With productivity pressures growing, many global leaders are investing huge amounts of time and resources on cutting-edge tools to enhance their efficiency, from generative AI to virtual and augmented reality. 

With that said, for leaders to make the most of the opportunities presented by these new tools, they first need to turn their attention to the wellbeing and efficacy of the employees using them, said Dr John Chan, Managing Director at Infinite Potential, during an address at AHRI’s recent NSW State Conference.

“[As leaders], we can’t do all the great things that we want to do and help people unleash their potential if the environment they’re working in is not healthy or sustainable,” he says.

“Look within – look at the policies, the processes, what you’re doing. If you can improve that, you’ll instantly improve [employees’]  activity and quality of life.”

Chan recently co-authored a global report on the state of workplace burnout, which found that almost two in five employees (38 per cent) currently report experiencing burnout – a similar level to last year, and a 27 per cent increase since 2020.

Significantly, the report also uncovered a gap between how managers perceive their people’s wellbeing and how employees themselves reported on their wellbeing.

The report, which surveyed over 2000 participants across 43 countries, found that almost seven in 10 managers (68 per cent) say employees’ wellbeing is the same or better compared to 12 months ago. Meanwhile, 45 per cent of employees said their wellbeing is worse in the same period. 

“There are two reasons that we’re seeing this,” says Chan. “One is that managers are much more likely to be burned out themselves, so they don’t have time to actually [address it]. The other one is about education and training. 

“[Many] managers weren’t trained to look for burnout or stress. They weren’t trained to know how to mitigate these kinds of things. They were promoted because they’re really good at what they do… but they don’t have these abilities.

“If we’re going to put the onus of taking care of people’s wellbeing on managers, we need to make sure they know what to do and have the tools to do that.”

“Look at the way a job is structured or designed, and [ask yourself], ‘Can one person actually do that job within the time allocated? Are they getting paid enough that they can live and not [worry about] the rent?’”  – Dr John Chan, Managing Director at Infinite Potential

Three dimensions of burnout

Part of supporting managers to address burnout is helping them understand what it looks like, says Chan. Many see burnout as simply a synonym of ‘feeling tired’, but the condition is a multifaceted one that must be understood in its entirety in order to be managed effectively, he says. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), burnout is “a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” and is characterised by three dimensions: 

1. Exhaustion

Exhaustion can take a number of forms, including physical, mental and emotional depletion. 

Levels of exhaustion often correlate to the volume of an employee’s workload, but can also be exacerbated by factors such as low job control, which can drain employees’ sense of involvement and engagement with their work.

“Exhaustion is the one we all know, and a lot of the time people think burnout stops here,” says Chan. “But if you’re exhausted but love what you’re doing and you’re [achieving] goals, you’re not [necessarily] burned out.”

Rather, burnout is the combination of exhaustion with the other two dimensions, he explains.

2. Cynicism

Employees experiencing burnout often develop a cynical outlook, mentally distancing themselves from their work and their colleagues and approaching tasks with negativity or even callousness.

“When you see people starting to hate their job, hate the people that work with and hate everything about their role…that’s a lot more problematic than the exhaustion piece when we’re trying to fix the situation,” says Chan. 

“Once someone grows that cynicism, it’s a really difficult road [to come back from].”

3. Reduced professional efficacy

This dimension of burnout could involve increases in mistakes and feelings of incompetence, which are often not grounded in truth, says Chan. 

“You might be very capable, but because of burnout, and because of the pressures that you’ve been put under or the culture you’re under, you’re starting to make mistakes and you’re starting to doubt your capabilities,” he says. 

Given that employees experiencing this symptom tend to take longer to complete tasks, it can create a vicious cycle of playing catch-up and lead to a “burnout spiral”, he adds.

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Combating burnout through sustainable work practices

Managing the dimensions of burnout explained above requires transparency and open communication from leaders to ensure employees don’t begin to self-blame, which only exacerbates the issue, says Chan.

“Burnout is not the fault of the individual. It’s not something that they have or haven’t done that has called them to burnout. It’s not that they aren’t good at prioritising. It is chronic workplace stress, and so it’s the structure and culture within the organisation that’s creating this environment.”

Based on Infinite Potential’s research, Chan’s team has devised a five-part framework for creating a sustainable workplace – i.e., a workplace where burnout is less likely to occur. 

The five foundations of a sustainable workplace include personal growth through training and career development, protection from harm and strong connections among teams. 

See the full framework below:

One of the most important aspects of this sustainable workplace model is people-centred structures, says Chan. 

“This has so much to do with an employee’s wellbeing. Look at the way a job is structured or designed, and [ask yourself], ‘Can one person actually do that job within the time allocated? Are they getting paid enough that they can live and not [worry about] the rent?’ [Thinking about] all of these structural things will do much more for wellbeing than other initiatives,” he says. 

While providing career development opportunities to employees whose workloads we are trying to reduce might seem counterintuitive, Chan stresses that these opportunities are essential to give employees a sense of purpose and thus mitigate burnout. 

“They still want to grow. They want to do less work, but to keep growing professionally and as a person. So don’t think that if we want to improve people’s wellbeing, it’s all about just taking stuff away from them,” he says. 

