How Tajuna Sharpe Contributed to the Employee Assistance Program for RIOC Employees

Tajuna Sharpe is the Director of Human Resources at Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation based in New York in the United States of America. The Corporation, thirty-eight years after its inception in 1984, served the benefit of the members of the public by maintaining Roosevelt Island. The Corporation provides services and innovative solutions to enhance Roosevelt Island’s residential community.

RIOC is committed to making Roosevelt Island a secure and safe environment for all residents, visitors, entrepreneurs, employees, and tourists. RIOC provides public transportation with the Roosevelt Island Tramway as its most iconic road, buildings, parks, and sports facilities to achieve its aims and objectives.

Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation announced an employee assistance program to provide guidance and emotional support to its employees in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tajuna Sharpe, the Human Resources Director, was responsible for the employee assistance program that aimed at providing help to all RIOC employees who reached out.

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation developed the program in light of an officer’s passing to support its employees. The program has mental health experts available at two hotline numbers; the New York City Well at (888) 692-9355 and the New York State Mental Health hotline at (844) 863-9314.

The mental health professionals provided information in three core chapters; managing bereavement around the COVID-19 virus, dealing with grief, and tips to handle a loss. RIOC made resourceful flyers on those topics to increase the outreach for the public members who may need the information.

Further, the New York state partnered with Headspace to provide stress reduction and mediation during that rough patch. RIOC encouraged its employees to access that information and the information provided under the Employee Assistance Program to boost their mental well-being.

Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation invests in the safety and well-being of its employees and the community by providing environment-friendly solutions. The Corporation has a Public Safety Department aimed at securing a safe environment. The Corporation provided a workshop series in 2021 under the Public Safety Department to train people on self-defense and preparedness in a life-or-death situation.