Develop and hone your skills, manage your wellbeing and connect with colleagues across a range of interactive internal and external sessions for all City, University of London staff and PhD students.
For any queries please contact the Organisational Development team.
Coaching taster sessions
Running throughout the whole week, you'll have the opportunity to sign up for a confidential 1:1 taster session with a trained City coach and colleague.
Coaching is a powerful tool and you can be coached on any topic related to your work. Popular topics include confidence, career development, organisational skills, networking and strategic thinking. Think of your satisfaction with your work on a scale of 1-10. How can you move up that scale? If you can think of things you might like to do better, but you aren’t sure how, then try one of our taster coaching sessions. Sign up to a session using this booking form and we'll contact you to arrange the session over Microsoft Teams. Limited slots available.
Programme
All sessions will take place online on either Zoom or Microsoft Teams, and will each last 55-minutes unless otherwise specified.
Register your interest for the sessions you would like to attend via the sign up button. You will then be sent individual calendar invites with the meeting link and details once you have registered. *For sessions by City's Digital Education team please book onto these through this separate booking calendar.
Jump to a specific day:
Monday 12th July
10am
Powerful conversations that get results: Mike Roarty
The quality of the conversations that we have with our stakeholders can have a huge impact on the results we achieve in our work. Have you ever looked back at one of those conversations and thought, I wish I had prepared better for that? This workshop will show you what you can put in place to have those high quality conversations with your stakeholders.
11am
Embracing the play mindset for happy and productive teams: Naily Makangu
Happiness at work leads to more productivity. There are times when there is a lot of tension that prevents us from enjoying our workplace. By the end of this workshop, you will learn tools and tips for changing your mindset, using different perspectives in solving problems and creative ways you can use with team members to bring fun back into the office environment so as to increase your overall level of productivity!
12pm
CANCELLED: Cultivating team wellbeing: Where my team is and where we would like to go
12pm – 12.30pm
Care First awareness session: Catriona Davison, Care First
Find out what Care First can offer you as a City member of staff in terms of support for your mental wellbeing, practical issues, support for people managers and our hub of resources and information. We'll discuss how the service works and will be able to answer any questions or worries that you may have around using it.
12.30pm – 1pm
Lunchtime mindfulness drop-in: City CEMR
Take half an hour out of your day for wellbeing and a space for community, friendly smiles and self-care built around mindfulness-based values. Sessions are delivered in a light-hearted, interactive manner and require no prior mindfulness or meditation experience.
1pm
*Setting up a Zoom meeting: LEaD Digital Education team
An overview on how to create a Zoom session, distribute the details amongst your attendees, and how to change your settings and screen layout to best serve your presentation. If you are interested in managing a Zoom session once it has started, see our workshop on Tuesday at 12pm.
Anxiety around returning to the workplace: Catriona Davison, Care first
We've all had to make significant changes to our daily lives and how we work and it’s clear that the impact will be felt for years to come. It is completely normal to be feeling a whole range of emotions about getting back to normality and especially returning to the office – you might feel worried, anxious, jealous, selfish or lots more. This session will explore the ways that you can help manage these feelings, stay in control and skills to help yourself cope.
2pm
'Diversify your mind' with the City EDI team: The hidden and invisible stories of disabled lives
Many of us don’t talk about the shared, often hidden and invisible experiences of disability that we all may experience through our different and intersecting identities. In this session, we give attendees a starting point to think about and consider how disability, the social and cultural model, might be a part of their individual lives at work and in the community.
We will use the BBC documentary, Silenced: The Hidden Story of Disabled Britain to inspire and lead discussions, and hear from colleagues who will share their own research and lived experiences of disability. We will then engage in a reflective learning group session to share thoughts on disabled experiences today and discuss what each of us can do in our roles at City. Note: It is not necessary to watch the 60-minute documentary before the event, but we encourage you to do so if possible.
Working successfully in a hybrid way: Mike RoartyEvidence suggests that the majority of employees want a hybrid way of working, even though it may have its downsides. This workshop explores what the evidence tells us so far, and invites you to clarify what kind of hybrid working would deliver best results for you, and how you might best advocate for your version of it.
