Efficiency and caring at work – an awareness-raising campaign
Theme 5: Every successful person has allies
As you may have read in the Bulletin, part 5 of the Work Well Feel Well series looks at the importance of forming and nurturing alliances.
Networks and allies can help us thrive, at work and in life
While it is common to dwell on negative interactions, absorbing the stress and urgency of others often leads to a more significant presence of negativity than positivity in our lives. Instead of bonding with negativity, it is essential to consciously choose beneficial alliances. Recognising and choosing allies who support us intellectually, emotionally, or practically can significantly improve our well-being and efficiency.
Allies offer crucial support in various ways. Intellectually, they provide expertise and experience, guiding us through complex situations and helping us avoid potential pitfalls. Emotionally, allies help us navigate difficult emotions by offering a different perspective and encouraging thoughtful reflection. Practically, they support us in completing tasks, such as a supervisor reframing roles and responsibilities to ensure smooth operations.
Reflecting on our network of allies reveals their indispensable role in our work efficiency and personal development. By caring for these alliances, we can act confidently and feel supported. Moreover, being an ally ourselves by checking in on colleagues and friends fosters meaningful connections and mutual growth, creating a supportive and positive environment.
When reflecting on your allies, we recommend you take a few minutes to map out your professional and personal networks with this exercise.
Here are a few more resources that may be helpful in creating meaningful connections and finding more allies in the CERN environment:
- Informal networks: the Diversity and Inclusion website lists several informal networks relating to nationality, gender and more, including the new Supporting Neurodiversity at CERN (SNAC) network. The Women in Technology network also runs a mentoring scheme.
- CERN clubs: the CERN Staff Association website lists more than 40 different CERN clubs
- Training courses: the CERN training catalogue offers language, leadership, safety, technical and personal development trainings. Not only do we learn something new, but we can also meet potential allies from across the Organization. In particular, the “Onboarding – Connecting the Dots” training can help you to develop your network within CERN.
- Ethics at CERN: the ethics at CERN webpage points through to a list of options for help and support.
- Support structures at CERN
The campaign, Efficiency and caring at work, designed by psychologist and specialist in burnout prevention, Catherine Vasey, invites you to explore the topic from different angles, deepen your knowledge, share your experiences and complete exercises made available on this website. We encourage you to take an active part in the campaign and the quest for a better quality of life at work.
Keen to learn more? Read about the Work Well Feel Well project, have a look at the useful resources and watch the micro-talk recording on burnout.