Instead, it’s about providing opportunities for meaningful work and reducing the volume of stress-inducing tasks.

To effectively apply this structure, Chan says employers need to be willing to trial and test sustainable work strategies that work for them. 

“No one knows the right answer. There is not going to be one right way [to approach] the future of work. It’s going to be different within organisations and within teams, and it’s going to change. So be open to experimentation.

“If you’re engaging with people on how you should try something, and [telling them], ‘This is an experiment and it might not go well,’ people really buy into that. So don’t be afraid to try it.”

Learn to design a wellbeing strategy tailored to your organisation’s unique needs with AHRI’s Implementing Wellbeing Initiatives short course.

The post How to combat the three dimensions of burnout appeared first on HRM online.

I should have known there was an issue the day I decided to take my laptop to bed. As a writer, I am one of the lucky ones who get to work from home and I have made a conscious effort to keep my work at my desk, away from the rest of my apartment. But that day even sitting at my desk felt too hard.

Fatigue had set in and I felt like I was moving through molasses. As a sufferer of generalised anxiety, sometimes bed is a safe place away from the world. By working from my bed I was trying to have my cake and eat it too. Feel safe, and get my work done. But I failed to address the actual issue – I was stressed and missing the red flags that were telling me my mental health was in decline. 

It can be hard to see the red flag when you’re in the moment, but it’s impossible to see them if you don’t know what to look for. HRM asked the experts what the main signs of poor mental health are and what leaders can do to help. 

Red flag 1: Sleeplessness and fatigue

Fatigue is often the first red flag people notice in themselves. The worst part is that it’s not always due to a lack of sleep. It’s frustrating getting a full night’s sleep and still being exhausted in the morning. If you are getting your recommended eight hours you might be in the minority. 

Neurologists in the US have seen an almost 15 per cent increase in the use of prescription sleep medication since the start of COVID-19. In the UK, researchers surveyed people over March and April and found worry-related sleeplessness has shot up – in particular among female respondents – from 18.9 per cent in March to 31.8 per cent in April. While we don’t have data about Australia’s sleeplessness, anecdotal evidence suggests we’re in the same camp. 

Clinical psychologist Olga Lavalle says sleeplessness and fatigue is a common sign of deeper mental health issues. But, there are ways to combat it. 

“At night, you need to switch off. Stop checking emails, stop being distracted by work-related tasks,” she says.

“Prior to going to bed, it’s important that you do something you enjoy and it is actually relaxing. That could be a warm bath or shower. There are lots of mindfulness apps which take you through guided meditations and they can really help your brain switch to relax mode.” 

If you’re like me, you might be going to bed with a head full of things you need to do the next day. Lavalle suggests writing down that to-do list so you’re not mulling over it while you try to sleep. 

One tip that works for me is deciding whether something is actionable right now or not. If I find myself worrying about a work issue at 1 AM I ask myself, “Is this something I can fix right now?” Usually, the answer is no. It takes some time but I’ve gotten good at putting those worries aside to be addressed when it’s not the wee hours of the morning. 

Red flag 2: Irritability and social withdrawal

“We often see people withdrawing from others. That can be friends or family or others in the workplace. Perhaps they stop eating lunch with their colleagues or withdraw from general chitchat. That’s a pretty clear sign,” says Lavalle.

COVID-19 has made it more difficult to detect social changes in our colleagues. As HRM has discussed previously, it’s a lot harder to notice when someone is having a rough day if you can’t see them.

“Sometimes people begin withdrawing from their own family or people they live with. We’ve found people in isolation are spending more time in their bedroom or not wanting to spend time with their partner or family.”

Irritability goes hand in hand with this social withdrawal. Psychologist Donna Cameron from The Couch Therapy Group refers to it as your “‘stress cup’ overflowing, and [your] body releasing stress and tension through the emotions, anger and tears when it does”.

This can cause significant damage at work, as research shows our bad mood can influence others. It also has a snowball effect as we get frustrated at ourselves for our lack of emotional control. If I’m frustrated and on the verge of tears at work, the first person I’m angry at is myself and my brain will immediately go into what I (and my therapist) call the “not good enough spiral”. 

It can be difficult to get out of that spiral. It takes time and work to notice when it’s happening, but if you can notice the spiral, it’s the first step to getting out of it. In these instances, Lavalle suggests trying to remove yourself from the situation mentally. 

“If you can, step outside for a moment and take in your surroundings. If there is a park across the road, try to notice what’s in the park. If there is play equipment, what does it look like? Let yourself be distracted by these things and it will help you clear your mind.”

Red flag 3: Lack of concentration

“Not being able to concentrate is another common sign,” says Lavalle. Lack of concentration can then lead to feelings of anxiety or loss of motivation. 

Cameron says memory problems are another symptom of poor mental health which can be very frustrating at work. 

“[People] may find it difficult to concentrate and complete simple tasks and they need to write everything down,” she says. 

“When problems occur, they may find it difficult to problem-solve the situation and instead they will get more stressed and irritated by this change or challenge that they did not predict.”

The frustration caused by this can make workers feel like they need to double down and work harder – leading to panic working and burn out – or they might take the opposite route and try to ignore the problem or put things off. 

