Psychologist and Leadership Development Consultant, Akomaye Ugar.

To promote an emotionally healthy workforce at a time of online learning and virtual engagement, the School of Education at the Fiji National University’s (FNU) College of Humanities and Education (CHE) recently organised a webinar for staff empowerment as they continue to work from home.

The one-hour webinar focused on “Emotional Intelligence, Handling Burnout” and was conducted by New York, United States of America (USA) based Psychologist and Leadership Development Consultant, Akomaye Ugar.

According to Ugar, prolonged and unmanaged exposure to high job demands can lead to mental exhaustion as well as emotional wear and tear which negatively affects productivity, lowers morale and the overall health and well-being of an individual.

The consultant stated that emotional skills such as self-confidence, flexibility and patience are necessary for managing workplace stressors.

“People with high emotional quotient can easily identify their own emotions, diagnose why they feel that way, and act with sensitivity and empathy towards others.”

The Head of the School of Education at FNU’s College of Humanities and Education, Dr Victor Alasa, noted that the pandemic and associated restrictions may have implications for staff morale and productivity.

“We recognise that frustration and burnout are risks at the current time. As educators, we are aware that the emotional state of a person could be one of the determinant factors in the overall wellbeing of the individual. There is a close link between emotional wellbeing and workplace productivity. Therefore, to enhance the productivity of our staff, we decided to speak to that all-important part of us.”

According to the Associate Dean Research at FNU’s College of Humanities and Education, Dr Asinate Mausio, the online webinar session was informative, engaging, insightful and practical which resonated with experiences many people are currently facing.

“The session was very useful and relatable. I was able to learn a lot on how we can manage during these challenging times, such as knowing your strengths and weaknesses, identifying stressors and triggers, and seeking to learn and grow,” Dr Mausio said.