‘Recession stress’ costs employers £26 billion
Stress and depression cost employers £26 billion last year as staff felt compelled to work longer hours and compete against each other to keep their jobs as a result of the recession. According to a study undertaken among 2,050 workers by Populus on behalf of mental health charity Mind, this situation resulted in one in […]
Sleep: the elephant slumped in the corner of the room
If the proverbial elephant is like many employees in the UK it’s tired, exhausted and unable to perform at its peak, hence the slumping. Tiredness and fatigue is an increasing epidemic so much so that Professor Russell Foster of Oxford University recently described Britain as a “Zombie Nation.” The main cause of tiredness and fatigue […]
Extraordinary energy – the ultimate reward
How often to do we hear the phrase ‘there are just not enough hours in the day?’ A common complaint in the world we live in with ever more increasing demands on our time, focus, roles and commitments. How much time and investment do organisations place into time management programmes, effective delegation, work life balance […]
Will World Cup Fever affect performance?
Managers are worried that next month’s World Cup Finals in South Africa will lead to network challenges and a dip in employee performance. A survey by networking firm Blue Coat Systems has found as many as half of the IT managers contacted believe staff should be banned from streaming matches to their desktops in office […]
Boost profit with wellbeing and CSR
There is a direct link between employers’ profitability and investing in issues such as the health and wellbeing of staff and ethical corporate behaviour. These are the findings of research published by Business in the Community (BITC), a membership organisation with the remit of promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR). A study undertaken for BITC by Ipsos […]
Ask the expert: Disciplinary while off sick
How can we sort out disciplinary while the employee is off sick? John Brandon and Esther Smith advise. The question: I have an employee under an existing disciplinary sanction, who now has another ‘issue’ over capability and have asked them to attend another disciplinary meeting. They have responded by getting themselves signed off sick […]
Lawyer takes firm to tribunal after redundancy during sick leave
A former partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers has taken the firm to an employment tribunal over claims of disability discrimination after he was made redundant while on sick leave caused by workplace stress. Colin Tenner was a former equity partner, who specialised in public sector consultancy for the Belfast branch of the company. He attested to the […]
Energy boosting tips – perform at your best
To keep energised throughout the day it is important to keep your blood sugar balanced with the right healthy snacks and foods. If you are eating refined, sugary foods and snacks this will cause a short burst of energy and then soon afterwards you will feel depleted with a low mood too. Apparently everyone is […]
Five steps to wellbeing at work
We spend approximately 30% of our lives working, maybe more. It is a significant part of our lives that is intertwined with our mental and physical wellbeing. So instead of just thinking about how to improve wellbeing through weekend activities and holidays, employees can also take action to improve their wellbeing at work. Jody Delichte […]
Wellbeing – the crucial engagement factor
Do not underestimate the power of wellbeing when it comes to engagement and business performance, explains Ian Jameson. According to Best Companies’ survey of over 250,000 employees, almost 90% of employees who felt strongly negative towards the wellbeing aspects of their workplace said they would leave tomorrow if they had another job. Not a great […]
Presenteeism – there in body, but not in mind
Presenteeism – a term that describes the ‘working sick’ – refers to employees who are physically present in work but who are less productive due to difficulties they’re facing in their personal or professional lives, mental health issues or a physical illness. These circumstances can affect an individual’s quality of work as well as, depending […]
How to handle: Absenteeism and return to work
Successful absence management is about moving away from focusing on sickness to encouraging employees to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. Pamela Gellatly, chief executive of healthcare risk consultancy, Healthcare RM tells us why. The number of days lost through absence and the associated cost to UK businesses has been well documented. But […]
Ask the expert: Occupational health and stress
Matthew Whelan and Esther Smith advise on the role of OH in a ‘company caused’ stress case. Occupational health and stress Employee off work for six months with stress (consequence of work/bad management), attending MIND and Addiction Counselling treatment. How could Occ Health (with RGNs) offer help? They are not trained in mental health issues. […]
Are your employees aware of your sickness policy?
A survey of 500 businesses has revealed up to 1/4 do not routinely tell employees about any benefits of the sickness policy, leaving many employees unaware of any benefits to them if they fall ill. When asked to elaborate, eight per cent of businesses questioned had a policy in place but preferred to maintain secrecy […]
Wellbeing: Your best posture ever
Bad posture is so widespread – how can we go about improving it and what benefits does it bring? Look around your workplace and you will see numerous examples of bad posture. Many people have rounded shoulders, hunched upper backs, tense necks, overarched lower backs and protruding abdominals. What can be done about it? Get […]
Are you sitting comfortably?
Most employees asked these days would probably answer yes: companies invest hundreds of thousands of pounds in high quality adjustable chairs with ergonomic desks all complying to the latest legislation, so why are muscular skeletal problems still the biggest cause of sickness absence in the UK today and on the rise? The modern day workstation […]
59% want workplace first aid training
Research carried out by St John Ambulance has discovered two thirds of us wouldn’t have the confidence to adminster potentially life-saving first aid. The study of 2045 adults was conducted by ICM, and uncovered several worrying statistics including that 24% would do nothing at all. Some 39% would attempt first aid, despite not being sure […]
Wellbeing – the healthy breakfast choice
Start your day with a great breakfast for a great working day! This advice comes from nutritionist and author of The Food Mood Solution, Jack Challem – take your pick from his healthy breakfast menu. What your mother said is really true -breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eat the right […]
Wellbeing – the business strategy
Jamie-Natalie Cross explains why wellbeing is a business strategy and offers tips to help get your workforce in shape. Now it looks like spring has finally sprung, promising warmer temperatures and gently reminding us about that long-awaited summer holiday, employees may be more health conscious than they have been in recent months. With staff already […]
Is your business ‘fit’ for Fit Notes?
With the introduction of the new “fit note” medical statement system on April 6 2010, both employers and employees have a range of a new considerations for all the stages of workplace absence, and it’s far better to proactively prepare to work with the new process than to learn solely by experience. One of […]