Lavalle suggests trying to work in small bursts, if you can, instead of committing to large blocks of time spent working. 

“If you’re working from home, your work isn’t broken up by chatting to your colleagues or other workplace distractions so the easiest way to replicate that is working in blocks of time. Maybe you can work for one and a half hours then step away from the computer for a bit.

“It is also worth trying to work out when you are motivated. If you’re not on a deadline, maybe you work better in the afternoon or evening so organise your timetable to do more work then.”

Help from the top

Stuart Taylor, CEO at Springfox workplace wellbeing experts, says it is important leaders are aware of the red flags so they can help their employees. He believes there are three ways employers can create an environment where staff feel comfortable coming forward about their concerns.

1. Practice compassion: let employees know it’s “okay not to be okay”. If this isn’t established, workers will keep their heads down and that will only make things worse.
2. Frequent communication: stay in touch with your employees and make sure you’re contactable when they need you. A survey by Springfox over April and May found a lot of respondents were feeling lonely. Keeping in touch could combat these feelings.
3. Show vulnerability: staff often assume their leaders are indomitable. They are more likely to come forward with their struggles if they know you understand. 

“It’s no longer just about how productive companies can be – the priority should be people. You can’t be commercially viable if you have a broken workforce,” says Taylor.

“There is a mental health tsunami coming and it is critical leaders step up and do what they can to stop it.”

The post The red flags of poor mental health  appeared first on HRM online.

COVID-19 has turned the working world upside down. 

In Australia, employee opinions about work are changing, most notably in their feelings about where they work. Many don’t want to return to a physical workplace. For some, it’s about safety, but many others seem to prefer remote work and they’re not really interested in giving that up. 

But how much say are those employees actually getting over their work? What has COVID-19 done to the employee voice? Are they bolder, or has it had the opposite effect?

Employee voice is about including employees in organisational decision making. As HRM has written previously, employee voice can take different forms – it can include giving employees more autonomy over their own work, collaborating with them on company changes, and so on. Researchers have found that engaging employees this way can improve employee performance and reduce turnover.

Andrew R. Timming FCAHR, associate professor of human resources management at the University of Western Australia, has spent years studying the impact of the employee voice.

As Australia continues to come out of lockdown, HRM spoke to Timming about the state of employee voice. Many have argued employees will have more say in the new world order, but Timming disagrees.

“COVID-19 has very likely reduced voice opportunities for employees”, he says. 

Timming says there are two main reasons for this: physical distancing and a weakened economy.

Physical distancing

To the first point, Timming says that social distancing not only separated workers from the workplace, it separated them from each other. Employee voice tends to be stronger and more effective when colleagues can talk and collaborate with each other directly.

Though many organisations have found ways to keep staff connected through various kinds of communication apps and software, due to the quick shift to remote work most of these are paid for by the company and monitored by managers. So all employee conversations have the feeling of being mediated by the organisation.

Research has shown employees benefit from being able to complain to each other, it can help break down silos and allow employees to bond over a common problem. If the problem is work-related, employees who only communicate through organisational technology are much less likely to feel comfortable talking about it. It would be like complaining about work outside your manager’s office and praying they don’t open the door. 

Timming thinks the separation from their cohort is likely restricting the employee voice as employees are split up from each other and feeling more isolated.

“A Zoom meeting can only capture so much. It is not a perfect replacement for face-to-face interaction.”

Although Union representation has been in decline for some time, worker coalitions are still important for employees to be heard in the workplace. Though some organisations might be wary of it, preventing employees from talking about larger issues (unfair wages or unsafe working environments, for example) can have harmful outcomes. 

Conflict avoidance can lead to stress-related illness and higher turnover, research shows. And companies that dissuade people from speaking up can have systemic issues with harassment and toxic cultures that risk a public backlash.  

The separation and inability to talk openly and air grievances with other employees can also contribute to workers feeling isolated, as they are more likely to feel they are the only ones suffering. 

A weakened economy

“COVID-19 has badly damaged the economy. In a weak job market, employers enjoy more power and leverage over their workforce. They don’t need to listen to employees to retain them as they would in a good economy,” says Timming.

A 2016 study published in The International Journal of Human Resource Management looked at the flip side of employee voice: employee silence. Unsurprisingly, the researchers found workers were much less likely to speak up in times of economic instability out of the fear of repercussion. Moreover, staff weren’t just less likely to discuss issues relating to their day-to-day work but had less incentive to speak up on societal issues or workplace changes in general. 

When staff are silenced like this they are likely to feel like they have less control over their job which, terrifyingly, can lead to poor physical health, higher levels of stress and even death. If the lack of control comes a fear of speaking up in unstable economic times it’s possible employees have higher feelings of job insecurity, which we know can increase neuroticism and actually change our personalities. Research into this issue found long term job insecurity can impact work relationships and make employees less productive. 

Given this, if workers are concerned, are they more likely to turn to formal unions to prevent such disastrous outcomes? Timming doesn’t think so.

“Industrial relations researchers have been arguing for 40 years that union membership will grow. It hasn’t. In fact, it has contracted in most industrialized countries of the world. I do not expect any surge in union membership anytime soon.”

It’s likely Australia is in for a bumpy ride the next few months (and maybe years) as it navigates higher unemployment and thousands of businesses still unable to open due to COVID-19.

