It’s important to take care of yourself, even on the job. After all, healthy, happy employees do better work. That’s why April Shaeffer, a research specialist with the Department of Animal Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University, spearheaded the creation of the department’s Wellness Room in Polk Hall.

“I’ve always thought that having a quiet space where you can just go and decompress is valuable, and so that’s why I pushed our department to do that,” Shaeffer says.

The space, which includes a deluxe massage chair, quiet music, a bean bag for lounging and a faux fireplace, is designed to give faculty, staff and graduate students a private place to go for a few minutes to themselves during the course of their day. 

The room has been a passion project for Shaeffer, who has had close family impacted by serious mental health issues. As efforts have ramped up in recent years to provide more mental health support to students, she wanted to make sure the department supported its faculty and staff as well. 

“I thought this is one thing we could do for our department and boost morale,” she says.

The idea gained momentum a few years ago after Shaeffer presented the concept to the university’s Council on the Status of Women. From there Department Head Todd See, Professor Matt Poore and CALS Dean Garey Fox, among others, became advocates for the project.

“It was a team effort,” says Shaeffer of bringing the space to fruition.

Since the Wellness Room opened in March about 40 different people in the department have signed up to use it, with many revisiting the relaxing space. And the room has garnered more use since the fall semester began. 

NC State offers mental health support to all of its employees through the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, which includes a no-cost counseling service that can help employees address stress and mental health concerns. Additional resources for faculty and staff are available through the CALS Wellness webpage.

Shaeffer hopes the room will serve as inspiration for other departments and across the college and university as a whole. “The idea of a mental health and wellness room for faculty and staff could have positive impacts not only in the Department of Animal Science, but throughout campus as well.”