Search
Related Links

 

 

Informative Articles

Consulting: A Different World
I won't say I have a vast array of knowledge as a consultant...collectively I've only been doing it about 8 years. However, there are some things that I have observed that I think will be helpful to those of you who are new to the profession. ...

Create a Positive, Upbeat, "Can-Do" Workforce and Dazzle the Customer with Your Caring!
Given the choice of dealing with a positive, upbeat employee with a "can-do" attitude or dealing with a disgruntled, distracted, uninterested one, which would you choose? No contest. Customers always want the best experience possible; they want...

Don't Go For Broke
In the last six months of 2001 many businesses took a direct hit that rocked the foundation of their financial business security. Different mentalities have emerged in reaction to the shift in economy from "go for broke" to "just give up." ...

Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match! - How to chose the 'right' business for YOU
All right, so you've decided to jump off the corporate ladder and build your own. Congratulations! You've just joined the growing community of home business owners in the US. Expanding at an estimated rate of 10 % per annum, the home business...

What an Emotional Intelligence Program Can Do For Your Organization in 2004
The problems of low productivity, poor judgment, bad decisions, hiring the wrong people and losing the right people, unmotivated employees, lack of teamwork, and poor self-management lie wirh the emotions. So do the solutions. Studies have shown...

 
Pull an elastic band too far - it snaps

Building a resilient workforce to manage pressure effectively 'Resilience' is the new buzzword for the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or other 'stressors'. It's how we 'bounce back' from difficult situations. And fortunately resilience isn't a characteristic that we either do or don't have. It involves behaviours, thoughts and actions that can be learned and developed.

Studies have shown that the most important factors in building resilience include: * having caring and supportive relationships * the ability to make realistic plans and take steps to carry them out * possessing a positive self-view * confidence in your strengths and abilities * good communication skills * being able to manage strong feelings and impulses * strong problem-solving abilities

So if these are the qualities we need to increase our resilience as individuals, what lessons can we learn in terms of the characteristics and culture required to build a 'resilient' organisation?

Building resilience by reducing stress Because our working lives are becoming increasingly stressful, in November 2004 the Health and Safety Executive announced its new Management Standards for work-related stress, which are designed to help ensure that organisations address key aspects of workplace stress (or 'risk factors') including demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. For each risk factor, the Management Standards include a description of what should be happening in an organisation (or 'states to be achieved') in order for the standard to be met. 'Demands', for example, includes issues like workload, work patterns and the work environment. States to be achieved are that: * The organisation provides employees with adequate and achievable demands in relation to the agreed hours of work * People's skills and abilities are matched to the job demands * Jobs are designed to be within the capabilities of employees * Employees' concerns about their work environment are addressed

The guidance centres around carrying out a risk assessment for stress (this is also a legal requirement), the results of which should highlight problem areas that need to be addressed in order to reduce (or ideally remove the causes of) stress.

But while the Management Standards provide a foundation for stress reduction, there are many other actions that organisations should also consider in order to increase its resilience, some of the most important of which include the following:

Commitment to stress management A Stress Policy should be implemented in conjunction with staff liaison groups, and commitment should begin at the most senior level and be cascaded downwards. There's little point in introducing stress management training for line managers, for example, if senior managers have little or no commitment to minimising or eliminating excessive pressure within the organisation.

Recruitment and selection When recruiting it's important that both the organisation and applicant understand the requirements of the post and potential pressures involved. One conclusion of a landmark Court of Appeal case in February 2002 was that 'there are no occupations that should be regarded as intrinsically dangerous to mental health'. It's therefore essential to combine an appropriate selection policy with sufficient job-specific and practical training - to enable individuals to carry out their jobs within their capabilities and with the minimum of stress.

Management style Effective communication is often neglected in management training, yet it's essential to good management - by reducing misunderstanding and the opportunity for discontent.

Effective communication includes active listening skills - engaging with the person you're listening to and responding appropriately. Good communication at all levels will help ensure that everyone in the organisation can work with confidence - reducing the opportunities for stress to develop.

Work-related training Many organisations face sudden changes in work demands, and employees need the necessary training and experience to meet the ever-increasing demands made on them. Examples include training in resilience, time management, communication skills, etc. Training in communication (and particularly active listening) skills is essential to help ensure that managers are aware of their team members' problems and in a position to offer early interventions to resolve these.

