How can I support my partner when they’re stressed with work?
Work stress can affect our personal lives and our relationships, particularly if both partners are under significant stress. But learning to support each other in productive ways can strengthen the relationship, reduce stress and improve mood. Research suggests that couples who actively manage stress together improve their relationship durability over time. Listen and support: Questioning, […]
State of wellbeing and productivity in the financial sector
New research produced by the Bank Workers Charity in partnership with Robertson Cooper has identified that the financial sector need to recognise and prioritise the impact that non-work pressures are having on employees and in turn on the organisations themselves. The findings show that financial worries, caring responsibilities and concerns about the future are all […]
Night work ‘throws body into chaos’
Researchers have warned that night shifts throw the body ‘into chaos’ and could cause long-term damage. Scientists at the Sleep Research Centre in Surrey said that the scale, speed and severity of damage caused by wakefulness at night was a surprise. They said that night work has profound effects on the body, altering everything from […]
29 tips to help keep staff healthy in 2014
When it comes to making healthy choices, there are many habits that busy individuals fall into over the years. We make decisions on how best to get through each day, but just because these decisions are appropriate at a specific time doesn’t mean they’re the choices that bring us optimum performance for the long-term. Think […]
Companies cannot ‘unquestioningly’ accept OH if they say a worker isn’t disabled
A judgment this week from the Court of Appeal in the case of Gallop v Newport City Council held that employers cannot simply ‘unquestioningly’ accept the opinion of an occupational health practitioner that an employee is not disabled. This case reminds employers that, although at the end of the day only an Employment Tribunal can […]
Guide to anxiety in the workplace for HR
We have been working with mental health charity Mind on a series of articles exploring mental health in the workplace. Take a look at the full content series today to get insight and advice on how to improve mental wellbeing throughout your organisation. Right now, one in six workers is experiencing stress, anxiety or depression. […]
“We are robots,” says undercover Amazon worker
A BBC investigation at a UK-based Amazon warehouse has revealed working conditions that a stress expert said could cause “mental and physical illness.” Undercover reporter Adam Littler, 23, got a job collecting and processing orders in the company’s 800,000 sq ft warehouse. In a video filmed secretly by Littler as part of a Panorama investigation, […]
What does ‘duty of care’ mean at a global startup?
When I started my career in HR, I was taught about the concept of the ‘duty of care’ that an employer had towards its employees – the legal requirement to take all reasonably possible steps to ensure the health, safety and well-being of employees. We recognised that it had strong business benefits too, but I […]
Top tips to get the best from your occupational health provider
Employers often find themselves in a situation where medical information is needed to determine an employee’s fitness to return to work, their fitness to continue in their present role, or their ability to attend a meeting. Specialist occupational health (OH) practitioners are often the first port of call for employers seeking guidance. But whilst referrals […]
Stress in the workplace – who takes responsibility?
This article has been written to tie in with National Stress Awareness Day (NSAD) on November 6th. This year will be the 15th annual NSAD. The recent CIPD Absence Management report revealed that stress is on the increase. This is despite the fact that more organisations than ever are investing in comprehensive employee wellbeing strategies. […]
Six steps to build cast-iron resilience
Personal resilience – simply expressed as our ability to deal with everyday challenges and maintain a positive state of resourcefulness – is influenced by two factors: how we feel physically and how we feel mentally. The issue for many people is that their approach to maintaining a resilient state is reactive rather than proactive. We’re […]
What is a ‘mentally healthy workplace’?
We have been working with mental health charity Mind on a series of articles exploring mental health in the workplace. Take a look at the full content series today to get insight and advice on how to improve mental wellbeing throughout your organisation. As part of Mind’s Taking Care of Business campaign, we often highlight the importance […]
The Art of Communication – supporting those nearing retirement age
If there is one thing in life we can all be sure of it is that we age – hopefully gracefully, but we cannot escape the inevitability of growing older. For one so widely recognised, this fact can often be surprisingly difficult to accept. Employees in particular can often struggle to come to terms with […]
Resilient employees likely to be physically healthier and more productive
Psychologically resilient employees are likely to be physically healthier and more productive in work, according to new research conducted by well-being experts Robertson Cooper. Between June and August 2013, over 500 people from the UK working population were surveyed to determine their current level of psychological resilience – in other words, their ability to perform […]
Managing health and safety: the right-people, right-place, right-time approach
According to a report issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), toward the end of October 2012 there were 17,495 reported non-fatal injuries in the UK; an estimated 27,000 self-reported injuries, and an estimated 33,000 new cases of work-related ill health. It also calculated an estimated 1.8 million working days were lost due to […]
10 tips to beat stress at work
Mind recently surveyed 2060 workers and found that almost half of people (45%) said that employees at work are expected to cope without mentioning stress at work and a third (31%) said they would not be able to talk openly to their line manager if they felt stressed. Stress is a serious problem, it is […]
Employers not doing enough to address the stress taboo, says Mind
Stressed workers are suffering in silence against a culture of mental health taboo, according to new statistics released today from mental health charity Mind. Almost half (45%) of the 2060 workers polled by Mind said that staff are expected to cope without mentioning stress at work and a third (31%) said they would not be […]
Top 10 security reminders for the post-summer period
Now firmly into autumn and back to normal, it’s time to review your company’s cyber security practices after the summer break has been and gone. Although a lot of people have returned back to the office, in today’s 24/7 connected world most people were still checking email and in work mode from their sun loungers. […]
The strategic path to supporting staff on their return to work
Employees can often find returning work following long-term sickness absence a difficult and overwhelming experience, with relapses a regular occurrence. Carefully planned return-to-work programmes to support staff are crucial if these relapses are to be avoided. 1/ In order to appropriately support employees, line managers may require training and guidance from Human Resources and Occupational […]
The rise of the ‘inactive office’ and what HR can do about it
As an employee, you’re often tied to your desk, squinting at a screen for most of the day and counting down the minutes until you can leave. After this you have to force yourself into a strip-lit gym, to burn off the sandwich that you ate for lunch, probably at your desk. As an employer […]
