EMPAC

11/13/2025

Your phone's social media notification buzzes. Your laptop email dings. Someone is trying to call you (on your landline at your desk!).

And there's music floating into your space from someone else's office.

Not to mention the thoughts rolling around in your head: what to make for dinner, who is picking up the kids after practice, and when was that meeting later today?

All these interruptions are considered noise. And we're living in an age where noise is overwhelming many of us.

What can you do to help you and your staff better cope with noise? Try the following tips:

- Set aside one day when meetings are off limits. Give your team time to catch up, prioritize, and get quality work done without interruption.

- Stop texting and emailing before/after hours or on the weekend/during vacation. Encourage your staff to create a coverage plan when they are out of office for more than a couple of days. And, unless it's a dire emergency, wait until regular working hours to contact each other.

- Create a quiet zone at your office. Maybe it's a little-used conference room or a vacant office. Reserve the space in 15-minute increments and leave the person alone to recoup and emerge rejuvenated. You can also close an office door/hang a sign at a cubicle saying -- "I'll be free to chat at (selected time)."

Still struggling with decreasing overwhelming noise in your life? We understand. Start thriving today: https://empac-eap.com/contact/.

11/10/2025

Investing in your team's mental wellness pays off in a stronger culture, better performance, and happier people! Don't miss our upcoming Mental Wellness Champions training package which will provide practical tools that can be used right away!

Get registered today to set the tone for a happier and healthier workforce for 2026!

Register here: Training@empac-eap.com

🌟 Is mental wellness part of your 2026 budget? 🌟

As you plan for next year’s initiatives, now is the perfect time to invest in your organization’s mental wellness strategy.

In 2024, Kansas made a remarkable leap in national mental health rankings — from 51st to 22nd — by improving access to care and prioritizing mental health awareness.

Join Empac’s Mental Wellness Champion Training on November 19, 2025, and equip your team with the tools to lead a culture of care in 2026 and beyond.

This half-day, expert-led program empowers participants to:

✅ Promote mental wellness in the workplace

✅ Recognize early signs of mental health concerns

✅ Strengthen resiliency and stress management across teams

By training Mental Wellness Champions within your company, you’ll not only support employee well-being — you’ll enhance engagement, reduce burnout, and strengthen retention.

📅 When: November 19, 2025 | 1:00–5:00 PM

📍 Where: 200 W. Douglas – Tallgrass Conference Room, Wichita, KS

💰 $800 per participant | Group discounts available

👉 Make mental wellness a budget priority for 2026.

Register your team today and build a stronger, healthier workplace culture.

📞 316-265-9922 | ✉️ Training@empac-eap.com

🔗 www.empac-eap.com

11/06/2025

Adrian from Tanganyika Wildlife Park shares how she and her team worked to build a safe, comfortable work environment, utilizing empac's mental health counseling expertise.

The Tanganyika team's well-being improved, and they continue to emphasize a culture of asking for help when facing challenges impacting their wellness, happiness, and productivity -- in and out of the workplace.

Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc5Wy5PGIVY.

11/05/2025

Join us for a free virtual training!

Topic: Gratitude

Date: November 21, 2025 @ 12:00pm-1:00pm

Click the link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FJLXhjHgSSG3_6JroaaMmw

Please register by Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

**Please note each participant must login in from their own device.

There is a significant difference between being grateful for something and having a perspective of intentional gratitude. We will discuss the powerful impacts and benefits gained through developing a perspective of intentional gratitude and participants will be provided with opportunities to practice specific techniques.

10/31/2025

Episode 6 of our Wisdoms of Wellness (W.O.W.) podcast is live!

In our 6th episode - Discover why we need relationships, how to build them when we're adults, and what to do when you encounter challenges in your relationships.

Remember, here at empac, we are here to listen and ready to help!

Please ‘like’ and subscribe to learn more!

🔗 Listen here: https://shared.outlook.inky.com/link?domain=youtu.be&t=h.eJxNjLsOgkAQRX_FbC3sg31BRWNhYuMnLOPgEkTIMpAY47-btbK895ycN9vSgzUHFomWteH8NW-0lR1yCkJf_Ok87ld2PLAxSwNQgdMSgEcMFDG1v1VgWEqYJ-56XQXjaifAWB2qvu-k0gKsNNrKDrh0VnqnKiFKrbxX3uQ25jbENKw0PEN7T_OOdQ5meMvw7_p8ASd4NS0.MEUCIQCpQJX-_s0xuq1hSM5528jaRvnxBmOgstzlPXDB4LC0nAIgb4t3cjG8bnLArv6aGZadJ-ZaATQkSraynub9zF7VpJI

💬 Confidential. Accessible. Designed with you in mind!

Discover why we need relationships, how to build them when we're adults, and what to do when you encounter challenges in your relationships. Looking for more...

10/30/2025

We've all been hearing how AI is becoming more integrated into our lives. For some, AI is also changing how we approach mental health.

Supervisors, are you prepared to support your team in this new AI landscape?

Consider these three tips for navigating conversations around AI therapy and relationships:

- Maintain Open Dialogue: Foster an environment where employees feel safe discussing their mental health tools, whether it's an app or a human therapist. Your role is to be supportive, not to judge their choices.

- Encourage Healthy Boundaries: Some employees may form strong emotional attachments to AI. Gently guide them to see AI as a tool, not a replacement for real-world relationships, and caution against over-reliance.

- Highlight EAP Benefits: Remind your team that while AI can be a starting point, empac provides confidential, professional support from qualified human counselors. Human connection and empathy are irreplaceable.