Stress awareness and stress management training For stress management to become integral to corporate culture, initiatives must be introduced that will raise awareness of work-related stress. In particular, recognising the early warning signs and symptoms should become integral to management strategy. This can be achieved by monitoring sickness absence (especially short-term), carrying out confidential staff surveys, observing working relationships (especially team dynamics), and questioning changes in attitude and behaviour.

Stress management training can then build on this by teaching employees about the nature and sources of stress, its effects on health, and the personal skills needed to reduce it. Training may also help reduce stress symptoms such as anxiety and sleep disturbances, and has the added advantage of being relatively inexpensive.

Employees also need to know how to raise concerns about work pressure (informally and formally) - for example by speaking to their supervisor or manager, through an existing grievance procedure, or under a


dedicated stress policy. The key is that employees should find it as easy and unthreatening as possible to speak up about stress at work, and should be able to do so without fear of recrimination or any other negative outcomes.

Mediation and negotiation In mediation, the parties in a dispute express their views on a contentious matter, establish common ground, and move towards a solution that's acceptable to all. In negotiation, the aim is to reach agreement on a course of action that satisfies at least some of the claims of both sides. Access to mediation and negotiation are therefore vital in enabling workplace disputes to be resolved before they escalate into stress-inducing or bullying behaviours which can be much more difficult to resolve.

Rehabilitation back to work Where employees have been forced to take time away from work as a result of stress, their rehabilitation back to work needs to be carefully managed. For those employees who require specialist support, Employee Assistance Programmes and counselling services are a vital component in employee well being.

Employee counselling In February 2002, the Court of Appeal ruled, inter alia, that 'any employer who offered a confidential counselling service was unlikely to be found in breach of duty of care, by the courts'. Counselling should therefore be regarded as an intervention to be included alongside other supportive services available to employees.

First contact counselling teams These teams are made up of volunteers (from the organisation) who are trained in basic counselling skills, and receive ongoing training and supervision. They're often used as a 'first contact' for employees, for whom they can provide an active listening service and help to deal with work-related problems such as stress, bullying, change and mediation.

Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) An EAP offers employees access to a confidential counselling and information service, and to be effective must have the backing of senior management. However, although it can play an important role in helping to deal with stress-related problems, it should not detract from the importance of line managers actively listening to their staff. Nor must an application to the EAP be misinterpreted by managers as suggesting a lack of confidence in their own ability to deal with stress-related issues.

What shouldn't you do? Depending on the nature of your organisation, concierge services, or complementary therapies such as reflexology, yoga, massage etc, may also be of benefit. Typically, however, they should be incorporated within an holistic approach to reducing work-related stress and increasing resilience - rather than being expected to resolve underlying problems on their own. If an organisation introduces these types of 'stress-busting' initiatives without a solid foundation of stress management training and employee counselling support, they risk adding to problems of work-related stress - through frustration, disillusion, and a belief amongst employees that the true causes of stress aren't being taken seriously, and the organisation is simply paying lip service to the problem.

Ultimately, reducing workplace stress and building resilience is largely a matter of common sense and good management practice, and simply requires employers and employees to work together for the common good. Both share a joint responsibility for reducing stress - which, when this is successful, can help employees to enjoy their work more, and businesses to thrive as a result.

For this to become a reality, organisations need to work towards the creation of a 'healthy', resilient work culture - one where there is an intelligent two-way dialogue between managers and employees; where concerns can be raised in the confidence that actions will be taken; and where everyone in the organisation recognises stress as an unnecessary and unacceptable drain on creativity and resources. Or to put it another way, a culture where healthy ways of working have become so ingrained that the need for the Management Standards will no longer exist.

About The Author

Carole Spiers combines three roles of broadcaster, journalist and corporate manager in the challenging field of stress management and employee wellbeing.

With 20 years as a top industry guru on stress management and wellbeing, Carole's energy and dynamism extends to providing professional comment to media including television (BBC, ITV, Sky, NBC, CNN), print (Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, trade and professional journals) and countless radio interviews.

