Managing Pressure to Achieve Excellence

Over-attendance

2008-05-06T22:57:00.000+01:00

The curious reverse of the workplace Absenteeism problem: Presenteeism...

We all know about the ever-growing external pressures that force us to work longer and longer hours. But we seldom notice one other pressure from within - the curious psychological need for some people to over-attend. This is so widespread that it has earned a formal definition: Presenteeism.

Obviously this can be seen as part of the puritan ethic, celebrating the virtues of hard work per se. At first glance, it looks like simple punctuality taken to an exaggerated level, too much of a good thing.

But our automated hi-tech culture has clashed oddly with puritanism, greatly confusing those who are loyally trying to do their best. First, we have the permanent sense of emergency generated by the email and mobile-phone way of life. Almost without a word of excuse or explanation, a manager can write-off our planned evening with a single text-message or one click on ‘CC’ or ‘FWD’, indicating something that looks like a crisis. So against our will, we often have to attend more than is sensible or healthy.

On top of this pressurisation, there is a further Puritan effect - guilt at going home while our colleagues are still at work. So we may over-attend for that reason.

And then perhaps deeper still is the psychological need to be needed, the dread of feeling redundant - mixed-in with genuine fear for our jobs, and a desperate urge to make gestures of loyalty and high performance. This leads us to generate an artificial sensation of heroic effort. “Do you realise how late I worked last night… Do you realise how early I got in this morning…”
It also leads to the bad habit of attending the workplace while ill.

And this is what has turned Presenteeism into a political issue, with unions worried about the cumulative effects on an employee’s health, and management chiefly alarmed at the potential spread of some infectious disease around the workplace.

But both sides are increasingly coming to accept that attendance while ill is a bad idea altogether. It stands to reason that unwell employees are not going to perform at anywhere near their full efficiency. At the least, this will have a harmful impact on team performance. At the worst, it could lead to some catastrophic error, with knock-on effects for the entire corporate output. And that is quite apart from possible long-term effects of a workforce below normal health levels.

Managers are now starting to see the sense of sending employees home if they are struggling to attend while ill - or sometimes, even if they are not ill, but there is simply nothing for them to do. It is worth noting generally that long hours do not always translate into more effective output, and that they may stem from inefficient time management anyway. Managers should also check that they are not setting an example of working over-long hours, which their employees are trying to emulate.

Key points about over-attendance

· Many employees have a psychological need to work long hours
· This is partly exaggerated loyalty and partly fear of redundancy
· It often leads to attendance while ill, which lowers performance

Carole Spiers - World Leading Authority on Corporate Stress.BBC Broadcaster. Motivational Speaker. Author.Carole Spiers Group gives authoritative advice on healthy corporate culture and the human aspects of workplace stress, including workplace bullying, post-trauma and organizational change.

Their publications and sales CDs have been sold globally and see their Stress Management catalogue - http://tinyurl.com/2xe4seTo sign up for their FREE stress management updates and stress tips, click http://tinyurl.com/29qr5p or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.co.uk or telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593.

Check out their website - www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk

The Outsider as Mediator

2008-04-29T21:20:00.000+01:00

Carole Spiers explains why impartiality is crucial in achieving compromise and re-starting dialogue.

Workplace stress often leads to situations where colleagues refuse to work together or even speak to each other. This could be anything from worry about a forthcoming merger to a dispute about pay or working conditions or a complicated argument between individuals or departments. At these times, mediation is an important first step to re-starting talks and avoiding costly work stoppages.

A good mediator needs several obvious qualifications (and qualities), such as credibility and trustworthiness, good communication and people-handling skills and ideally, specialist experience of mediation itself. But the key qualification is outsider status - the sheer fact of not being identified with either side. Also, if ‘familiarity breeds contempt’, then a new face around the building is liable to be treated with natural courtesy and consideration, a good atmosphere in which to launch a mediation exercise.

Being a neutral observer and listener gives the mediator powerful advantages, both on the rational problem-solving level and in the deeper irrational zone of suspicions, prejudices and repressed feelings.

On the rational side, the most obvious benefit is that the mediator will not be affected by the outcome of the dispute either way, so discussions can be entirely open and objective. It also removes a major obstacle to clear dialogue, and that is possible association with the various players in the dispute. By being a total stranger to everyone involved, the mediator can rightfully insist on a purely logical account of the events and the issues from their beginnings, with individuals identified by their job-title, rather than their name. In other words, it discourages lazy explanations that fall back on “Usual trouble when Sayeed gets upset” or “You know what Fatima is like.”

This reasonable pressure to communicate in proper boardroom style may lead to a clearer view of the problem, in which you may both see down to its roots for the first time. In addition, the outsider is able to contribute a fresh analytical perspective that may prompt a workable solution sooner rather than later.