If Timming is right and employee voice is reduced as a result then it could fall on HR to help bridge the gap between employees and leaders and ensure everyone is getting a chance to be heard.

What’s your take on the matter? What does the future look like for employer-employee relations? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Keeping employees engaged remotely can be difficult. Thankfully AHRI’s Creating an Engaged Workplace can help you overcome these difficulties.

The post COVID-19’s impact on employee voice appeared first on HRM online.

We are facing a global loneliness epidemic that is hurting wellbeing and workplace performance, according to former US surgeon general Vivek Murthy. Few people are alone at work, in fact, often we are surrounded by people all day long, but that doesn’t prevent people from experiencing loneliness.

London-based Campaign to End Loneliness describes the condition as, “Lack or loss of companionship which happens when we have a mismatch between the quantity and quality of social relationships that we have, and those that we want”. UK mental health organisation Mind classifies it as both a symptom of a mental health issue as well as a contributing factor to mental health problems. It can be difficult to tell what came first, the chicken or the egg.

Brigham Young University in the US recently revealed some startling findings about the sociological impact of loneliness which shows that the condition is potentially more dangerous to health than obesity or smoking. Australian research generated similar results. A 2016 national survey showed that 60 per cent of respondents had a tendency to feel lonely, while 82.5 per cent thought loneliness was becoming a more prevalent issue.

The effects

Chronic loneliness has a negative impact on both physical and mental health. It can lead to depression, sleeplessness and even early onset dementia. Physically, loneliness can affect cardiovascular health by increasing blood pressure, cholesterol levels and heightens the risk of obesity.

Translated into a workplace context, loneliness leads to disengagement. Performance, productivity, attention levels and workplace relationships are all likely to take a hit.

Why are people suffering loneliness in the workplace?

There are several possible work-related contributors to loneliness. Chronic exhaustion and burnout and an unsupportive workplace culture are a few to note. Emma Seppala, science director at Stanford University, and Marissa King, professor of organisational behaviour at Yale say that work-related loneliness, “is not a result of social isolation, as you might think, but rather is due to the emotional exhaustion of workplace burnout”. The lack of a supportive workplace culture adds to the burnout problem, leading to isolation and loneliness.

The condition isn’t confined to those on the lowest rung at work, either. Tania de Jong, founder of Creativity Australia, an organisation that aims to reduce social isolation, loneliness and depression, says it’s often the case that people who have great jobs are just as lonely as those that are unemployed or less fortunate in life. Online communication replacing face-to-face conversations is another factor that has made the problem worse.

Creativity Australia runs With one Voice inclusion choirs, which bring together people from diverse backgrounds such as CEOs, doctors, lawyers, teachers, and retirees with migrants, job seekers and those suffering from depression and anxiety.

Singing has neuroscientific benefits, particularly in a group setting, says De Jong.

“Through our program we have seen countless examples of people finding jobs, work experience, developing mentor relationships, friendships and even marriages,” she says. With one Voice runs the program in public spaces, but also comes into organisations to help them develop a similar scheme.

Other top tips to reduce loneliness in the workplace

Employees are less likely to experience burnout and suffer in silence if they work in a socially supportive environment, say Seppala and King. So what does that look like?

• It is an environment where employers are honest, respectful and value the contribution of employees. Inclusion and empathy are key to preventing burnout, exhaustion and subsequent loneliness.
  
• Employees should be encouraged to develop inter-organisational networks. Onboarding partners, mentor programs and coaching are a few avenues that can create supportive workplace relationships.
• Celebrate collective success to acknowledge collaborative efforts and achievements. This can help individuals feel that they belong and are appreciated.

The post What is loneliness doing to the workforce? appeared first on HRM online.

Unhappy at work? New research says it might be due to your personality type. Myers-Briggs recently conducted a survey about employee well-being which looked at how personality types impact  satisfaction and happiness in the workplace. The survey also took gender, age, geography, occupation and activities into consideration.

The researchers used Karl Jung’s personality type theory to categorise respondents as prone to introversion or extroversion. By this scale, introverts are people that have a preference for sensing, thinking and perceiving, whereas extroverts tend to be intuitive feeling types.

So which personality type fared better in terms of well-being? Extroverts, somewhat unsurprisingly. Dr Martin Boult said of the findings: “The results of this study show that organisations seeking to support workplace well-being should consider personality types and offer a range of activities. You want to avoid relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.”

Different personality, same workspace

How should managers approach these two opposing personality types in the workplace? Harvard Business professor Francesca Gino says managers need to adopt a position of “understanding and curiosity” in order to handle diverse personalities.

Managers should have a firm grasp on the different personality types and their varying approach to work. Extroverts, for example, are more likely to be risk takers and are also more comfortable multi-tasking, whereas introverts are careful and considered in their approach. The former thrive on social engagement and business meetings while the latter often won’t respond well to these conditions.

Managers should then identify who in your team falls under which personality type, which can often be difficult to do. This is partially because introverts can feel the need to recast themselves as extroverts in the workplace, says Gino. Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking says, “When introverts act like extroverts, it’s very stressful. It’s not their natural behaviour. It takes a lot of effort and results in them having less mental and physical stamina available to do their work.” She says managers should therefore encourage open talk about which personality type their employees identify with, and promote an air of and acceptance in the workspace.

