Your Lent Term Wellbeing

As we continue to adapt to new ways of working, it's important that we know how to access support, wherever we're working. 

The School has an in-house counselling team for both staff and students that allows you to discuss a problem or situation that is causing concern, or distress that is taking place at work or home. Counselling at LSE is fully inclusive; individuals should feel comfortable approaching staff counsellors regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and religious faith. For more details, see the Staff Counselling webpage. 

Alternatively, you may prefer to access confidential telephone counselling courtesy of the Employee Assistance Programme. The EAP aims to provide staff with access to confidential support on all aspects of wellbeing, including personal finance and legal matters, counselling, health advice and more.

You can contact the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) by calling 0800 107 6147 (quoting LSE as the name of your employer) or access the online portal by visiting www.colleaguesupport.co.uk (entering code 206011 as your username and password). There's no limit to the number of calls you can make and your anonymity is assured at all times. 

It only takes a moment to sign up to the School's benefits platform for staff – just click here to get started. Access a huge range of discounts (including groceries and holidays), and see all your LSE perks at a glance!

If you're already signed up and would like to know more about how to get the most out of LSE Extras, join the roadshow at 12.00 - 12.30pm on 19 January! Hosted by Sodexo – who administer the LSE Extras platform – this online session will show you how to make best use of the platform and will be provided with useful hints and tips on using the system and making the most out of the discounted benefits on offer. You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Simply click on the following TEAM link and enter the following passcode.

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 316 054 835 995
Passcode: YP2DgM 

Not yet signed up? 

If you've not already signed up, you can create an account on LSE Extras using your name as it's recorded in our system and your payroll number. If you aren't quite sure what your payroll number is, you can find it on your payslip – alternatively, you can find out by logging into MyView and selecting 'Account' followed by 'View my details'. 

If you experience any issues with creating an account, try using your payroll number but without the initial '0'. If it's still not working, just contact Staffwellbeing@lse.ac.uk and we'll be happy to help.

Please note that the LSE Extras platform will be unavailable for the weekend of 4 and 5 February 2023 due to essential maintenance.

The online fitness classes are back this term! If you've not joined a class before, just read on to find out more – including details about the types of class and links to book. 

Body Balance

This is a 45 minute virtual class. Ideal for anyone and everyone, Body Balance is a yoga/pilates-based class that will improve your mind, body and life.

During Body Balance, an inspired soundtrack plays as you bend and stretch through a series of simple yoga moves and embrace elements of Tai Chi and Pilates. Breathing control is a part of all the exercises, and instructors will always provide options for those just getting started. You’ll strengthen your entire body and leave the class feeling calm and centered.

If you haven’t tried yoga before then Body Balance is a great introduction. If you’re already doing some form of yoga or pilates you’ll love the variety you get with this class.

What you'll need:

• Yoga mat (though not essential)
• Water
• Towel

Body Balance classes will run at 5.00 - 5.45pm on the following dates: 

2 February

16 February

2 March

16 March

30 March

Just click here to sign up for any of the Body Balance classes. After you've signed up, a Zoom link to join will be sent to you on the morning of the date of the class.

Body Conditioning

This is a 45 minute full body workout. This body weight exercises class will help tone and strengthen problem areas of the legs, bums and tums, and at the same time give plenty of options for all levels of fitness.

The use of hand weights, bottles of water or cans can be used for added resistance but are not essential. You will also need a bottle of water and a towel. You can also use a yoga mat for extra grip, but this is not essential.

The session will include:

• 5 minute warm up
• 30 minute toning exercises
• 10 minutes stretch and cool down

Body Conditioning classes will run at 5.00 - 5.45pm on the following dates: 

9 February 

23 February

9 March

23 March 

Just click here to sign up for any of the Body Conditioning classes. After you've signed up, a Zoom link to join will be sent to you on the morning of the date of the class.

Did you know that, as an LSE member of staff, you can access LSESU sports and exercise facilities in the Saw Swee Hock and Marshall buildings, courtesy of LSESU Level Up Fitness? Just visit the webpage to find out more.

To promote the SU Gym to staff as a fitness option when we’re on campus, the SU Gym have generously provided a number of guest passes for staff – each pass will entitle you to a completely free visit to the SU Gym! To collect your guest pass, please come to HR Reception on the 5th floor of the Lionel Robbins Building.

What’s more, the SU Gym are now offering a special discount to staff – if you buy a bundle of 10 passes, you can now get a 10% discount via the SU Gym webpage! Passes are a little more flexible than a monthly membership, so this may be an especially attractive option if you’re only on campus for some of the week.

For more about how you can keep on top of your fitness in Lent Term, including discounted gym memberships with Fitness First and preferential rates at Boom Cycle and KOBOX, see the physical wellbeing webpage.

If you’re in the mood for some more cycling, you might be interested to learn that Boom Cycle are offering free rides! To make their classes more accessible, you can join a free class at 11.30am every Saturday at Holborn, courtesy of the Boom Cycle Community Ride – just click here to find out more details, including how to book. If you have any questions about how to book, please contact the Boom Cycle team directly at holborn@boomcycle.co.uk

If all this talk of cycling is making you think of taking it up more often, you may wish to take a look at the School’s cycle to work scheme – save money on the cost of a bike, get fit and help the environment, all at the same time!

While we may feel that we know the basics about good nutrition, it can be challenging to put this into practice during the working day, especially when we’re alternating between campus and home environments. With that in mind, the London Nutritionist will be running two online workshops in August and September. As well as covering general good practice when it comes to eating and drinking, the workshops will also address how we can build better nutrition into the working day, whether we’re on or off campus.

Food & Mood: Wednesday 14 September 10.00 - 11.30am. This session will take a deeper look into how what we eat can affect we feel mentally, just as how we feel has a large influence on what foods we choose. Learn how to avoid common pitfalls and to get the right nutrients throughout the working day. Please click here to access the recording from the session. 

Keeping Energised: Tuesday 23 August 10.00 - 11.30am. Learn how to avoid the 4 o’clock slump! What and when we eat has a huge effect on our physical and mental energy levels. This session will give you a guided tour of the best (and worst) foods for keeping energised during the working day. Please click here to access the recording from the session. 

As many of us adapt to new ways of working, we’re working out – both individually and in teams – how we can thrive in our wellbeing, personal resilience and performance going forward. With this in mind, you may find the recordings from two specially developed webinars - on Stress management and Unlocking motivation - useful.

Led by Dr Aarti Anhal, the Thrive webinars explored:

• The links between stress, wellbeing and optimal performance,
• Practical frameworks and coping strategies for managing stress at work
• Risk-based approaches to mitigating stress in teams
• Thoughts about how the meaning of work may have changed in our lives as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic
• Practical strategies for wellbeing and performance goals that can boost motivation
• Ways in which managers can create the conditions within teams for staff to feel motivated and engaged

Just click on the links below to access the recordings:

Stress Management - click here to access the recording from the session

Unlocking Motivation - click here to access the recording from the session

Guidance and toolkits have been developed to cover a range of different topics. These resources often include guidance for line managers, case studies of colleagues around the School, frequently asked questions (FAQs) and more. Just click on the following links to find out more: 

• Flexible Working Toolkit
• Toolkit for Parents and Carers
• Annual Leave Pocket Guide
• Menopause Toolkit 

Please do take the time to explore the guidance that's out there. Even if a particular topic isn't directly relevant to your own situation, it might help you to understand enough to support someone else, inside or outside LSE.