On the irrational side - which tends to grow bigger as the dispute drags on - the neutral mediator represents an important channel for the discharge of emotion and the expression of strong feelings within a safe forum, which may assist in the de-escalation of the conflict. Also firmly in the irrational zone is shuttle diplomacy, where a proposition that would not be listened-to from the original negotiator, is acceptable if spoken by the mediator - literally, the very same words.

This demonstrates the function of mediation as a valuable lubricant, with the mediator occupying a non-judgmental role, not apportioning blame, and this may encourage rapport and revelations in confidence which can bring the perception of a grievance back into proportion.

Key points about impartiality in a mediator

• An outsider is not affected by the dispute, and so can be truly neutral
• Being a stranger, the mediator can demand a clear account of the dispute
• The non-judgmental atmosphere acts as a channel for unexpressed emotions

Carole Spiers - World Leading Authority on Corporate Stress.
BBC Broadcaster. Motivational Speaker. Author.

Carole Spiers Group gives authoritative advice on healthy corporate culture and the human aspects of workplace stress, including workplace bullying, post-trauma and organizational change.

Their publications and sales CDs have been sold globally and see their Stress Management catalogue - http://tinyurl.com/2xe4seTo sign up for their FREE stress management updates and stress tips, click http://tinyurl.com/29qr5p or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.co.uk or telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593.

Check out their website - www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk

Workplace bullying

2008-02-20T09:16:00.000Z

Workplace bullying is costing UK plc millions of pounds in lost production,absenteeism and poor industrial relations. CIPD survey makes interesting reading says Carole Spiers Leading International Authority on Corporate Stress. She recommends that organisations have a robust policy on workplace bullying and and as a professional speaker - www.carolespiers.com - Carole is doing her bit to raise the profile of this important issue. email Carole info@carolespiersgroup.co.uk if you would like more information on how to tackle workplace bullying.

Workplace Bullying

2008-01-20T13:30:00.000Z

Office Bullying On The Increase
Jan 20 2008

"WORKPLACE bullying levels are sky high according to a report that claims four out of five workers have been victims.

New research by the Samaritans also revealed that a third of people who suffer are so stressed they have considered leaving their jobs.

The survey, carried out for Stress Down Day on February 1, found almost a third feel employers turn a blind eye to their employees' stress".

Leading Authority on Corporate Stress Carole Spiers says that If workplace bullying is an issue for your organisation then it is time to look at the root cause and implement a zero tolerance policy on bullying behaviour and violence in the workplace.For more information on how to achieve this go to: www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk

Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers Tell You How To Deal With Declining Employee Performance

2007-09-20T11:02:00.001+01:00

Having to backtrack through the normal stages of training...

The training-up of a new team-member is a well-established process, conducted in a logical sequence of four stages: directing, coaching, supporting, delegating.

But when dealing with a case of declining performance, you may find yourself having to reverse the process and take the employee back one stage - or more.

One big obstacle is the emotive factor, often involving a clash of egos, with the manager growing impatient with the employee’s performance, and the employee sulking about percived injustices. But the way past this is very unemotive - a disciplined routine, where both sides define the situation with the utmost clarity and candour.

Mutually focusing on a specific

Instead of trying to rationalise the whole of what may be a big, complex problem, single-out one aspect of it for scrutiny.

If it’s a performance point, collect all the factual evidence in support. If it’s a behaviour, log the impressions you have received about it. This may be the first time the topic has received so much scrutiny from both angles - not only how the employee is deemed to have failed, but also how the organisation as a whole might have failed to provide adequate support.

Now invite the employee to a meeting, to try and pool your thoughts. First spell-out the problem precisely. The employee must listen carefully enough to be able to repeat back to you every point you have made. Then the employee must spell-out the problem, but from their own angle, and you repeat back their perception of the situation. (This may be the first time that you two colleagues have ever conversed on a meaningful level.)

Working towards a resolution

Now you must identify areas of agreement about the issue. If there is not enough common ground for you to work together, revisit the problem, and you may find you can both dig deeper into it and find a solution.

Then you have to judge how far to take the employee back down the training path, by judging their degree of commitment. They may have to go back to ‘directing’ level (maximum supervision). Or ‘coaching’ (progress-meetings). Or ‘supporting’ (extra resources made available). But hopefully, you will soon be back on the level of ‘delegating’ - the ideal deployment of manager and employee.