Taking action

The structure of the working day should take both introverts and extroverts into account. For example, consider your team’s approach to meetings. Cain recommends no meetings before 12:30pm, which “gives people who prefer head down time the freedom to have that, but it also gives extroverts the knowledge that there will be time to talk things out”.

Introverts and extroverts have different work style and needs. Introverts may feel edged out by their more exuberant counterparts, while they search for more facts to build a case. Management should openly appreciate both approaches, as both have merit.

Encourage don’t force

Introverts and extroverts can be encouraged to interact in ways that challenge what they are comfortable with. Managers should ensure introverts feel comfortable speaking their mind, which can be done by setting a meeting agenda in advance so that they can come prepared rather than feeling forced to improvise on the spot.

While extroverts can make a meeting more lively, they should be encouraged to listen and reflect on what their colleagues have to say. Addressing this issue with employees who tend to dominate will also make introverts feel like their opinions and ideas are valued and welcomed.

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Employee Assistance Programs in Australia (EAPs) are services offered to employees that assist in managing a range of issues. EAPs seem to be a workplace panacea, attending to both personal and professional issues to enhance outcomes for employees and organisations. EAPs are widely thought to reduce corporate costs by influencing the variables (absenteeism, productivity, performance and turnover, etc) responsible for these costs.

Globally, as organisations secure EAPs through tenders, there is great pressure for EAPs to offer whatever their clients’ organisations require or request. Organisations evaluate proposals from EAP providers based on varying internally derived criteria – rather than external benchmarks of best practice.

There are inherent problems with this context. The rapid growth in EAPs has been reactive, without a firm basis in evidence. Past research has revealed conflicting findings that make it difficult to identify if, how and when EAPs are effective.

By identifying the purpose and objectives of EAPs and the ways they are used in modern organisations, we hope with our research to evaluate their efficacy. Our participants were organisational leaders representing major industries in Australia. When asked about the rationale behind EAPs, participants commented that one of the major reasons was to offer an option of support to staff in the event of personal or professional change.

One not-for-profit interviewee commented: “Life isn’t siloed. There are times where aspects of workflow into personal life and vice versa… so if the EAP’s end result is a bit of balance for people around how to manage all those aspects of life, then that does impact people’s ability to focus and be productive at work as well.”

Free of charge

In addition, the fact that this support was available to staff free of charge was seen as having the potential to reduce barriers to utilisation, particularly for those individuals who might not otherwise have sought assistance. Using EAP to diminish risk was stated as a priority of all participants who considered them to be important in reducing financial costs and undesirable organisational outcomes associated with risk management and escalation. Areas of cost participants considered included high psychological injury, workers compensation and unfair dismissal claims, turnover, discrimination, conflict and formal complaints.

“We had a situation involving stalking of a staff member. It was ultimately resolved by providing them with support through EAP,” says a participant from a private company. They went on to add that “prior to the EAP, we had another case of stalking. The workers’ compensation claim was lodged and ultimately that went through the process and cost the organisation a lot of money. We were able to compare the two situations… and we could see the outcomes. Not only was there a reduction of cost to the organisation [due to the access to EAP], but the person’s employment was actually preserved.”

Some participants, mainly from government and not-for-profit sectors, also discussed the reasoning behind having an EAP as being ‘a tick the box thing’ or ‘a cheap insurance policy’;

Participants viewed EAPs as a financially sound investment to support, engage and develop staff when compared to the costs of turnover and stress claims. EAPs were seen as part of a ‘retention strategy’ that placed employees front and centre in achieving sustainable high performance.

How EAPs are used

For the most part, EAPs were primarily seen by all sectors as providing short-term, one-on-one counselling to staff for both personal and professional issues. These typically included three to six sessions per employee.

The other most frequently used services included ‘manager assist’ which is a management coaching service, and ‘critical incident management’ support which can include post-incident onsite and offsite debriefing, follow-up face-to-face or telephone counselling, and trauma training.

Most participants also reported that their EAP provider offered mediation, facilitation, debriefing, training, coaching, mentoring, redundancy and other services to staff. Participants made the point that there was no formal mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of the EAPs servicing their organisation. However some participants, from each sector, mentioned including questions in internal employee engagement or satisfaction surveys. Participants generally relied on anecdotal evidence as the basis of their perceptions.

The consensus was that partnership with EAPs was important and that it was favourable to embed EAPs in organisations. As an example, the feedback EAPs provided about ‘hot spots’ within organisations, largely through de-identified and generalised trend reports, was used to inform the mechanisms put in place to address and defuse potential issues. Often these mechanisms involved management and EAP providers actively working together to continue this feedback loop and pre-empt issue escalation.

Participants spoke of how this partnering with EAPs reflected positive changes in the culture of the workplace. “When there is an EAP need, they [staff] are not seeing it as a stigma. They go, I know why I’m going to EAP. You’re not putting me into a box. You’re actually trying to make me achieve my potential. And this is simply another tool in your box to help me achieve my potential.”

Beulah Joseph is a consultant/psychologist in organisational psychology and Dr Arlene Walker is the Associate Head of the School of Psychology at Deakin University.

