The VC’s Excellence Awards for Professional Staff recognise the significant contribution that professional staff make towards Curtin University. They celebrate individuals and teams who have performed above and beyond the normal requirements of their position and have demonstrated a commitment to excellence.
We were fortunate to have two groups from the Library nominated for the ‘Excellence in Health, Safety and Wellbeing category’.
Congratulations to the Library Spaces Group for winning the award!
Library Spaces Group
The Library Spaces Group is a group of staff responsible for keeping staff and students safe during the Library refurbishment project.
The refurbishment of the Robertson Library required the group to proactively manage health and safety issues throughout the building project. The group focused on ensuring safety across many different configurations of the public spaces, educating staff on management of the spaces from a health, safety and wellbeing perspective and the successful decant of Library staff, while responding to changing COVID circumstances on a regular basis.
As a result, Library staff were able to provide seamless continuity of service to students and staff. This minimised the impact on the learning, teaching and research of the University, and without creating undue stress on Library staff providing those services.
Check out the nomination video on YouTube.
Library Staff Wellbeing Team
The Library Staff Wellbeing Team are a group of staff members committed to creating a work environment that enhances the wellbeing of our staff.
The team have organised a range of virtual and face-to-face activities that have increased cohesion in the workplace; promoting creativity, collaboration and opportunities for fun and play. They have hosted 23 events since January 2020 and run an active online community for staff.
Happy, well-supported and connected staff are more likely to feel supported to embrace the benefits of change, try new and innovative approaches and be self-reflective in their work. One staff member noted that “Having these fun, social connections means that I feel good about being at work which in turn leads to better productivity and performance.” A recent survey also found that staff enjoyed feeling more connected to each other through “Connecting with colleagues, building relationships across teams, and sharing a few good laughs.”
We’re grateful to both the Library Spaces Group and the Library Staff Wellbeing Team for their work in making the Library a safe and rewarding place to work.