Carole Spiers is a sought-after International Motivational Speaker and BBC Broadcaster. She is a Leading International Authority on Corporate Stress and founder of Carole Spiers Group (CSG), one of the UKs leading stress management consultancies, whose psychological insights have improved productivity for clients such as Sainsbury’s, Unilever, Tecom (Dubai), the Bank of England, and many others.

CSG gives authoritative advice on healthy corporate culture and the human aspects of workplace stress, including workplace bullying, post-trauma and organizational change. Carole is Author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’ and ‘Turn Your Passion Into Profit.’

Their publications and sales CDs have been sold globally and see their Stress Management catalogue - http://tinyurl.com/2xe4se
To sign up for their FREE stress management updates and stress tips, click http://tinyurl.com/29qr5p or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.co.uk or telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593.
Check out their website - www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk

Millions Of Brits Take Their Work On Holiday - UK News Headlines

2007-07-20T14:44:00.000+01:00

Millions Of Brits Take Their Work On Holiday - UK News Headlines Stress continues to blight many organisations and the long term effects of stress on employees brought about by taking their work on holiday will not help to reduce the cost of workplace stress or reduce the number of ill health retirements due to stress burnout. UK Stress Guru Carole Spiers is adamant that employees should ensure that they get two clear weeks away from work every year to enable them to recharge their batteries fully. For more information on personal stress management go to www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk

Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers explains that a healthy workplace culture comes from inspiration, not regulation

2007-06-23T20:10:00.000+01:00

Just the other year, a startling new phrase ‘toxic culture’ became part of the verbal diet of HR departments and professional counselling teams. It was not actually describing anything very new. But it did put out a depressing signal about the general workplace atmosphere after so many decades of legislation about working hours and conditions, employee welfare and pollution control.

By now, it was supposed, sickness and absenteeism would have melted away, shopfloor violence would be unheard-of, strikes would be a distant memory, and team morale would have improved so much that the subject wouldn’t need mentioning.

Instead, managements are having to cope with cycles of low morale, leading to poor performance and profitability - which in turn threaten the jobs of good and bad employees alike.
What is their best route towards a healthy corporate culture ?

The regulations - all part of the problem

We’ve all heard of well-meant laws that turn out to have the opposite effect from the one intended (Prohibition in America, for example.) Well, it’s possible to see a parallel in the soaring piles of workplace regulations, originally designed to keep rogue-bosses in line, with the government effectively taking over large parts of their responsibilities.

But you can’t get something for nothing. If you inhibit the power of management to manage, you are tying the hands of the young leaders, and preventing them from making those bold, imaginative leaps which fuel innovation and create jobs. In other words, preventing them from applying necessary leadership.

In April 2007, Personnel Today reported a serious leadership crisis in UK business, with a majority of managers admitting that they felt under-confident about their leadership skills.
Let’s see how this works in practice.

Vacuum of command

A good young manager wants to show a prospective new client around the works. But owing to a technical fault, the temperature in the boiler-room is one degree hotter than permitted, and nobody may pass through. The visit has to be cancelled and the contract is lost, along with a number of new jobs.

How do we read this situation? Is it a case of men driven to their limit by appalling shopfloor conditions? No, they have walked out on a technicality, simply because they were allowed to. There has been a vacuum of command and they have felt no urge to support their employer.
If the manager had been allowed to manage, the workforce would have been assured of his goodwill in keeping the temperature comfortable, and probably wouldn’t have noticed a one-degree fluctuation. Even if they had, they would be likely to back him.

The management of change

That was one small and simple case, just to illustrate the point about conflicting loyalties. Many real-life cases revolve around a much bigger and more complex issue: the management of change.

Now this represents a massive challenge in confronting a workforce with unwelcome truths, and often having to explain what look like broken pledges, such as job-for-life.
It also represents a massive opportunity for managers to throw away the rule-book (because the rule-book can do so little about change) and provide active and inspiring leadership - sometimes in an eve-of-battle spirit that may encourage a bold, risk-taking attitude among people who had never thought that way before.

Change management is a wide brief that places great demands on your communication skills, your imagination, and your gift for making rapport with different human types. You may be having to introduce a low-tech workforce to unfamiliar new IT systems. You may be having to mastermind a big relocation, perhaps against strong resistance. You may be having to enforce the latest diversity laws with appropriate tact and sensitivity. You may be having to steer your team around the pitfalls of a merger or takeover.

The three standard responses to forthcoming change

Welcoming ...
Seeing the need for change. Able to understand the strategic aims driving it. Perceiving opportunities it can bring for their own career. These people are your natural allies. You could train them with formal change-management courses.

Resisting ...
Mistrusting the new and the untried. Wanting to cling to 'familiar furnishings'. Feeling cheated out of expectations based on no-change. These people need sophisticated counselling, using 'active listening' to diagnose their problems and frame solutions.