A successful entrepreneur herself, Carole is the founder and MD of the Carole Spiers Group - a dynamic, niche consultancy, and the UK's No. 1 provider of Stress Management and Employee Wellbeing from the shop floor to the Boardroom

A former Chairperson of the International Stress Management AssociationUK, Carole was instrumental in establishing National Stress Awareness Day™. Carole acts as an Expert Witness on Stress Risk Assessment before the Courts, and is the author of Tolley's 'Managing Stress in the Workplace'

About the author:

Carole Spiers combines three roles of Broadcaster, Journalist and Corporate Manager in the challenging field of stress management and employee wellbeing. Over the past 20 years, she has built up her corporate stress consultancy Carole Spiers Group (CSG) Carole is frequently called upon by the national and international media and provides keynote presentations on stress-related issues.

 

 

 

Content Menu
  • 10 netiquette new years resolutions

  • 10 tips for a successful job search

  • 10 tips for your appraisal

  • 10 tips to cope with negative emotions at work

  • 10 top tips for networking

  • 10 ways to kick the procrastination habit

  • 10 wisdom based wealth building strategies

  • 11 success tips to home based internet business

  • 13 crucial steps for selling a business

  • 15 ultimate success tips for your internet business

  • 19 ultimate success tips for your online business

  • 20 ways to improve your life

  • 3 traits for success

  • 5 interviewing mistakes that can lead to hiring the wrong person

  • 5 powerful strategies for depressed entrepreneurs

  • 5 successful marketing tips

  • 5 tips for better management of home business

  • 5 tips to start your own successful internet business

  • 6 tips to explode your offline or online business

  • 70 million people will be doing this by the end of 2005

  • 7 stepping stones to career growth and excellence

  • 7 steps to get started making money from on line marketing for newbies only

  • 8 tips for working from home

  • angel investors

  • are you a rhino success requires it

  • are you made to run an internet business

  • are you online to earn money or just to have fun

  • are you playing checkers or chess as a leader

  • are you right for a home based business

  • are you the next internet millionaire

  • are you the worst enemy of your business

  • army ranger reveals how to control corporate stress

  • attitude is almost everything

  • at least 7 success tips for a more profitable 2004 online

  • a beginner to beginners

  • a guide for customer service training tools

  • a leadership program for general contractors

  • a leaders or a jerk

  • a well trained cleaning crew reduces employee turnover

  • back to school tips 21 universal success secrets

  • balance your managerial life

  • balancing your 3 wealth material wealth spiritual wealth emotional wealth

  • barriers to effective planning

  • before they buy what you say 10 steps to selling yourself

  • believe that you can become a millionaire with your internet home business

  • be a success in sixty seconds

  • be your own boss work at home

  • blazing tips to start your own profitable internet home business

  • blazing tips to start your own successful internet business

  • blueprint for change

  • blueprint for leadership how to be a better leader

  • booking events shows

  • book summary the 17 indisputable laws of teamwork

  • building an internet business 5 tips to build a profitable business

  • business etiquette

  • can i be successful in my own home business

  • cash generation tips

  • change and performance training may not be the answer

  • changing careers to obtain the telecommuting lifestyle

  • characteristics of successful entrepreneurs

  • choosing an attitude that serves you

  • choosing a direct sales company

  • communicating effectively in the workplace

  • complete web site optimization for search engines part 1

  • considering the importance of corporate culture

  • consulting a different world

  • corporate manslaughter concentrates the mind of the ceo wonderfully

  • create a positive upbeat can do workforce and dazzle the customer with your caring

  • creating your own employment security

  • customer loyalty

  • customer relationship management

  • dealing with anger

  • dealing with business slowdowns

  • dealing with change and change management

  • dealing with difficult people

  • defining the qualities of a professional

  • delivering fantastic service

  • developing a casino mentality

  • developing the art of leadership

  • develop a we focus and not a me focus

  • difference is value added

  • does your business need an attitude adjustment

  • does your customer service suck

  • does your leadership development secure results

  • dont blame the economic downturn

  • dont confuse a work at home scam with hard work

  • dont discount the temporary position interview

  • dont go for broke

  • dont let the negative people get you down

  • do your own taxes

  • do you have the mindset of a successful business man

  • do you have what it takes

  • do you inspire or incinerate

  • effective or irritating pop window ads in internet marketing

  • effective or irritating the use of pop windows in

  • effective or irritating the use of pop windows in internet marketing

  • effective or irritating the use of pop windows in internet marketing copyright pradeep aggarwal www internet successkey com