This is an edited extract from the article “Employee assistance programs in Australia: the perspectives of organizational leaders across sectors” from Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, Vol 55, No 2, April 2017.

Want to learn more about inclusion and diversity initiatives? Drop in to the AHRI Inclusion and Diversity Conferences in Canberra (26 October) and Melbourne (2 November). Register online.

The post How valuable are EAPs to your organisation? appeared first on HRM online.

Is lack of sleep costing your organisation? A new study conducted by Deloitte Access Economics shows that 39.8 per cent of Australians aren’t getting enough sleep. This is having a drastic effect on health and wellbeing, and consequently, productivity, with financial losses amounting to $17.9 billion or $2418 per person for 2016-2018. A previous 2012 Deloitte report estimated productivity losses from sleeplessness to be $3.1 billion, which indicates the current figures represent a marked increase.

Breakdown of effect on productivity

• Absenteeism – people who experience sleep dysfunction take more time off work than those who sleep well. Sleep disorders also lead to long term complications and illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and depression, and even death.
• Presenteeism – work output is reduced due to lack of sleep. This includes reduced function on the job, and leads to accidents and errors. Sleep deprived workers can get easily distracted and suffer a decrease in their communication skills. Memory function, judgement and mood can also be impaired.
• Early retirement – this could be caused by sleep related injury or disease.

What does sleeplessness look like?

According to the Sleep Health Foundation, sleep disorders fit into several different categories:

• Insomnias – difficulty falling or staying asleep.
• Hypersomnias – feeling excessively sleepy despite receiving adequate rest. Narcolepsy falls under this group.
• Sleep-related breathing disorders – breathing difficulty during sleep, the most common of which is obstructive sleep apnoea.
• Rhythm sleep wake disorders – when a normal pattern of sleep is not followed, or sleep times are not aligned.
• Parasomnias – experiencing unwanted events while asleep such as sleep walking/talking.
• Sleep movement disorders – range of movements during sleep such as rapid eye movement, restless leg syndrome and teeth grinding.

Unfortunately, there are a broad range of contributors to sleep dysfunction, and it can be difficult to pin down a root-cause, or identify what necessarily came first.

What can employers do?

Although sleep dysfunction has much to do with personal health, behaviour and habits, employers can do their bit to help minimise the impact:

• Light – research shows well lit offices, particularly those with natural light, can have a positive impact on employee’s sleep patterns.
• Continued exposure to computer screen or devices can reduce melatonin levels. Avoiding emails out of work hours can minimise this exposure.
• Encourage employees to use their annual leave and to refrain from taking their laptops on vacation. Working on holiday can lead to employees feeling less productive and rested upon return.
• Consider wellness programs – a change in lifestyle through healthy eating and exercise can have a big impact on sleep function. Hosting healthy diet workshops and yoga/meditation during lunch breaks can help combat bad habits.
• Rotating duties can help break monotony and increase engagement. This can also lead to a reduction in employee burnout. See our previously featured article about how to avoid burnout.
• Encourage an exhausted employee to get help – pay attention to signs of fatigue such as irritability, lack of alertness and decreased motivation and suggest they consult medical advice.

If all else fails, take a leaf out of Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini’s book. The US based businessman, who strongly believes in the link between sleep and productivity, financially rewards his staff for getting a good night’s sleep. Aetna employees are encouraged to use Fitbit fitness trackers to monitor their sleep. “If they can prove they get 20 nights of sleep for seven hours or more in a row, we will give them $US25 ($33) a night, up to $US500 ($661) a year.”

The post How many of your employees suffer with insomnia? appeared first on HRM online.

1. ‘She-E.O.’ harassment and toxic culture ruins employee confidence

Thinx, an outwardly sex-positive and body-positive organisation that makes “period underwear” (underwear that seeks to protect women from stress and anxiety in public when menstruating), was founded by self-described “She-E.O.” Miki Agrawal. As described in New York Magazine, she seems to have been anything but respectful of boundaries.

A former employee of the company filed a complaint with the City of New York Commission on Human Rights alleging that Agrawal, among other things, touched her breasts, made numerous comments about them, regularly got changed in front of several employees, conducted video-conference meetings while in bed (seemingly while naked), fat shamed, and expressed sexual interest in an employee.

Agrawal, and the company, have denied any wrongdoing, though the ousted CEO has admitted that her company lacked an HR infrastructure for too long. This might be an understatement.

According to the complainant, Chelsea Leibow, she often approached the organisation’s closest equivalent – two “culture queens” who had no HR background or training, whose job it was to handle employees’ concerns about the company. But nothing changed, perhaps because they were only empowered to pass on complaints, or sit and listen to them.

When asked by New York Magazine why she didn’t leave her job voluntarily (she was fired, she believes, for complaining too much) Leibow said that she loved the mission of the company but “it was hard to distinguish the success I was having in my role there from my own self-worth, and I was scared about leaving. I doubt myself, like a lot of women.”

(For more information on how to fight a toxic culture, check out our HRM debate.)

