February 2026

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February 2026: Life, Health, and YOU

Civility in the Workplace

Civility is a word often heard but how many of us truly understand it, or practice it in our daily work lives? In the workplace, civility means showing respect, behaving professionally, and following jobsite expectations.

Practicing civility helps create a safe, empathetic environment where people feel comfortable sharing ideas and know they will be heard and valued. It goes beyond politeness; civility supports a dynamic, inclusive, and productive workplace where everyone can succeed. So how can kindness and civility be encouraged in the workplace?

For Managers and Leaders
Leaders set the tone. Promote respectful, empathetic communication and keep the focus on shared goals by:

  • Modeling professionalism and treating everyone with respect
  • Leading with empathy, recognizing that employees bring different challenges to work while ensuring expectations are met
  • Encouraging inclusive, open, and curious communication so all team members feel safe and valued

For Employees
Employees also play a key role in creating a healthy work environment by setting boundaries, listening actively, and practicing self-care.

Set boundaries: If you prefer to avoid divisive topics such as politics, religion, or personal finances, it’s okay to say so. Politely redirect the conversation to work-related.

Practice active listening: Truly listen rather than waiting to respond. When sensitive topics arise, acknowledge the other person’s perspective, ask thoughtful questions, and seek understanding—even when you disagree.

Deadlines, politics, and workplace dynamics can create stress, but kindness and civility help ease tension, boost morale, and foster a respectful workplace where everyone can thrive.

National Health Observances

Each month, we feature select National Health Observances (NHOs) that highlight important health and life issues affecting people every day.

February is American Heart Month, sponsored by the American Heart Association, to raise awareness about heart health. Additionally, this year February 6 is National Wear Red Day to bring attention to heart disease.

National Caregivers Day on February 20 honors individuals who selflessly provide personal care and physical and emotional support to those who need it most.

Mental Health Minute

Being Kind to Yourself

Recognizing Your Worth
Self-kindness starts with valuing yourself and accepting mistakes without harsh judgment. When things go wrong, acknowledge them without self-criticism—mistakes are part of being human and don’t diminish your worth.

Acknowledging Your Needs
Being kind to yourself means recognizing what you need and allowing time for rest, reflection, or activities that help you recharge.

Positive Self-Talk
Self-kindness also shows up in your inner voice. Replacing negative self-talk with encouragement and understanding helps create a more supportive mindset, turning mistakes into opportunities to learn.

Live Monthly Webinar

The Power of Kindness in Trying Times

February 11, 2026

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern

Register for this webinar in MY Portal. All webinars are recorded and saved in MY Portal about two to three days after the event.

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Supervisor Orientation Test

Welcome to your Supervisor Orientation Test! There are a total of 12 questions and you need to get at least nine correct to receive a passing grade. You may refer back to the Supervisor Orientation training materials if you need a refresher.

Which statement most closely describes an EAP?

A supervisor is not allowed to dispense a disciplinary action while an employee is being seen by the EAP, even if performance problems are continuing.

EAPs can reduce the risk of lawsuits by helping troubled employees resolve personal problems before they face adverse actions such as termination that can lead to expensive legal challenges.

Many professionals in the workplace may consult with supervisors, but the profession founded on the basis of helping troubled employees and consulting with supervisors in managing and intervening with troubled employees is:

Your employee says she has marital problems after you confront her about coming in late and calling in sick. As a result, you recommend that she call the EAP. The attendance problems stop. However, two months later, attendance problems return. Your prior discussion and recommendation to use the EAP was a "supervisor referral"?

Some employees have personal problems, but no performance problems. How would you respond: Your employee tells you she is having financial problems. She says if things get worse, she might have to file for bankruptcy. She has no performance problems. What would you do?

Your employee has a problem with absenteeism. When confronted, he says he will seek help from the EAP. A month later the absences continue. At this point, there is no need to make a supervisor referral because the employee has already gone.

Which one of these interactions with a troubled employee would most likely be perceived as serious and motivate change?

If you refer an employee to the EAP, but do not consult with the EA professional and do not provide written information concerning performance problems, all of the following are likely to happen EXCEPT:

If the employee is referred to the EAP, but refuses to sign a release of information, the supervisor will have no way of knowing if the employee followed through with the referral.

Meeting with an employee after referral to the EAP, and planning specific dates and times for other follow-up meetings is a powerful way of helping an employee feel a constructive sense of urgency to follow-through with the EAPs recommendations and reduce the likelihood of a return to performance problems.

You are concerned with your employee's continued absenteeism and problematic behavior on the job. You decide to refer your employee to the EAP. Unfortunately the employee does not go after agreeing to do so. How should you respond?