Close

Archive for category: Workplace Wednesdays

by

Office Parties 101

The Holiday season is upon us and calendars are quickly filling up with invitations for parties and get-togethers. Many workplaces use the holidays as a way to gather for team-building, networking and celebrating the season. Although office parties take place outside of the regular 9-5 and include great foods and drinks, these aren’t the types of parties where you want to let your hair down and overindulge. The following from the Huffington Post discusses ways to survive your office holiday party and to have fun, while maintaining a professional reputation.

The Huffington Post:  Business Etiquette: Surviving the Holiday Office Party

by

How To Plan For the Retirement You Want? Concentrate on Your Health

What’s the top reason many Canadians are retiring earlier than planned? Unfortunately it’s not because of superior wealth planning, or unexpected windfall through the lotto – it’s because of poor health. A recent survey from Sun Life Financial shows that of the 69 percent of Canadians who retired earlier than planned, 29 percent were forced to retire due to their health. Understandably, this has caused major financial hardship for many.

There has been ample discussion recently relating the way we work to the many health problems we face. From mental health issues to sitting disease, the stressful yet sedentary working lifestyle is definitely taking a toll on the health of the Canadian workforce.

So the question is: how can employers help prevent this?

1. Offer a corporate Wellness Program with incentives for positive healthy behaviours
2. Ensure the benefits you offer employees include comprehensive health benefits
3. Have a workplace assessment conducted to ensure you are creating the healthiest environment for workers
4. Model healthy behaviour and habits from the top down
5. Offer financial planning and retirement planning programs to help employees plan for retirement in addition to the costs unforeseen illness

The Globe and Mail:  Health issues force many into early retirement, new study finds  

Check out more of our feature posts on workplace health.

by

Is Your Organization Suffering From Presenteeism?

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

It is hard to solve a problem you don’t know you have. Presenteeism has become a growing problem in organizations, more costly to employers than absenteeism, and yet many don’t know what it is, if it exists, and thus what to do about it.

Presenteeism refers to those employees that are physically or emotionally unwell but continue to work instead of taking vacation, personal or unpaid days. Working when unwell equates to lost productivity and a perpetuating cycle of ongoing illness. It can also impact the productivity of others, especially if the illness is acute and spreads throughout the department or organization. Employees suffering from presenteeism may work more slowly than usual, make more mistakes, misuse equipment, are more prone to work-related accidents, can have lapses in judgement, and have more interpersonal problems and conflict with others (1). Clearly, there is a strong link between presenteeism and absenteeism, but the problems people are facing at home, work, or with their health, are not often identified or managed until there is a (often prolonged) work absence. Proactive solutions are the key to stopping a growing problem.

A recent study by Statistics Canada found that lost productivity from presenteeism was at least 7.5 times greater than productivity loss from absenteeism. Statistics Canada also estimates that 7.5 days per employee per year are lost due to presenteeism, which equates to 3% of salary costs. Therefore, it is estimated that presenteeism costs Canadian businesses 15 to 25 billion dollars per year (2).

While understanding the incidence of presenteeism might prove difficult if people arrive to work, their activities are not monitored, and they don’t disclose an illness, there are ways to analyze if this is happening at your workplace. Several screening tools and questionnaires exist that can help employers understand how this could be impacting them. It is suggested that employers rely on the services of an external consultant to obtain this data, otherwise employees may not report problems accurately.

In addition to gathering information about the problem, there are known ways to reduce this. Flexible work hours and choices (such as lieu time), work-from-home options, and Personal Assistant programs are known to provide direct benefit (1).

Occupational Therapy is another solution. Often, Occupational Therapists are retained by employers to assess and treat workplace productivity problems. In fact, we are great at this. One of our many strategies for intervention includes the set-up of Workplace Health Programs (WHP) to target both absenteeism and presenteeism. According to the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal (2012), such programs that include organizational leadership, health risk screening, individual (versus group) tailored programs, and those that create a supportive workplace culture are especially effective. When employee supervisors and managers are involved and educated on mental health, organization and environmental factors that influence behavior are targeted, and when exercise is promoted during work hours, the resulting reductions in presenteeism are statistically significant (3).

As the world gets more hectic, stress increases, and demands surpass ability, employers need to dial in and analyze, track and measure the wellness of their workforce. Presenteeism is going to be another silent killer – of productivity, bottom lines, and wellness. Consider Occupational Therapy to get to the root of this problem. We do that.

(1) http://www.mentalhealthworks.ca/media/presenteeism
(2) http://rhealth.ca/corporate/2012/11/05/presenteeism-in-canada/
(3) Australian Occupational Therapy Journal (2012) 59, 247-250.

Check out more of our posts on ways to create a healthier workplace.

by

Caregiver Friendly Workplaces – Are You There Yet?

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

I enjoy reading Abilities Magazine. I always find useful information, new products, and inspiring stories of people that overcome adversity and disability. In the recent issue I was intrigued, and pleased, to see an award now offered by the Canadian Abilities Foundation to organizations that are Caregiver Friendly.

The magazine reports: “in recent years, forward-thinking businesses and organizations have begun to recognize the value of supporting employees who are caregivers…the Caregiver-Friendly Workplace Award, presented in partnership with Canada Cares, is provided to organizations who are leaders in this area”.

Would your organization be in the running?

