Hilltoppers,
Who knew months ago when we changed our mission to People First, how quickly we would be challenged to put that in action. In yesterday’s update, I highlighted what we are doing for our clients as “essential employees”, but that is only half of the equation. We can’t take care of our clients and families if we don’t take care of ourselves.
It is looking more and more that we are in this for a long haul. Studies are indicating we should be preparing for the Stay At Home order to last until at least the end of April. We are running a marathon, not a sprint, and need to pace ourselves.
Defining what ‘taking care of yourself’ means to you, both at work and at home, can be a challenging process. One piece of advice that is given over and over is to not lose your routine or sense of normalcy as best you can as our worlds have been turned upside down. Hopefully you are aware of the services Hilltop has in place to keep your wellness at the forefront. Our Wellness Team is putting out great content through many channels: email, the portal, Facebook, and Instagram. The Employee hotline is ready and waiting for you to call to help connect you to services. The EAP/Triad program has transitioned all of their services to telecounseling. Our new Trading Post is open for business to help get you the items you need to keep your household happy and healthy.
And lastly, keep the lines of communication open with your supervisor. I’d encourage you all to work with them to take a little time when you need it for yourself to relax and reset. PTO is an essential benefit and although we may not be able to take a full week off right now, don’t underestimate what an afternoon or day off can do for your stamina. We cannot give our best to the people we serve if our own personal wells have run dry. Putting People First, means Y-O-U too.
Together, we got this,
Mike