Undecided ... Agonising on the brink. Suffering from conflicting loyalties and contradictory impulses that inhibit performance. These people are suffering from a high degree of stress, requiring specialist interventions.

In managing corporate change as it affects your employees’ life and work, you are also demonstrating the steady change in the role of management itself. Away from coercion towards persuasion. Away from hierarchies towards the encouragement of empowerment through self-development. Away from petty rules sometimes enforced out of spite by the ‘little-guy-with-a-bit-of-power’, towards working with loyalty and love, like a craftsman.

Helping to create a corporate culture that is healthy physically, healthy mentally, healthy spiritually.

Carole Spiers is an International Motivational Speaker and founder of Carole Spiers Group, one of the UKs leading stress management consultancies, whose psychological insights have improved productivity for clients such as Sainsbury’s, Tecom (Dubai), Unilever, the Bank of England and many others. www.carolespiersgroup.com gives authoritative advice on healthy corporate culture and both the human aspects of workplace stress, including workplace bullying, violence, post-trauma, redundancy, absenteeism and stalled negotiations. Carole is Author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’ and ‘Turn Your Passion Into Profit’

Their publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. To sign up for their FREE stress management updates and stress tips – click http://tinyurl.com/zxbgo or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.com or telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593. www.carolespiersgroup.com

Meet Carole Spiers in person at her Self-Marketing Bootcamp ‘Turn Your Passion Into Profit’ in central London, Thursday June 28th 2007. And discover the fastest way to grow your new business, gain clients, boost profits – all on a zero budget! Click here http://www.turnyourpassionintoprofit.co.uk/ to book your space before all tickets are sold out.

Motivational Speaker Says, ‘Setbacks. Are inevitable - And Often Helpful’

2007-06-14T12:12:00.000+01:00

Setbacks can happen through no fault of yours. And overcoming them can be mightily instructive. Check the memoirs of the great tycoons. You don’t read far before there’s a big crisis that puts their calibre to the test. “Been through the mill” is a tribute to someone’s character and judgment. (Some religions actually thank the Gods for sending them problems.)

Another Insight Into Self-Marketing Culture By Motivational Speaker And BBC Broadcaster Carole Spiers. Meet her in person at her Self-Marketing Bootcamp ‘Turn Your Passion Into Profit’ in central London, Thursday June 28th 2007.

And discover the fastest way to grow your new business, gain clients, boost profit – all on a zero budget! Click here www.turnyourpassionintoprofit.co.uk to book your earlybird space before all tickets are sold out.

Carole Spiers – International Motivational Speaker occupies a special niche as an expert in Personal Development. Carole’s keynote presentations have educated and inspired audiences all over the world. She is also a high profile BBC broadcaster, journalist and President of the London Chapter of the Professional Speakers Association. Carole is Author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’ and ‘Turn Your Passion Into Profit’

Our publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. To sign up for our FREE success quotations http://tinyurl.co.uk/yhgv, or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.co.uk to telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593 www.carolespiers.com

Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers Says, ‘Your Health Really Does Come First’

2007-06-13T15:19:00.000+01:00

A rule often ignored, probably because it sounds uncool - too much like teacher’s pet. Yet anyone who’s pushed themselves too far will urge you passionately to ignore the common cries. “A little drink will set me up for the day.” Recipe for total dependence. “Lunch is for wimps.” Pseudo-macho nonsense. “No time for exercise.” Seriously reconsider your time management policy.

Another Insight Into Self-Marketing Culture By Motivational Speaker And BBC Broadcaster Carole Spiers. Meet her in person at her Self-Marketing Bootcamp ‘Turn Your Passion Into Profit’ in central London, Thursday June 28th 2007.

And discover the fastest way to grow your new business, gain clients, boost profit – all on a zero budget! Click here www.turnyourpassionintoprofit.co.uk to book your earlybird space before all tickets are sold out.

Carole Spiers – International Motivational Speaker occupies a special niche as an expert in Personal Development. Carole’s keynote presentations have educated and inspired audiences all over the world. She is also a high profile BBC broadcaster, journalist and President of the London Chapter of the Professional Speakers Association. Carole is Author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’ and ‘Turn Your Passion Into Profit’

Our publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. To sign up for our FREE success quotations http://tinyurl.co.uk/yhgv, or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.co.uk to telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593 www.carolespiers.com

Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers Looks At The Anatomy Of A Typical Goal

2007-06-07T15:31:00.000+01:00

Writing down your main goal is an essential starting-point, to which many people are hesitant to commit. But a declared goal needs to face the test of repeated scrutiny before you press the launch-button. Pin it up on the wall. Ask your colleagues what they think. If it still looks good after a week, go for it. Any entrepreneur will tell you: temporary enthusiasms are the curse of business.

