Summary

Acknowledging emails is a very simple wellbeing practice to put in place. It takes very little time to send a quick response acknowledging receipt of an e-mail. Within a learning and teaching context, it helps to set boundaries and expectations. The acknowledgement of an e-mail reassures the recipient that you have received their communication, but also gives you a little more time to respond, helping you to manage your own workload.

Practical Example

Email: From a third year dissertation student containing numerous questions about their dissertation.

Response: Dear X, ‘I am just acknowledging receipt of your e-mail. I will respond to your questions by the end of the week’.

Individual Perspective

The members of the Wellbeing Support Services have actively embraced the implementation of a buddying system. This has tended to be an informal process which people have the option as to whether they would like to engage. Members of staff have been proactive in making arrangements amongst themselves and selecting who they would like to be buddied up with and this is likely to have assisted with the willingness to engage in such a process.

The other systems implemented such as the ‘Morning catch ups’ and end of day ‘Debrief meetings’ have worked well. The ‘Morning catch ups’ are informal and optional and well attended. With regards to the ‘Debrief meetings’ all of the team are expected to attend these and these meetings have been extremely useful and well received by the team in relation to receiving support, guidance and a forum to raise any queries or concerns.