  • embrace diversity to build effective teams

  • encouraging behavior that gets results

  • ensure your own success

  • entrepreneurs ask as a novice entrepreneur how do i feel less overwhelmed

  • expanding your view of whats possible with your internet business

  • expect the best and get it

  • factual employment screening part one

  • finally unique futures stock market trading curbs expose fear and perception secrets

  • financial freedom is it only a dream or just steps away

  • financial planning for your future

  • firing someone without resentment

  • first contact the source of customer loyalty

  • five habits of highly effective conflict resolvers

  • five hints for surviving a business slump

  • focus on your strengths

  • four critical success factors for business results

  • four reasons why small businesses succeed or fail

  • gainfully unemployed making the decision to strike out on your own

  • getting pr in your town realities to remember

  • goal setting for entrepreneurs

  • growing your business

  • guaranteed easy ways to gaining financial freedom

  • guidelines for choosing a guru coach or mentor

  • guy talk and the business women

  • heating up cold calls 21 tools for tremendous telephone techniques

  • hire the person not the resume

  • hiring and retaining good employees

  • hiring customer service representatives that are a perfect fit

  • hiring tip picking the best candidates

  • home based business on the internet

  • home based business success and the power of belief

  • home business success 5 things you can you learn from your ex boss

  • how do you get them to buy in to your idea

  • how effectively do you influence

  • how millionaires get to be millionaires

  • how not to let powerpoint kill your presentation

  • how our home based business saved us

  • how positive motivation can affect your online business

  • how the crab effect obstructs growth and how to conquer it

  • how to analyze the performance of your business

  • how to beat the competition with the basics

  • how to be an internet marketing champion

  • how to be successful in small business

  • how to build extreme customer service from the inside out

  • how to choose a corporate gift that hits the spot

  • how to create a stream of income

  • how to distinguish lucrative programs over online scams

  • how to get a standing ovation from your customerssuccessfully managing continuous improvement

  • how to make success a habit

  • how to overcome procrastination

  • how to overcome the obstacles of being new in business

  • how to start survive and finish your journey to super success

  • how to start your home business once and for all this year

  • how to start your own profitable internet business

  • how to stay motivated part 1

  • how to stay positive avoid negative people

  • how to stay positive in a negative world

  • how to use the past future and present in attaining success

  • hurdles to cross cultural business communication

  • if youre self employed remember to take time off

  • if you cant see it they wont do it

  • if you dont have a home based business start one today

  • ignite your business success

  • improvingcustomer service in large stock registrar cmpany

  • improving quality through coaching

  • increase business by squashing your fear of phones

  • index

  • innovation makes leaders

  • internet business are you the next internet millionaire

  • internet business great tips to start your own profitable internet business

  • internet business great tips to start your own profitable internet home business

  • introducing a mystery shopping program employees

  • investing in new zealand learn how to find unique investment opportunities

  • invitation marketing the ultimate traffic magnet

  • in control inside tips on interview success

  • is an internet business for you

  • is an internet business made for you

  • is a home business right for you

  • is drug screening too costly to do or do without one company has the answer

  • is your workplace suffering from contagious stress

  • its all about beliefs

  • its still about customer service

  • keeping the flame alive

  • keys to ensuring a successful business

  • know the building blocks of dialogue that lead to new learning innovation and synergy