Another Insight Into Self-Marketing Culture By Motivational Speaker And BBC Broadcaster Carole Spiers. Meet her in person at her Self-Marketing Bootcamp ‘Turn Your Passion Into Profit’ in central London, Thursday June 28th 2007.

And discover the fastest way to grow your new business, gain clients, boost profit – all on a zero budget! Click here www.turnyourpassionintoprofit.co.uk to book your earlybird space before all tickets are sold out.

Carole Spiers – International Motivational Speaker occupies a special niche as an expert in Personal Development. Carole’s keynote presentations have educated and inspired audiences all over the world. She is also a high profile BBC broadcaster, journalist and President of the London Chapter of the Professional Speakers Association. Carole is Author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’ and ‘Turn Your Passion Into Profit’

Our publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. To sign up for our FREE success quotations http://tinyurl.co.uk/yhgv, or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.co.uk to telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593 www.carolespiers.com

Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers asks: A Gambling Addict In The Office - corporate or personal responsibility?

2007-05-07T23:40:00.000+01:00

Calls to the gambling helpline Gamcare have rocketed by a third to a record 30,000, a major London hospital has announced plans to open a special new clinic for gambling addicts, and even more ominous - a new kind of business insurance against the risks of office internet gambling has been launched.

A long way from the good-clean-fun image that the government is trying to promote.

Of course, it’s the temptation to gamble on the office computer, using the firm’s credit card, that sets up the real disaster scenario. And employers have been reluctant to make accusations about this hard-to-spot addiction, for fear of libel.

But untreated addictions can only worsen, and managers now face a major challenge in being able to understand, detect and handle cases of the gambling bug.

Desperate to win? Or masochistically wanting to lose?

First, you need to see what lies at the root of the problem. It’s partly escapism - into the world of James Bond or the Mississippi gamblers, where people are too good for humdrum employment.

But there is also a strong theory that gamblers are basically inadequate characters with a masochistic streak - as when the fellow playing the pub fruit-machine says “Hang on, just wait till I’ve…”, meaning “wait till I’ve lost this lot.”

With this in mind, you must try to spot the symptoms. These include a secretive or preoccupied air, a tendency to borrow money and not pay it back, and suggestions of trouble at home.

Do more than follow regulations. Establish a bond of trust.

Your calibre as a manager is now under challenge. This is when to demonstrate leadership and problem-solving skill. Using the existing routine of performance reviews, make it clear that you’re aware of the problem, get it into the open, invite confidences, and then establish that the two of you are going to cure it as a team.

And if you find that the team needs to be strengthened by specialist counsellors consultants or staff trainers, then you simply take that step - as enlightened blue-chip companies have done for years. Click here - http://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/counselling.html

Carole Spiers is Motivational Speaker and founder of Carole Spiers Group, one of the UKs leading stress management consultancies, whose psychological insights have improved productivity for clients such as Sainsbury’s, Unilever, the Bank of England and many others. www.carolespiersgroup.com gives authoritative advice on both the human and the legal aspects of workplace stress, including workplace bullying, violence, post-trauma, redundancy, absenteeism and stalled negotiations.

Their publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. To sign up for their FREE stress management updates and stress tips – click http://tinyurl.com/zxbgo or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.com
or telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593

Motivational Speaker says - Efficient v. Effective is the difference between doing the job right and doing the right job!

2007-04-25T21:07:00.001+01:00

In my role as a motivational speaker at business conferences and seminars, I have often have to point out that ‘efficient’ and ‘effective’ may sound similar, but they are in fact quite different forms of time management.

For example, the supervisor of a dozen building sites in London’s western suburbs had worked out a logical routine for beating the rush-hour, in order to spend less time in his car and more time on-site.

He visited each site in sequence, in a particular orbit that would allow him to ‘reverse commute’, heading out of town in the morning and back into town in the evening.

This was efficient. But it was not effective - because it ignored the priority-status of the sites with the problems needing most urgent attention.

In other words, he had done the job right, but not the right job.

Distinguishing between Efficient and Effective is an important branch of Time Management - one of the major specialities on which motivational speaker Carole Spiers regularly addresses blue-chip corporate clients. It is a difference that bulks-up big in all workplace contexts.

For example, it marks the difference between the old-style secretary and the new-style PA. The secretary had to be efficient - arriving punctually, typing neatly, passing on messages correctly. But she did not have to be effective - making decisions, forecasting outcomes, thinking round corners in a semi-executive role, as today’s PA increasingly must.