Your team's use of AI will continue to evolve as the technology evolves. Be sure to stay on top of these trends, and if you feel like you need more guidance, we understand. Reach out to our experts today: https://empac-eap.com/contact/

10/27/2025

🌟 Is mental wellness part of your 2026 budget? 🌟

As you plan for next year’s initiatives, now is the perfect time to invest in your organization’s mental wellness strategy.

In 2024, Kansas made a remarkable leap in national mental health rankings — from 51st to 22nd — by improving access to care and prioritizing mental health awareness.

Join Empac’s Mental Wellness Champion Training on November 19, 2025, and equip your team with the tools to lead a culture of care in 2026 and beyond.

This half-day, expert-led program empowers participants to:

✅ Promote mental wellness in the workplace

✅ Recognize early signs of mental health concerns

✅ Strengthen resiliency and stress management across teams

By training Mental Wellness Champions within your company, you’ll not only support employee well-being — you’ll enhance engagement, reduce burnout, and strengthen retention.

📅 When: November 19, 2025 | 1:00–5:00 PM

📍 Where: 200 W. Douglas – Tallgrass Conference Room, Wichita, KS

💰 $800 per participant | Group discounts available

👉 Make mental wellness a budget priority for 2026.

Register your team today and build a stronger, healthier workplace culture.

📞 316-265-9922 | ✉️ Training@empac-eap.com

🔗 www.empac-eap.com

10/24/2025

Back by popular demand, we have scheduled another IN PERSON offering of our Supervisor Success Series!

Our sessions have been a hit, and we are thrilled to offer another opportunity to participate in this powerful leadership development opportunity for the month of November!

In 2024, a Gallup poll indicated that 42% of Employee Turnover is preventable but often ignored. In the last year, have you experienced turnover within your workforce? Possibly you want to learn new skills or sharpen your skills as a leader? Our goal is to provide resources and support for new and experienced supervisors to create a safe place to learn and grow, together.

🗓️ Meets once a week for 4 weeks - In person - 200 W. Douglas Ave Lower- Level Harvest Conference Room in the Kiva.

👥 Interactive, practical, and real-world focused

🎯 Ideal for new and experienced supervisors alike

This is more than just training — it’s a guided development experience built to empower leaders with tools they can use immediately.

📢 Spaces filled quickly last time - don't miss your chance to join this round: email: Training@empac-eap.com to get registered.

See flier for more details and take the time to invest in your success!

10/23/2025

Do you know what it means to be empathetic?

Being empathetic means you:
- Have the ability to sense others’ unspoken concerns
- Recognize when a coworker is struggling or
- Adjust your communication style so it matches the needs of a coworker at the moment.

This soft skill is key in creating a thriving workplace. Empathy is especially important for supervisors to build and hone because:
- Your coworkers are probably more inclined to share their ideas with you, admit mistakes, and trust your advice.
- You're genuinely interested in maintaining positive relationships with coworkers.
- You slow down, give full attention, and resist the urge to interrupt or plan what you will say while they’re speaking.
- You ask clarifying questions, and if you understand what your coworker just said, reflect (i.e., I heard you say that…”).
- Your empathetic style creates a psychologically safe workplace, and your team feels validated. You deepen your work relationships, and you’ll witness positive effects, ultimately making your job more meaningful.

Need more help cultivating empathy? Reach out today: https://empac-eap.com/contact/.

10/21/2025

When you need assistance with counseling, coaching, or training, our experts are ready to help you thrive.

Let's take a moment and get to know one of them a bit better -- read on for our three questions with Tana McKee, LMFT-Program Manager.

1. What are your hobbies, and how did you get started?

I love lots of different ‘things’ so my actual hobbies are pretty eclectic. I love writing and expressing myself in that way; sometimes it’s easier than verbally—I’ve been this way since I was a little girl. I also love collecting quotes and little bits of wisdom and passing them along when I can. My hope is to say something so amazing one day that I can put my name on a quote or little bit of wisdom!

2. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

I would LOVE to travel to Norway one day (my ancestors came from there) and see the Northern Lights up close and in person!

3. What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

This is a tough question—I’ve been blessed to know a LOT of really wise people. I think one of the best pieces of advice ever has simply been “It’s really okay to just be yourself. No more and no less.” That’s meant different things to me throughout the years, but it’s something that comes to mind often—both personally and professionally.

Michael Brewer, LCMFT, LCAC-Director of Operations also shared some insight on Tana-see below!

"Empac is blessed to have Tana McKee, LMFT serving our eap members and companies for almost 4 years. Tana delivers services with compassion and dedication to assist members in reaching their goals and navigating the challenges of achieving mental health wellness. I greatly appreciate Tana’s 25+ years of clinical experience and her passion for working with those who have experienced trauma. As a member of the empac leadership team, Tana not only carries a clinical caseload she provides top notch support and supervision to our staff."

Want to know more about who we are and what we do? Check out our website: https://empac-eap.com/

10/16/2025

At empac, we’re proud to offer DOT (Department of Transportation) services, including Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) evaluations through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Our goal is to help both employers and employees navigate the return-to-duty process with compassion, professionalism, and full DOT compliance.

✅ SAP evaluations for DOT-regulated employees

✅ Guidance through the return-to-duty process

✅ Confidential, supportive, and efficient service

Whether you’re an employer ensuring compliance or an employee seeking a smooth path back to work, we’re here to help every step of the way.

📞 Learn more about our DOT & SAP services by calling 316-265-9922

10/15/2025

Are professional or personal (or both!) stressors keeping you from thriving? Listen to Meritrust Credit Union's Jennifer Kelly, who shares how you can talk with empac's experts, learn better ways to cope and build resilience -- all in a warm, kind and trusted space.

Watch Jennifer now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLL8FdOgAzw.

Ready to reach out for help? Get started: https://empac-eap.com/contact/.