Creating Resilient Employees in a Thriving Environment

1. Creating Resilient Employees in a Thriving Environment Kris Haugen Park Nicollet Health Services 2007 AWC Health Academy

2. Agenda • The changing face of stress • Resilience – Hardiness skills • Workplace guidelines for long term success • Helping employees cope immediately • Wrap Up/Discussion

3. The Changing Face of Stress • Stress statistics • The pace of the world • The pace of our workplaces

4. Stress Statistics • 51% of employees felt fatigue and out of control on the job • 50% missed 1-2 days per year due to stress • 46% come to work 1-4 days per year too stressed to be effective CommPsych Poll - 2006

5. The Pace of the World • Technology • Consumerism and Marketing • Multi-tasking • Family Life • Commuting

6. The Pace of the Workplace • Technology • The changing face of employees – turnover, demographics • Market demands • Justifying your job – from determining critical functions to outsourcing MORE WITH LESS

7. Reflection on Stress It is not necessarily the amount of stress people experience at work, but how quickly they recover from the effects that is important to their health and wellbeing. (Cropley and Purvis, 2004)

8. Why Resilience? We need to learn to not only survive, but thrive in this environment.

9. Definition of Resilience • Resilience – from Latin “to leap back” • Definition: The process and experience of being disrupted by change, opportunities, stressors and adversity, and, after introspection, accessing gifts and strengths to grow stronger through disruption. Journal of Health Ed, 1990

10. Resilient People • Look for opportunities in problems • Have a positive attitude • Fight the victim mentality • Find their power in every situation • Overcome difficulties • Learn from mistakes

11. Burnout Associated with: • Older workers • Unmarried • Manual occupations • High alcohol intake • Overweight • Physically inactive • History of physical or mental illness

12. Creating a Resilient Workplace 1. Hardiness skills 2. Psychologically healthy work environment 3. Immediate coping skills and resources

13. 1. Provide hardiness skills

14. Components of Hardiness • Control – make decisions • Commitment - involved • Challenge – stress is positive

15. Individuals with Hardiness Skills • Don’t give up easily under pressure • Are ill less often • Adapt to stress

16. Hardiness Results • Managers with high hardiness and low stress – 35% fewer sick hours • Managers with high hardiness and HIGH stress – 57% fewer sick hours

17. Cultivate Hardiness • In hiring practices • Develop coping skills • Supportive workplace policies

18. 2. Create a Psychologically Healthy Workplace Guidelines from the American Psychological Association

19. Psychologically Healthy Workplaces have: • Employee involvement • Work-life balance • Employee growth and development • Health and safety • Employee recognition http://www.phwa.org/intheworkplace/index.php

20. Employee Involvement • Self-managed work teams • Employee committees or task forces • Continuous improvement teams • Participative decision-making • Employee suggestion forums, such as a suggestion box and monthly meetings

21. Work-Life Balance • Flexible work • Childcare assistance • Eldercare benefits • Personal financial resources • Benefits for family members and domestic partners • Flexible leave options beyond FMLA

22. Employee Growth and Development • Continuing education • Tuition reimbursement • Career development or counseling • Skills training • Opportunities for promotion and internal career advancement • Coaching, mentoring, and leadership development

23. Health and Safety • Training and safeguards • Health promotion programs • Adequate health insurance • Health screenings • Access to health/fitness/recreation facilities • Resources for life problems

24. Healthy Policies • Seatbelt use in city vehicles • No smoking in city vehicles • Emergency procedures practiced • Flexible work schedules • Excessive OT discouraged • Shift workers scheduled for adequate rest • Absenteeism policy rewards no sick use • Alcohol/drug policy on par with industry

25. Environmental Support • Low sugar vending programs • Workout/walking areas and showers • Natural light • Adjustable heating and ventilation • Low noise levels • Ergonomically correct furniture and equipment • Stairs clean and well lit

26. Employee Recognition • Fair monetary compensation • Competitive benefits packages • Acknowledge contributions and milestones • Performance-based bonuses and pay increases • Employee awards • Recognition ceremonies

27. Communication • Provide feedback to management • Have clear goals and actions of the organization and senior leadership • Involve employees • Use multiple communication channels • Lead by example • Communicate information to all about the outcomes and success of specific psychologically healthy workplace practices

28. Feedback to Management • Employee surveys • Town hall meetings • Suggestion boxes • Individual or small group meetings with managers • Organizational culture that supports open, two-way communication

29. Clear Goals and Actions • Making the goals and actions of the organization and senior leadership clear to workers • Communicate key activities, issues and developments to employees • Develop policies that facilitate transparency and openness.

30. Involve Employees • Assess the needs of employees and involve them in the development and implementation of psychologically healthy workplace practices.

31. Use Multiple Communication Channels • Use multiple channels to communicate the importance of a psychologically healthy workplace to employees • Print and electronic • orientation and trainings • staff meetings • public addresses

32. Lead by Example • Encourage key organizational leaders to regularly participate in psychologically healthy workplace activities in visible ways

33. Communicate Information • Communicate information about the outcomes and success of specific psychologically healthy workplace practices to all members of the organization.

34. 3. Provide immediate coping skills and resources

35. Immediate Coping Skills • Mindfulness meditation • Relaxation techniques – deep breathing • Yoga or Tai Chi • Massage • Food • Laughter • Problem-solving skills • Sleep

36. More Coping Skills • Cognitive Appreciation • Positive Re-appraisal • Imagery • Smile when stressed • Attitude management • Heart Math or Freeze Frame techniques • Positive psychology

37. Positive Psychology • Strength-based approach • Find “authentic happiness” • 24 signature strengths – 5 related to wellbeing: • Hope • Love • Zest • Gratitude • Curiosity

38. Resources • Employee Assistance Program • Quiet or Serenity Room • Places to walk • Managers and HR staff with open door policies • Flex time policies • Training on communication skills, negotiation, dealing with difficult people, decision making

39. Park Nicollet – Case Study Committee – Resiliency think tank • HR Director • Benefits Manager • Employee Health Director • Employee Relations Director • Two Change Management Leaders • Training Manager • Spiritual Care Manager • Behavioral Health Services Director • VP of Park Nicollet Institute – research arm • Trainer – Resilience effort • Health Promotion Manager

40. Efforts to Date • Vision process: become employer of choice • Data collection – HR, work comp, benefits, exit interview information • Catharsis to talk as a group

41. Next Steps • Five key statements • Presentation to Executive Leadership • Plan to promote and highlight current resources and efforts - website • Work within current structures and opportunities to strengthen efforts • Employee Relations training with managers • Healthy Living stress management campaign • Change Management group pilot • Training and Development offerings

42. Discussion • What more can we do to foster resilience in our employees? • How can you enhance your personal resilience?

43. Remember: Engage employees Be transparent Help create stress awareness