2. Workplace investigation ruled to be the cause of a heart attack

The South Australian Employment Tribunal has found that an employee’s depressive disorder and subsequent heart attack were caused by a workplace investigation. They granted that the now-60 year old was healthy and engaging in daily exercise when he was informed that staff had complained about his behaviour.

According to OHS Alert, pending the investigation, he was suspended on full pay, banned from company resources and talking to staff, and escorted from the premises. Feeling upset and unable to respond, he used an employee assistance program to engage a psychologist for six sessions but his condition deteriorated.

Tribunal Deputy President Judge Peter Hannon said: “He ceased to attend to his self-care and his appearance, and completely ceased participating in his exercise routine. I find that as a result, he went into a downward spiral both physically and mentally. He developed a severe and chronic depressive illness. The heart attack occurred in the context of ongoing chronic stress.”

The man was awarded medical expenses.

(To find out how to conduct a workplace investigation, read our guide.)

3. Personal problems ruin a workplace

Of course, sometimes the problems can go the other way and workers’ personal lives can destroy a workplace culture. This is more likely in smaller operations where the managers of a company are married or in a relationship.

Recently, the Family Court refused a husband’s application to have his wife banned from the premises of their family business because the toxic nature of their marriage might damage their shared asset.

Justice Shane Gill found that he couldn’t discern who was at fault, with both “laying the disquiet in the workplace at the feet of the other”, but that at least one employee found the husband’s behaviour troubling.

“In summary, it may be said that the effect of the removal of the wife from the workplace may improve the workplace, but I cannot tell if that would provide a net improvement. Even if it does remove the direct husband and wife conflict, it may well cause other harms to the running of the business.”

Unsure about an HR issue? Gain access to AHRI:ASSIST – an online resource centre with info sheets, guidelines and templates on different HR topics. Exclusive to AHRI members.

The post 3 stories of lives shattered by a toxic culture (and vice versa) appeared first on HRM online.

I think we can all agree it’s way too hot. And if you work outside, then it’s more probable that you are a man doing a job that involves hard labour, and you have my heartfelt sympathy.

But for those of us indoors, and here my point is particularly addressed to women office workers, I have some bad news. The air conditioning is sexist.

In 2015 research from the Netherlands made headlines, it showed air conditioning was biased in favour of men. It is nearly always set for male comfort rather than for women, who tend to prefer a warmer environment (about 25 degrees C, three degrees warmer than men).

Take this story from the Toronto Globe and Mail newspaper, about a woman who used to get so cold at work that she had to go to the bathroom several times a day to immerse her fingers in warm water so that she could keep typing. Every time she turned up the thermostat, her boss would turn it back down.

“Our offices were controlled by the same thermostat, and he was always hot while I was always cold,” she recalls. “We literally argued about it every single day.”

So what is the science behind men and women’s tolerance of temperature?

For a start, men typically have more heat generating muscle than women and so feel comfortable at cooler temperatures. Women typically have more body fat than men and though the fat helps to retain heat, it isn’t so effective at generating heat, unlike muscle.

Meanwhile current air conditioning standards are derived from research conducted in the 1960s based on the resting metabolic rate of one 11 stone, 40-year-old man.

Dr Boris Kingma, lead researcher from the Maastricht University Medical Centre in the Netherlands told the UK’s Telegraph newspaper: “The main message is that in the current standards the value for the heat load of a building is based on an average male. This overestimates the metabolic rate of women on average by 20 to 30 per cent.

“We do not recommend a specific range of room temperatures, instead we point out how metabolic rate differs between males and females, and how important it could be to take this into account when defining indoor climate standards.”

The researchers also noted how metabolic rate lowers with increasing age which means that an older workforce is likely to need higher office temperatures.

There are other variations to consider, too, such as how pregnancy and hormonal contraceptives will increase women’s core temperatures by about 0.5°C to 1.0°C – and how women going through the menopause will commonly experience ‘hot flushes’.

What does HR need to be aware of?

Complaints about air-conditioning and heating in offices (and other workplaces) are very common – it is too hot or too cold; the temperature varies drastically through the day; the draughts are terrible; etc. It’s not only the temperature that affects how people feel, but also the humidity levels and air movement. Workplace temperatures that are too high or too low can affect fatigue, heat illness and cold-related medical conditions.

There are no regulations specifying standards for minimum temperatures, humidity or air-flow in the workplace, however, both the employer and HR (whose role it is to oversee workplace health and safety), have a duty of care under the Work Health and Safety Act, 2011 to provide a working environment that is safe and without risks to health – and therefore should be doing something about unsatisfactory air-conditioning or heating.

The employer also has the duty to monitor conditions at the workplace – this includes temperature.

Generally, the temperature in offices should vary according to the outside temperature, and should be changed month by month. Mostly, it should range from about 21 to 26 degrees, with an airflow rate of 0.1 metres per second. The humidity level is best between 60 and 40 per cent. Adjustments should then be made from that point, checking that the air conditioning reaches all areas in the office, and that windows receiving substantial quantities of sunlight are not causing problems.

Heat hazardous workplaces

Working in hot and/or humid environments can be particularly uncomfortable, but more worrying are the risks of heat-related illness, which can be fatal.

