlines and avoid overloading. Be mindful of employees’ personal circumstances.

Tools

• Use the work pressure guide ENG.
• Certain situations in employees’ personal lives can have a major impact and therefore upset the work-life balance. UT has a number of tools available for the following circumstances, informal care situations, or (possible) personal financial struggles.
• Give employees the opportunity to take a time-management training course.

Courses

There are all kinds of interesting online courses that you can (partly) follow around work-life balance:

• Understanding Generation Gaps - With people of all ages in the workplace, you need to know how to harness the power of a multigenerational team.
• The Value of Kind Leadership - Become a kinder leader who drives impact without sacrificing employee well‑being. Dr Bonnie Hayden Cheng will teach you how. (Group exercise possible).
• Work-Life Circus - Struggling to juggle it all? You’re not alone. Life may be a circus, but you can be the ringmaster. It's time to take control of your work-life balance.

Flexible working hours or hybrid working options can improve the work-life balance.

Tips

Make flexible working arrangements with employees in your team that are workable for both them and the team.

Tools

Use the checklist working from home for managers and visit the page Hybrid working for more information.

Courses

There are all kinds of interesting online courses that you can (partly) follow in which autonomy, flexibility and hybrid working are discussed:

• Self-Organising Teams - Want to empower your team and have them organise themselves? Start today! Take the online training course ‘Self-Organising Teams’.
• Remote Working - Make working from home a success: create a healthy workplace, build optimal focus and keep in touch with work pals.
• Online Teamwork - How do you make online work efficient? How do you create team spirit? Our Online Teamwork course has the answers.

Mental healthy is an essential component of well-being. Recent research shows that a manager who pays attention to mental health lowers the threshold for employees to seek help.

Tips

Inform your team about available resources such as the company doctor, and be alert to signs of stress.

Tools

Bring the (confidential) preventive consultation/working conditions consultation hour of the company doctor to the attention of employees. Use the work pressure guide ENG to identity excessive work pressure.

Courses

Take part in the Mental Health First Aid course where you learn about the most common mental problems and possible crisis situations.

There are all kinds of interesting online courses that you can (partly) follow about mental health and talking about mental health:

• Are you okay? - "Are you okay?" Start mental health conversations at work and learn how to respond when the answer is "No". (Group exercise possible).
• Are You Listening? - Truly listening is not the same as hearing, but nor is it a superpower reserved only for the likes of Gandhi and the Dalai Lama. If you’re looking to level up your powers of compassionate comprehension, you’ve come to the right place!
• Social Intelligence - Do you feel like a fish out of water in social situations? After this Social Intelligence course it’s awkwardness no more!

Encourage employees to take good care of themselves, both physically and mentally.

Tips

Stimulate employees to participate in one of UT’s well-being offers.

Tools

• Bring up UT’s available well-being offer, and encourage employees to take part in a (sports) course or to create insight in their own lifestyle by doing a lifestyle check.
• Encourage employees to attend a workshop or lecture during the Well-being Weeks.
• Ask employees to do the workplace scan so they can set up their (home) workplace in a healthy way.
• Promote the (confidential) preventive consultation by the company doctor to employees.
• Discuss with one of your HR colleagues whether there are possibilities for a coaching program in the light of your employee’s well-being.
• Indicate that employees can take personal development courses via GoodHabitz.

Showing appreciation for you team members increases feelings of belonging and motivation.

Tips

Celebrate successes, big and small, and compliment efforts and achieved goals.

Employees feel valued when their efforts and contributions are recognised.

Tips

Match your appreciation to the individual, e.g. by thanking personally or naming achievements during team meetings.

Changes can be stressful. You as a manager can contribute to a positive experience during changes by communicating clearly and offering support.

Tips

Keep your team informed about changes and discuss how they will affect work. Provide space to ask questions and indicate how you will provide support during the change.

Tools

To date, we have not found a tool for this. Do you have a good tool you would like to share with your fellow managers? Contact us soon and together we will see if we can add it to this information page.

Courses

Get on board the Leadership Development Programme – Leading Through Uncertainty: Building a future-proof UT. Or take part in the Masterclass Emotional Leadership, in which you learn to deal with emotions that arise at the time of organisational change.

Follow the online course Change Management - Level up! Change is the only way towards greatness. How? Check out our online training course ‘Change Management’.