Working as an occupational therapist I am reminded daily that life can change in an instant. Often, amidst the trauma of an accident or illness, families are thrust into a new role. Sometimes the role is advocate and acting power of attorney at a hospital 24/7. Or, it is providing direct care to someone now using a wheelchair who can’t independently toilet and bathe. Maybe it is emotional support via conversations and sleeplessness nights to help someone lower their anxiety or deal with depression. An ailing parent might need rides to the doctor, specialists and pharmacy. A loved one with cancer might need help with instrumental activities like groceries, shopping and banking while they recover from surgery or treatment. The bottom line here is that in the course of our working lifetime, we will all likely be in a caregiving role. From parents with young kids, to the sandwich generation and baby boomers, taking care of others is inherent to being human.

Employers need to recognize that at times employees will need to be awarded some empathy, compassion and flexibility if they are required to care for others. While in Ontario people can apply for a 30-day Compassion Care Benefit through Employment Insurance, this may not be enough. Often caregiving responsibilities extend far beyond a month into years and decades.

Caregiving requires a lifestyle change – a shift in priorities, a new schedule, and emotional resilience. Thus when an employee is thrust into an often challenging life change involving caregiving responsibilities, employers need to find a way to bridge the gap, offer alternative work arrangements, provide a supportive ear, and patiently await the development of routines that will hopefully include the one-day return of the employee to regular work hours and duties.

If you are an employer that offers compassion, support, and flexibility to your caregiving employees, let the Canadian Abilities Foundation hear your story. Be recognized for the culture you are creating at your workplace and know that you are setting an example for other organizations that still need to rise to the challenge.

by

Pump It Up For Optimal Performance!

It is well known that there are both physical and mental health benefits to regular fitness and exercise. But is your employer recognizing this as a way to improve on-the-job performance? Studies show that regular exercise can boost brain power and make you more productive. There are easy ways to integrate this into a regular day without the need for an onsite gym or class, including:

  • Walking meetings
  • Encourage movement in the office throughout the day
  • Assessing workstations to ensure employees who must sit throughout the day are doing so properly, and have sit / stand options.
  • Encourage exercise with the use of wearable devices that monitor activity
  • Provide incentives for employees to get fit
  • Make sure those in leadership positons model healthy behaviours

While many workplaces have integrated wellness and fitness programs into their workplace culture, there is always room to improve. Check out the following article from the Harvard Business Review on how exercise should be a regular part of every job!

The Harvard Business Review:  Regular Exercise Is Part of Your Job

by

Test The Psychological Health of Your Company

It’s Healthy Workplace Month in Canada and our focus this month is on improving health and wellness in the workplace. The following article from Psychology Today discusses the top questions to ask when assessing the psychological health of your workplace. However, in addition to these, we feel a few others are also pertinent:

1. Does my workplace offer programs or benefits that show me that they value my physical and mental health?

2. Do I have opportunities to move around during the day, to be active, or to modify my workstation to allow me to be physically healthy at work?

3. Do my supervisors model a healthy lifestyle and healthy work behaviors?

4. Do I have people at my work I can go to who will listen to my physical or emotional concerns and who will help me to get the help I need?

What would you add to this list of questions to test the psychological wellness of your place of work?

Psychology Today:  How Psychologically Healthy Is Your Workplace?

by

How Will You Create Change This Healthy Workplace Month?

Workplace health is becoming an increasing concern among companies large and small across the globe. With absenteeism and presenteeism on the rise and costing the economy billions each year, it is time to focus on change. October is Healthy Workplace Month in Canada and across the country companies are making a commitment to create a healthier place to work. It is a great time to come together as a team to discuss, share ideas, and plan for how your company can make a difference in the lives of its employees. The following from Vancouver 24 Hours shares ways to celebrate Healthy Workplace Month as a team to create a better culture and inspire healthier lifestyles at work.

Vancouver 24 Hours:  Workplace Health Needs Team Effort

Check out more of our articles on creating a healthier workplace and tell us:  how is your company taking part this Healthy Workplace Month?

by

It Pays to Be Proactive!

Recently on our blog we provided you with some insights on “sitting disease.” There is an increasing concern over the health problems that can be caused by our sedentary work lives including increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and the development of musculoskeletal problems. It`s estimated by Statistics Canada that the average Canadian spends approximately 50 to 70 percent of their daily lives sitting and another 30 percent sleeping. With numbers like this it`s no wonder there is a concern!

In the past, many companies have been proactive in their approach to assist employees who experience issues caused by prolonged sitting. However, studies show that being proactive can go a long way to improve the health and happiness of employees, reduce both absenteeism and presenteeism, and related costs. The following from Medical Xpress discusses how a proactive approach can increase job satisfaction, reduce costs related to absenteeism and health care, and help companies to retain talent long term.

Medical Xpress:  Proactive office ergonomics can increase job satisfaction and employee retention

by

Culture Creation

Focus on building a positive workplace culture is at the forefront of many business decisions as more and more employers are realizing they need to take care of their biggest asset, their employees. Creating a more positive culture and environment for employees is a process that cannot and will not happen overnight. So what’s the best way for employers to start? By empowering their people. By definition empowerment means “to give official authority or power to someone.” Of course it’s not suggested that employers forfeit all control and authority, however, but by empowering employees with more decision making and responsibility they can actually increase employee productivity and help to create a shift toward a more positive culture. The following from Forbes has more on this shift toward creating a people focussed place of work.

Forbes:  4 Ways To Build A Workplace Culture That Empowers People