  • know what matters most about pr

  • leadership development leadership styles and training

  • leadership development turn on your employees

  • leadership lessons for sales managers

  • leading bad actors to be good performers

  • leading with emotional intelligence

  • lessons learned from the downfall of dot coms

  • making the most of your year

  • management wants faster implementation of new organizational strategy part iii

  • managing your department during a coprporate crisis

  • managing your home based online business 7

  • matchmaker matchmaker make me a match how to choose the right business for you

  • matchmaker matchmaker make me a match how to chose the right business for you

  • maximizing the time of your life

  • mm4m manifesting millionaires

  • motorsports marketing sponsorship

  • narcissism in the boardroom

  • narcissism in the boardroom part i

  • need a sales boost try these

  • negotiating rates with your credit card company

  • negotiating real estate deals to win win

  • networking is like playing the piano

  • network marketing tips

  • nine steps to stabilize your business during the war of the new millennium

  • once upon a conflict

  • organized for success five keys for making home work work

  • organized to be your best a book summary

  • outsourcing spawning of indias jumpstartup firms

  • overcoming procrastination

  • part 2 of 5 how pipe dreams can become

  • part 2 of 5 how pipe dreams can become realities

  • performance management is not difficult

  • perspective is everything

  • plork creative laziness part 2

  • poor call centre performances driving motorists to go online for insurance

  • positive mental attitude pma

  • pricing your consulting services

  • professional net worth

  • proper behavior of a forex trader

  • pull an elastic band too far it snaps

  • recognizing generations

  • remember the 7 words of success

  • residual income awaits only by staying in the game

  • resolving workplace conflict 4 ways to a win win solution

  • revenge of the sith creativity and structure

  • rotator

  • salesmanship can be learned

  • sales techniques for artists crafters and small merchants

  • secrets of donald trump revealed

  • selling for beginners

  • sell your love

  • several dos and donts for starting a virtual assisting business

  • six figure professionals their seven secrets

  • six management tips for trying economic times part 1

  • six sigma

  • six sigma as a way to develop people

  • small home business ways to increase sales without money

  • something from nothing with something to share

  • spruce your environment spruce your spirit

  • squashing the procrastination demon

  • starting your business 3 tips for bootstrapping your way to the top

  • steps to success

  • stop sickies and make people happy at work

  • strategies of successful market offers

  • strengthen skills in time management

  • strengths of k professional

  • successful entrepreneurs

  • successful internet business start up 5 tips to buil a profitable business

  • success in business

  • taking responsibility a step toward progressive leadership

  • teaching students to keep out of credit card debt the parents role

  • techno marketing

  • teens 5 ways to make sure you get rich

  • telephone courtesy goes a long way

  • tension stress or creative tension new breakthroughs in personal productivity

  • ten commandments of proper e mailing

  • ten reasons why most people do not achieve financial success

  • ten tips to a job winning interview

  • the 11 best money saving ideas of all time part 2

  • the 11 best money saving ideas of all time part 3

  • the 7 best kept secrets to ultimately achieve success in your life and your home business

  • the 7 principles of business integrity

  • the business of speaking everyone has something to share

  • the center of your internet business you

  • the challenges of human resource management

  • the changing shape of family finances

  • the first 60 minutes of your day

  • the five ingredients for success no matter what business youre in

  • the importance of followers

  • the internet marketers love hate relationship with pop windows

  • the key ingredients for internet success

  • the key to high productivity is energy management

  • the little corporation who cried wolf part 2

  • the minefield to online success

  • the new staffing survival tactics that work

  • the philosopy of achievement

  • the reasons for financial failure

  • the seven best ways for salespeople and entrepreneurs to build awesome customer relationships

  • the seven deadly sins of management

  • the top 10 ways to improve your leadership skills

  • the top ten ebay buyer personalities

  • the true emergence of the purpose shopper

  • the world is not enough calling for a more ethical approach to personal finance

  • things do not change we do

  • time is of essence when managed

  • time management avoiding negative

  • time management progressed

  • tips for curing bad customer service

  • tips for getting your first credit card

  • tips to start your own profitable internet business

  • top 7 reasons why women business leaders are needed

  • top 7 ways to succeed in the business of speaking

  • top tips and advantages to start your internet home business

  • tortoise or hare get rich slow or fast

  • to be an effective leader do a check up from the neck up

  • to meet or not to meetwhat are the questions

  • transition to leadership training

  • truth or consequences how to give employee feedback

  • twitch speed reaching younger workers who think differently

  • universal success secrets

  • universal success secrets shared

  • we are exactly where we choose to be

  • what an emotional intelligence program can do for your organization in 2004

  • what bowling and success have in common

  • what company does your business keep

  • what i would include in a coaching book

  • when it pays to use incentive programs

  • when managers play the pr card

  • why employee satisfaction surveys and employee exit surveys make good sense

  • why is market research important

  • why many people fail to succeed

  • why things are the way they are

  • why work from home

  • why would anyone consider network marketing

  • why your business could fail and how to prevent it from happening

  • winning the game of retirement

  • work from home and make thousands is it for real

  • woud you like to start a profitable internet home business

  • your attitude to home based business

  • your internet business power system combining minisites content sites