Efficient v. Effective is also the test of how we handle our two kinds of working time - Control Time, where you control the duration of the job, and Response Time, where you react to interruptions which control you.

Two managers are working separately on a major report, which requires deep concentration and cannot be written in periods of less than half-an-hour. Meanwhile both are also having to allow time for dialogue with the rest of the department.

Manager A puts in half-an-hour on the report, then his concentration starts to slip, so he decides to take a break by ‘doing the rounds’ in a part-social, part-business atmosphere. One colleague needs a problem sorted, and this takes half-an-hour - longer than expected. It is at least an hour before the manager is back at his desk. Ten minutes later, the boss rings to fix a meeting for sometime that day. “How about now?” says the manager, and goes off to meet him.

Manager B faces an identical situation, but handles it differently. She starts by ringing up one of her department, to say she’ll be doing the rounds in half-an-hour - knowing that she’ll need a break by then. At the appointed time, she conducts her tour, and sure enough one team-member has a problem that needs fixing. “Come and see me in half-an-hour, when I’ll be ready for another break” she says. The colleague arrives by appointment, and they duly fix the problem, which also takes half-an-hour. Ten minutes later, the boss rings her too, to fix a meeting for today. “How about half-an-hour’s time?”, she says, and returns to another focused session on her report.

The difference between these two scenarios is that Manager A has only spent the first half-hour in Control Time, while Manager B has managed to arrange three half-hour sessions in Control Time. So limiting your availability is a key factor in achieving effectiveness.

How to stop your time managing you…

Time Management has a lot to do with showing Time who’s boss.
In fact, your time will automatically try to manage you - unless you prevent it.

· The Interruption factor
The average manager gets interrupted every 8 minutes. It’s something you can’t schedule - but there are practical ways to cut the chat.

· How Meetings squander time
Everything from latecomers to attention-seekers or just an unclear agenda. Make sure it’s necessary, then keep it brisk and businesslike.

· Logging the time-waster elements
List everything that tends to hold you up - desk clutter, drop-in visitors, long-winded talk, confusion of roles, false alarms - and tackle them.

You can find out about these and many other aspects of Time Management in a major training toolkit: ‘Hurry Hurry! – Every Second Counts’. The true and false dynamics of urgency at work’, available right here on my website - www.carolespiers.com

Suitable for all levels of management and employees, this toolkit comes with Powerpoint sildes for easy presentation, as well as a workbook that can be copied in any number. It has proved equally popular in many different kinds of organisation, at seminars and training sessions, and also with my general audiences as a motivational speaker.

Click here to see full details and buy… See a useful improvement in your time management soon. http://www.carolespiers.com/productdetail.cfm?ProductID=24

Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers occupies a special niche as an expert in Personal Development. She brings together the separate cultures of individual empowerment and executive management - proving to corporate business that empowered employees improve performance and output. Carole’s keynote presentations have educated and inspired audiences all over the world. She is also a high profile broadcaster, journalist and President of the London Chapter of the Professional Speakers Association.

Our publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. To sign up for our FREE success quotations http://tinyurl.co.uk/yhgv, or for more information email info@carolespiers.com to telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593 www.carolespiers.com

Motivational Speaker says - Efficient v. Effective is

2007-04-25T21:07:00.000+01:00

Train Death Victim Bullied At Work (from The Northern Echo)

2007-03-23T11:40:00.000Z

Train Death Victim Bullied At Work (from The Northern Echo) Can your managers recognise workplace bullying? Do they know to manage workplace bullying? Do you have policy and procedures in place? To get the answers to all these questions go to www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk Buy our Train the Trainer pack and ensure that your managers know all the answers to managing workplace bullying

Industry News - The IET

2007-02-12T13:54:00.000Z

Industry News - The IET No longer can companies avoid the subject of stress by just saying it does not exist in their organisation. There is now conclusive evidence within this article that stress is alive and well and costing organisations millions of pounds in sickness absence and lost productivity. Be smart! go to www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk and view the many different ways in which you can protect your company with stress management awareness and employee counselling.

Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers Says “Manchester “Super-casino” Highlights Rapidly Increasing Threat Of Gambling Addiction To Businesses

2007-02-11T08:06:00.000Z

“What started as a simple bit of fun almost ended up costing me my life,” says one reformed gambler. “I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t pay my bills, and was constantly lying to cover up what I’d been doing, but I simply couldn’t stop.

“I used to steal money from my wife’s purse, and was making her and our family’s life an absolute misery. Fortunately a work colleague spotted that I had a problem and persuaded me to see a specialist counsellor. If he hadn’t, I might not be here today.”

To help employers deal with these issues, Carole Spiers Group operates a nationwide network of fully trained counsellors, capable of providing specialist advice on the best ways of tackling gambling addiction.