3pm
“What’s important to me?” Clarifying what you are looking for in the next steps of your career journey: Mike Roarty
If you were asked where you would like to go next in your career would you say, “I’m not sure”? Is it difficult to know where to start with answering that question? This workshop will introduce you to the importance of clarifying your values in relation to your work and career, and so give you a clearer idea of where to go next.
4pm
Creating a workplace playground: Naily Makangu
This interactive workshop will introduce you to the 'workplace playground' concept: What is a workplace playground and why it is important in a remote culture? How can you assess your organisation in order to design your playground and be more resilient to growth and change? At the end of the workshop, you will walk away with concrete ideas to add on your plans to continue enjoying a productive workplace playground.
Tuesday 13th July
10am
Giving your confidence a boost: Kate Atkin
It is generally only when we don’t have it that the need for confidence comes to our attention. This workshop covers strategies which are proven to build confidence, the beliefs and behaviours that support and detract from self-confidence and how to find that essential boost when you need it the most. You'll be able to understand how your beliefs affect your behaviours, how to make effective choices, and be able to identify a minimum of four strategies for boosting confidence.
11am
Preparing to Influence: Yvette Gyles
This workshop will introduce you to techniques drawn from social psychology and behavioural heuristics. You will use a quick-fire tool to re-frame information and ideas to win others over. The result will be a more confident approach in a range of situations. By the end of the workshop, you'll be able to identify how to adapt your influencing message to different people, and apply tools to improve impact when influencing others.
12pm
*Running a Zoom meeting: LEaD Digital Education teamThis session offers an overview on how to manage a Zoom session as it happens, including using the Whiteboard, Breakout Rooms and other common functions. If you are interested in creating a Zoom session and looking at the various settings, please see our workshop on Monday, 'Setting up a Zoom session'.
Building my resilience: Practical strategies: Kate Atkin
By the end of this masterclass participants will have reviewed definitions of resilience and burnout, including three researched ways to spot when someone is burning out, discussed the Five Ways for Wellbeing (by the New Economic Foundation) and identified personal strategies for building their own levels of resilience and increasing wellbeing.
1pm
Collaborative creativity – digital collage: Simon Abbott, SMCSE
Join Simon in making a collaborative digital collage artwork. We’ll explore how digital workspaces can be used in creative ways to share ideas, communicate and collaborative visually. No experience or knowledge of these tools is required – we’ll be learning as we go! For some inspiration, check out Simon's latest collages in the Wellbeing@City 'I made this' channel.
2pm
*DIY Screencasts: LEaD Digital Education team
This session demonstrates the screen recording tools, Kaltura and narrated PowerPoint, available to all City staff. Learn how to create, edit, caption and share your own videos in a simple and effective way. We will also explore why you may want to use this approach in teaching and learning.
Management Forum session: Working spaces in a hybrid world, with Dr Laetitia Mimoun
Aimed at people managers to hear about current research, share tips and collaborate. Laetitia, Lecturer at the Business School, will share her research findings of the experiences of remote workers and the value they find in being in 'third spaces'. These spaces can support productivity and help fight social isolation. What can we as staff moving towards a hybrid way of working learn from this? How can managers support staff productivity, maximise wellbeing and find the optimum set up to meet their team’s needs?
3pm
Understanding and overcoming 'imposter syndrome': Kate Atkin
Approximately 70% of people will at some point feel as if they don’t belong. This masterclass will explore what the imposter syndrome is (tip: it’s really a phenomenon), why people might experience it, and help you to start to think about yourself and your successes differently. We'll explore some of the triggers for these feelings, identify at least three ways to start to combat your own imposter chatter, and how to start to support others.
4pm
Return to work: Post lockdown nutrition plan: Magdalena Wronska
Explore nutrition and health-related issues you might encounter when coming back to work, including sleep problems, how to support your immunity and practical tips on storing, eating and preparing food at work.
Wednesday 14th July
10am
Group problem solving: Yvette Gyles
You will be introduced to tools to get the best out of group meetings and group problem solving. We'll explore unhelpful group behaviours and tools to ensure effective facilitation, and run an activity to discuss real-work situations and challenges. Confidentiality is assured.
11am
*An introduction to Poll Everywhere: LEaD Digital Education team
Explore how to create your own polls and present them online using Poll Everywhere. We will also give an overview of the inbuilt polling solutions in Zoom.