A heat related illness can result from these contributing factors:

• wearing high levels of personal protective equipment
• heat from extremely hot or molten material (e.g. foundries, steel mills, bakeries, smelters, glass factories, and furnaces)
• sunshine (e.g. outdoor work such as construction, road repair, open-pit mining and agriculture)
• high humidity (e.g. laundries, restaurant kitchens, and canneries)
• internal body heat (e.g. from heavy manual work).

Step by step guide to preventing heat-related illness

The first step for an HR officer is to identify the sources of heat and cold by looking at the work environment, and the work processes and practices.

The model Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities offers guidance on the risks and how they can be controlled.

In times of really hot weather it states that the pace of work should be slowed if possible, cool drinking water should be supplied, a cool, well-ventilated place where workers can take rest breaks should be provided, and suitable clothing should be worn. For outdoor workers, this would ideally include the use of block-out, hats, UV-glasses, long sleeves and long pants.

While all this seems like common sense, enforcing it is often a problem. Therefore, workers need to be trained to recognise troubling symptoms  caused by extreme temperatures, and environmental conditions should be monitored. Immediate assistance should be provided to workers experiencing symptoms of heat strain or hypothermia.

The post Is the air conditioning sexist? appeared first on HRM online.

However, jobs can have an impact on employee well-being, although it’s often overlooked.

Did you know that behind musculoskeletal disorders, work-related stress is the second most common cause of occupational ill health? It accounts for 37 per cent of all work-related health issues and results in a 45 per cent loss in all working days.

In a national UK survey by Business in the Community, it was found that three in four employees have experienced symptoms of poor mental health. 29 per cent of employees have been diagnosed with a mental health condition.

So how are employers reacting to their employees’ mental health needs? The data seems to show a discrepancy between employer and employee perceptions. 60 per cent of board members and senior managers believe their organisation supports employees with mental health issues. In contrast, just 11 per cent of employees recently discussed a mental health problem with their line manager. Over half said they would not discuss their mental well-being with their manager.

The lack of discussion could be connected to the lack of training and knowledge line managers receive. Just 22 per cent of line managers have received mental health training to help them in their roles. However, these statistics aren’t reflective of line managers’ desire to learn. 49 per cent said that they would benefit from basic mental health training and 38 per cent would like to learn how to discuss issues with employees. Overall, 76 per cent believe that employee well-being is their responsibility.

What does this mean for employees? 35 per cent of employees did not ask their employers for support during their most recent experience of poor mental health. Of those that had mental health issues, only 25 per cent did ask for support. Shockingly, 9 per cent of employees experienced disciplinary action as a result of their mental health problems, which in some cases included dismissal.

Altering attitudes to mental health is clearly a priority, not just in employment but in society more widely. While we’re taking steps to do so, it can be difficult for employers to know how to properly support their employees’ well-being. Here, we share some tips to improve how we approach mental health at work.

1. Promote well-being as key for positive company culture

The wellbeing of staff members should be at the core of every business’ health and safety policy. Essentially, the best way to promote employee well-being is through effective management.

A good work-life balance is key to securing a good standard of mental health. From a business perspective, you may be keen for employees to work longer or additional hours. However, doing so has an impact on the amount of time staff members get to spend with loved ones, sleeping or relaxing. While it may seem like a short-term solution to tackle a particularly large workload, over time it can lead to reduced morale, irritability and lower productivity and performance levels. Ultimately, it leads to a negative result for both employee and employer.

Employees can become disheartened as a result of poor communication. Here are some ideas to tackle overwork and improve employee well-being:

• Make sure goals and progress are clearly communicated across the business. Not only will this benefit you as an employer, as staff members can offer suggestions and will be better motivated, your employees will also appreciate the clarity.
• Offer an employee reward scheme, where hard-working staff members can be recognised, will help boost morale.
• Regular social events will improve staff bonding and provide an opportunity for team members to let off some steam.

2. Stop the problem at the source

Of course, there are a number of factors that can influence an employee’s mental health. While employment is rarely the sole factor, it certainly can cause issues to develop. As an employer, you should do all you can to improve the wellbeing of employees and as such minimise the negative impacts an unhappy workplace can have.

Ensuring your workplace is fit for purpose is one way of boosting employee well-being at work. For example, if your premises are particularly cold or noisy, could you make small changes to improve overall morale? It’s often surprising the large impact little changes like this can have.

Workloads can be another issue that negatively impacts employee well-being. A large workload or unrealistic expectations can place pressure on your staff members and could lead to stress. As an employer, you can combat this by hosting regular meetings with staff to ensure they can communicate any problems they may have with their workload. Always make sure the task is realistic and manageable and, where necessary, split the load between multiple employees.

3. Support those with mental health issues

As an employer, it’s naive to think that your business will never be impacted by mental health. With the prominence of mental health issues, it’s vital that employers and senior staff members understand how to deliver effective support.

Keep communications open and honest and always focus on the staff member rather than the problem. In some situations, staff may need to take time off. While their absence will clearly impact your business, putting pressure on them to return is not the option. Instead, keep in regular contact and ensure adjustments are made to make their return to work as smooth as possible, like a phased return for example.

Clearly, mental health should be a focus for employers, alongside the now commonplace health and safety requirements. As we become increasingly savvy to society’s mental needs, it’s in employer’s best interest to implement this focus now.

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