“If you suspect an employee is regularly engaged in internet gambling, use a performance review to draw attention to any concerns. Prior to this, talk to the employee about any stressors they are experiencing, as people can gamble when they see ‘no way out’, and an early intervention could resolve this,” says Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers.

“If their work appears to be suffering you should ensure regular appraisals, especially if jobs are not completed on time. If you find someone has been gambling online during work hours, use an informal warning, followed by a more formal approach if the problem persists. And in extreme cases, seriously consider recommending the employee for help with their gambling addiction.”

The Solution From The Carole Spiers Group

If you’re concerned that some of your employees may be experiencing problems due to gambling or to receive our free fact sheet, contact us at info@carolespiersgroup.com.

For more information on CSG’s nationwide network of fully trained counsellors, click herehttp://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/counselling.html

Carole Spiers is Motivational Speaker and founder of Carole Spiers Group, one of the UKs leading stress management consultancies, whose psychological insights have improved productivity for clients such as Sainsbury’s, Unilever, the Bank of England and many others. www.carolespiersgroup.com gives authoritative advice on both the human and the legal aspects of workplace stress, including workplace bullying, violence, post-trauma, redundancy, absenteeism and stalled negotiations.

Their publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. To sign up for their FREE stress management updates and stress tips – click http://tinyurl.com/zxbgo or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.com
or telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593

Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers Says ‘Employers Must Act Now To Prevent Gambling At Work Spiralling Out Of Control’

2007-02-10T13:53:00.000Z

If you are an employer it’s important to be on the lookout for any employees who may be developing a gambling habit, especially because – as with other forms of addiction – once established it can be far more difficult to break.

How Do You Know If You Have A Problem?

“Among the clearest indications of a serious gambling problem are borrowing money to gamble or pay off debts; any effort to conceal gambling (as this implies guilt that there is a problem); and the amount of leisure time devoted to gambling,” explains Business Stress Consultant Carole Spiers.

“Pre-internet, compulsive gamblers might have had poor attendance records due to their gambling, but it may now be necessary to look for subtler signs such as only having half their mind on their job; appearing withdrawn and less of a team player; secrecy; reduced productivity; irregular time-keeping or general capability issues.”

The importance of dealing with gambling before it takes hold is highlighted by research showing that by the time most compulsive gamblers seek help, they are hugely in debt and their family life is a shambles. Around 80% seriously consider suicide, and up to 20% attempt or succeed in killing themselves.

Three studies of Gamblers Anonymous members and others in treatment found that roughly two-thirds admitted to committing crimes or fraud to finance their gambling; while in another study, 47% of the Gamblers Anonymous members surveyed admitted to engaging in some form of insurance fraud, embezzlement or arson.

The Solution From The Carole Spiers Group

To help employers deal with these issues, Carole Spiers Group operates a nationwide network of fully trained counsellors, capable of providing specialist advice on the best ways of tackling gambling addiction.

If you’re concerned that some of your employees may be experiencing problems due to gambling or to receive our free fact sheet, contact us at info@carolespiersgroup.com.

For more information on CSG’s nationwide network of fully trained counsellors, click here
http://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/counselling.html

Carole Spiers is Motivational Speaker and founder of Carole Spiers Group, one of the UKs leading stress management consultancies, whose psychological insights have improved productivity for clients such as Sainsbury’s, Unilever, the Bank of England and many others. www.carolespiersgroup.com gives authoritative advice on both the human and the legal aspects of workplace stress, including workplace bullying, violence, post-trauma, redundancy, absenteeism and stalled negotiations.

Their publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. To sign up for their FREE stress management updates and stress tips – click http://tinyurl.com/zxbgo or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.com or telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593

Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers asks 'Are Any Of Your Employees In Danger Of Becoming Addicted To Gambling?”

2007-02-08T21:57:00.000Z

Online gambling 24 hours a day. EuroMillions jackpots in the tens of millions of pounds, and now the UK’s first “super-casino” in Manchester. Never before have there been so many opportunities – and incentives – for people to become seriously addicted to gambling.

According to the British Medical Association there are an estimated 300,000 ‘problem gamblers’ in the UK, and the BMA expects this figure to rise with September’s introduction of the Gambling Act 2005, which will lift entry restrictions on casinos and bingo halls, and permit TV advertising for casinos.

Gambling now has the potential to reach far more than those individuals who are currently classed as addicts. Research by Morse into the habits of office workers (January 2007), for example, found that one in three of these workers gamble at least once a week for at least 15 minutes during work time.

