POLAR XPRESS – April 6, 2020

FROM THE TOP

POLAR in the news is evolving!

The POLAR Communications team will be launching a new media monitoring email every second Monday, alternating with the POLAR XPRESS (which will now be sent to staff on Mondays). This email will inform staff and the Board of Directors of all new and relevant media and social media coverage about POLAR, its people and its projects. Stay tuned!

Take the time to focus on mental health during COVID-19

Life as we know it has been disrupted. Teleworking, self-isolation, restaurant and store closures have now become part of our reality. Many of us have had our daily routines turned upside down the last three weeks due to the changes we have all had to make. During these changes, it is important to focus on your mental health. Below are some tips and tricks that can help:

• Activities: let the creativity flow and come up with some activities at home to keep your mind stimulated. Take out the old board games, learn a new language with Duolingo or bake up a storm! Here are some great dessert recipes from Bon Appétit.
• Organize: This may seem like a task you don’t want to take on, however, once complete, a sense of relief can be felt. For tips and tricks on decluttering and organizing check out Psychology Today.
• Connect: Being isolated is tough for everyone. Try picking up the phone and giving your best friend or family members a call, even just to say hello. If a phone call doesn’t quite cut it, there are options to have video calls such as Skype, Zoom and Facetime for Apple users.
• Take breaks: Knowing when to take a break is incredibly important to your mental health and productivity. If we take a look at this study conducted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, we can see how diversions from a task can improve one’s ability to focus on that task for prolonged periods.
• Get outdoors: Fresh air is beneficial for everyone and is still possible while practicing social distancing. Grab the family dog, get out the old bicycle or just your ear buds with music or podcast playing and get outside to reap the mental health benefits of the outdoors!

This can be a very stressful time for all, if you are noticing symptoms of anxiety or distress during self-isolation, below are helpful resources that can assist you in managing your mental health.

Ottawa Public Health – Mental Health and COVID-19

Canadian Mental Health Association – COVID-19 and Mental Health

Employee Assistance Program – 24/7 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or 1-800-268-7708

Managing your money during a global pandemic

Here is where you will find LifeSpeak’s expert blog posts around navigating and managing the COVID-19 pandemic. LifeSpeak has recently published a blog about Managing your money during a global pandemic. Interested to learn more? Click here for more information.

To access LifeSpeak, whether you are using a computer, a tablet or a smartphone, simply log on to the following address: canada.lifespeak.com, select Access Through Group Account and enter the Client Password: canada

Intranet Updates

POLAR’s Intranet platform has been updated to include the Occupational Health and Safety Policy, Accident/Incident Reporting Procedures and the Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention Policy.

To access the Intranet away from the office the following information is required:
URL: http://intranet.polar.gc.ca/en/home
Username: staff
Password: polarstaff

POLAR’S PEOPLE

Recent adventures in Whitehorse, Yukon

Written by POLAR’s Communications Manager, Marie-Eve LaRocque

On March 6, 2020, I landed in Whitehorse, Yukon, to start a unique volunteering experience: supporting the Communications and Marketing Division of the 2020 Arctic Winter Games (AWG). I was very excited to be able to put my communications skills to use for a non-profit sports event for circumpolar athletes by managing the AWG Media Centre, located in the Canada Games Centre in Whitehorse.

On March 7, people were shocked to learn that the AWG had been cancelled because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. This was a very difficult announcement to hear for the 1,800 athletes, relatives and coaches from Alaska, northern Alberta, Yukon, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Russia, Greenland, Finland and Norway, as well as for the 1,800 volunteers and the Games’ Host Society.

Despite the announcement, the Host Society encouraged athletes and volunteers to wear their AWG gear to demonstrate their great pride towards the Games and the hard work of everyone involved. The Games had been touted as the biggest ever to be held, with a budget of $7 million.

Following the announcement of the cancellation of the Games, I decided to stay in Yukon and explore the beautiful city of Whitehorse and the surrounding regions. On March 14 and 15, I travelled to Dawson City, where I discovered breathtaking sceneries and met up with our colleague Misha Warbanski. During the trip I also made the acquaintance of our colleague Rob Cooke and discussed with him the communications strategy for the “Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy (ARENA)” initiative, and reconnected with our former colleagues Martin and Rebecca Turpin.

This trip drove home the value of going with the flow when unexpected circumstances arise and of sometimes letting yourself be guided by a sense of adventure in order to have spontaneous, unforgettable and invigorating experiences.

During this time, stay healthy and energized and go with the flow!

LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE

Inuinnaqtun/Inuktitut word of the week

The Inuinnaqtun/Inuktitut word of the week is: pitjuti. It means: purpose

It is pronounced: peet-joo-tee

Listen to the pronunciation here:

Are you ready to Talk the Talk?

UPDATES

Key outcomes from Senior Management Committee

Here are the key outcomes and decisions deriving from the March 26, 2020, Senior Management Committee meeting:

• SMC discussed the completion of performance assessments for 2019-20 and performance agreements for 2020-21. The deadline will be extended to be aligned with the core federal public service. Regardless of the extension, managers are encouraged to complete these documents as soon as possible, and may set earlier internal deadlines for completion, as appropriate. HR will send out a communication advising of new deadlines and sharing the new year template with employees.
• Due to the current situation with COVID-19, POLAR’s Inuit Student Recruitment Program will be cancelled for 2020. HR will advise all applicants.
• SMC members provided status updates on work in their respective areas. Members were encouraged to remind all managers of the importance of regular connection with their employees during this time of telework.

POLAR Events Calendar

You will find below the latest version of the POLAR events calendar, including upcoming events and conferences for your information.

Note: The calendar is subject to change. Any travel has to be pre-approved by the appropriate delegated manager.

Please send any calendar updates or additions to Janine Angohiatok at janine.angohiatok@polar.gc.ca

POLAR events calendar: April 3, 2020

WORKPLACE NOTICES

How to make working remotely a success – For managers and employees

Efforts to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus have led to many organizations to make the decision for their employees to work from home or another remote location. LifeSpeak features a Q&A with Alan Kearns, Founder and Head Coach at CareerJoy.com, for expert advice on how to make working remotely a success for managers and employees.

Click here to read this interview.