Reactions to change: Yvette Gyles
Change is a core competence for all of us and knowing how change affects people in different ways can enable you to better support them, and yourself, through change. We'll work through the tools provided using your own real-work examples of change. By the end of the workshop, you'll be able to understand different types of changes and the impact change has on people.
12pm
Supporting student success with LinkedIn Learning: Lauren Regan, LinkedIn LearningJoin Steph Elliot from LinkedIn Learning where she will share the benefits of using their mapping service to link relevant online videos and courses to your module and how you can become a curator to create relevant pathways for your discipline area to support student success. You will also hear case studies from staff at City who are currently using LinkedIn Learning with their students and will have an opportunity to learn more about the platform and ask questions.
Return to work after lockdown: How our reality changed in 2020 and how it is about to change again: Gordon Tinline
This workshop will cover lots of topics, including 'post-covid fatigue' and how to manage it, the basics of PPE and hygiene, concerns for returning to 'normality' (including the physical and mental impact), anxiety and how to support your own mental wellbeing, as well as practical tips for building emotional resilience and the social wellbeing benefits of returning to the office.
12.30pm – 1pm
Lunchtime mindfulness drop-in: CEMR
Take half an hour out of your day for wellbeing and a space for community, friendly smiles and self-care built around mindfulness-based values. Sessions are delivered in a light-hearted, interactive manner and require no prior mindfulness or meditation experience.
1pm
Mindful mandalas: David Ross
Take a moment to be inspired by the mandala, look at some of their symbolisms and draw your own. Mandalas are usually circular in form with patterns inside. By the end of the session you will have created some of your own mandala. Bring along any art materials you have (paint, markers, coloured pencils, or even just a pen and paper).
2pm
Management Forum: How we differ, mental health journeys and supporting your staff: With Sally McManus
Aimed at people managers, this session is a space for staff to discuss their challenges and gain insights into how others approached them. Sally, Senior Lecturer in SHPS, will share her research insights into the experiences of different groups of adults throughout the pandemic. Participants will then work through a series of questions to discuss how they are approaching and addressing the needs of different team members, what plans they have for supporting the mental health of their staff going forward and how they will support them in new ways of working.
3pm
Acting in valued ways, even when difficult emotions show up (as voted for by you!): Emily Pepin and Jonny Line, Organisational Development team
Explore how we can get some distance from difficult emotions to act in ways that align more to what we personally value in life.
4pm
Introduction to continuous improvement: Sarah Walsh, City Change Support Unit
This webinar provides attendees with an introduction to continuous improvement (CI). Targeted at those who are brand-new to CI or wish to know more about how CI is going to be applied at City, attendees will learn CI’s underpinning principles and core concepts, key tools and techniques, and our City approach. Attendees will have the chance to ask any questions they have and come away with a foundation of knowledge to build upon with this webinar forming part of a wider change capability training and development programme led by the CSU.
Thursday 15th July
9am – 9.30am
Morning mindfulness drop-in: CEMR
Take half an hour out of your day for wellbeing and a space for community, friendly smiles and self-care built around mindfulness-based values. Sessions are delivered in a light-hearted, interactive manner and require no prior mindfulness or meditation experience.
10am
Being solution-focused at work: Steve Creffield
What does it mean to be solution focused, what can it bring you and what does it enable you to do more of?
11am
Four ways to enhance meetings: Steve Creffield
This workshop will offer you four immediately practical ways to enhance the way you host group/team meetings whether they are online, face to face, or hybrid.
12pm
*Designing an effective Moodle module: LEaD Digital Education team
Using the Module checklist and the Present, Apply, Review approach as a framework, this workshop looks at how you can employ activity completion, restriction access with Moodle resources and activities to create a well structured and effective module for your students.
Informal new starter hour: Organisational Development team
Come along to our informal New Starter Hour where you can meet fellow new starters and ask those questions about settling in virtually (that you would usually ask someone next to you in the office!) If we can’t answer your question, we might know who can! Popular questions include: How can I see my payslip? Where do I find HR policies? What are the brand guidelines for City powerpoints and documents and where can I find them?
1pm
Feeding your brain: What to eat to keep you sharp: Magdalena Wronska
Brain fog, anxiety and poor memory – what are these symptoms and why do we experience them? The brain is the most complex structure known to mankind. This session explores the connection between the brain and gut and will focus on:
- Chemicals of emotions; how and where they are made and why we need them
- The effect of alcohol, trans fats and caffeine on your brain
- 'Brain foods' - what to eat and how much
- The importance of exercise for your mental health
2pm
When it comes to working out, have the lockdowns changed everything? By Sara Wilkie, CitySport
When lockdown restrictions were first put into place and gyms were forced to close, many of us tried to become a nation committed to outdoor exercise, long walks and YouTube workouts. But if you've struggled to keep up with your usual fitness routine during the past year, or need some support to get into a fitness mindset, join this session by CitySport for some top advice for returning to the gym and exercise classes, both on and off-line.
2pm – 3.30pm
Behind the scenes: Supporting teaching and learning: LEaD
Hear from professional services staff about their innovative activities supporting learning and teaching in unprecedented times.
3pm
Delivering great service in challenging circumstances: Nina Maan
Explore how to make ‘Re-entry Anxiety’ transition easier for colleagues, customers and self. First we will look at Emotional Intelligence, with a particular focus on self-awareness and awareness of others. You will then practice using Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviour triangle to help you deliver great service.
4pm
The Big City Gameshow: Organisational Development team
Team up with your colleagues to take on a series of challenges. There’ll be something for everyone, including trivia, creative skills, a treasure hunt, and more...
Friday 16th July
9.30am – 9.50am
Meditate to medicate: Victoria Schermuly (WPHC)
This 20-minute session focuses on breath work and simple movements that can all be carried out from your chair. It will explore the use of meditation to aid sleep and relaxation, drawing upon kundalini yoga mantra, mindfulness and breathwork.
10am
Presentation skills for the terrified: Mike Roarty
Most of us who don’t regularly present to groups of people feel anxious about doing it. So you are not alone! This session aims to help you to know how to manage any nervousness and fear of failure, understand your audience and tailor your presentation accordingly, understand the importance of effective planning and preparation and how body language and vocal variety can affect your presentation. You'll also get a little bit of non-threatening safe practice in pairs/threes to build your confidence.
11am
*An introduction to digital accessibility: LEaD Digital Education team
This session provides an overview of the digital accessibility regulations, highlights common issues and introduces tools you can use to assess and improve your online content and digital documents. The workshop draws on material in our Accessibility Guide.
12pm
Introduction to evidencing benefits... in change projects or initiatives: Natasha Bennett, City Change Support Unit
This webinar will provide attendees with an introduction to evidencing benefits, exploring what a benefit is and how to measure it, some practical tools used in measuring benefits and the CSU balanced scorecard for benefits measurement. The session will be useful for anyone interested in evidencing the impact of change across change projects or initiatives.
12pm – 12.30pm
Returning to work webinar: Cordell Health
A Q&A session with City's Occupational Health provider, Cordell Health, to discuss any issues/questions people may have about returning to work.
12.30pm – 1pm
Lunchtime mindfulness drop-in: CEMR
Take half an hour out of your day for wellbeing and a space for community, friendly smiles and self-care built around mindfulness-based values. Sessions are delivered in a light-hearted, interactive manner and require no prior mindfulness or meditation experience.
1pm
Adventures with bees and chickens in E17: Mike Hughes
Join Mike to see where he keeps his bees and chickens, watch him open up a hive (weather permitting), hear a discussion about the practical aspects of beekeeping and chickens and an opportunity to answer any questions.
2pm
Listen and support with compassion: Kate Atkin
How do you overcome compassion fatigue and what are the real benefits of listening to others with compassion? This masterclass will take a short dip into defining compassion and the research on compassion towards the self as well as towards others. We will discuss how to apply G.R.A.C.E. in our interactions with others and by the end of the masterclass participants will have identified at least one action to bring more compassion into their listening.
3pm
Image, impact and influence: Kate Atkin
Explore how important your image really is and where it comes from, particularly focussing on non-verbal cues. Participants will discover the impact they are making and learn how to tweak their behaviour to ensure they make the impact they want to. We will look at online as well as face-to-face communications.
4pm
How to handle anxiety about the future: Mike Roarty
Are you spending time worrying about things that haven’t happened yet? In this workshop you will learn and practise some tools and approaches for managing any anxieties you have about the future and how to build your confidence in your ability to handle whatever comes your way.
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