To help deal with these issues, Professor Mark Griffiths, co-author of the BMA report, has called for addiction services to be made available countrywide, and stated that money is needed for prevention campaigns.

Until such time as these resources are introduced (assuming they ever are), if you are an employer it’s important to be on the lookout for any employees who may be developing a gambling habit, especially because – as with other forms of addiction – once established it can be far more difficult to break.

“Unlike drug or alcohol addiction, there are no obvious physical signs of a compulsive gambler. Like other addicts, however, they will typically deny any problem until they hit rock bottom and are desperate for help,” explains Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers.

If you’re concerned that some of your employees may be experiencing problems due to gambling, contact us for our free fact sheet info@carolespiersgroup.com, or here http://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/counselling.html for more information on CSG’s nationwide network of fully trained counsellors.

Carole Spiers is a Motivational Speaker and founder of Carole Spiers Group, one of the UKs leading stress management consultancies, whose psychological insights have improved productivity for clients such as Sainsbury’s, Unilever, the Bank of England and many others. www.carolespiersgroup.com gives authoritative advice on both the human and the legal aspects of workplace stress, including workplace bullying, violence, post-trauma, redundancy, absenteeism and stalled negotiations.

Their publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. To sign up for their FREE stress management updates and stress tips – click http://tinyurl.com/zxbgo or for more information email info@carolespiersgroup.com
or telephone +44 (0) 29 8954 1593

Do you care?

2007-02-08T18:31:00.000Z

What sort of boss gives a monkey's about his staff?, Observer read.. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (work, stress) 06/02 14:01 What sort of boss gives a monkey's about his staff?, Observer 28 January 2007 The Observer reports on employee relations. It's all very well going green, but some companies seem keener about that than they are about their employees? Well can you believe this! Creating a healthy workplace culture is essential if you are to create a healthy balance sheet! Your employees ARE your most valuable resouce so think carefully before you cast them into the compost bin. www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk Can help you create and maintain a healthy workplace culture and hopefullyimprove your balance sheet!

Teaching Staff Stressed (from Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

2007-02-08T18:12:00.000Z

Teaching Staff Stressed (from Bradford Telegraph and Argus) If you are a teacher reading this article you may be interested to visit www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk to see what tips you can pick up to help you manage workplace stress. If stress has got a hold on you then workplace counselling may help you deal with the issues that are the root cause of your stress. Email info@carolespiersgroup.co.uk to find out more about our Nationwide counselling service or call 020 8954 1593 for an inform chat with Carole Spiers .

Intervention Can Cut Job Stress While Protecting The Heart And Bottom Line

2007-01-13T11:21:00.000Z

Intervention Can Cut Job Stress While Protecting The Heart And Bottom Line
Stress proofing your organisation is about protecting your investment! Organisations going through periods of change and instability can suppot their workforces by helping them to manage the stress that goes with organisational change. This article reinforces the need for organisations to carry out basic stress management training. Go www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk for more information on cutting workplace stress and creating a healthy workplace culture.

Brits 'most stressed out' in the world says new poll | the Daily Mail

2006-12-31T08:17:00.000Z

Brits 'most stressed out' in the world says new poll the Daily Mail
Dont' let stress get the better of you or your employees in 2007! Visit www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk to-day to see how we can support you and your employees with the management of stress. See our Train the Trainer packs at http://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/trainer.html and visit our workplace counselling page at:http://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/counselling.html. Remember, you can beat stress but you may need just a little help!

Best wishes for 2007

Christmas stress busting tips

2006-12-20T10:14:00.000Z

Top 12 festive stress-busters:

Plan the festive season well in advance - especially the cooking.
Try not to leave everything to the last moment. The holiday should be fun - not a trial.
Make a list of gifts you want to buy, and get the satisfaction of ticking them off as you go. Be sensible with your presents and don't get carried away.
Wrap the presents as you buy them, rather than leaving them all until the last minute
If you hate all the bustle and queuing, try shopping out of hours when shops are open late, or take advantage of the opportunities for shopping on the internet. Focus on the pleasure your gifts will bring, rather than the hassle of buying them.
Make some time for yourself over the holiday. Read a book you've been meaning to read, or buy a relaxation tape, switch off from the festive atmosphere and think about your body and mind.
At least once a day, think about all the good things in your life, instead of the 'not so good'.hold that thought for the day and you may even catch yourself smiling!
Make time for other people. Visit an elderly relative or the person next door, track down a long-lost friend, or give up some time to help a charity or your local community. They will benefit - and so will you.
If you're feeling lonely, make a phone call to a friend or even someone you don't know (such as the Samaritans who are on call 24 hours a day).
With the pressures of the materialistic society, remember that the best things in life are free. The scent of frost on a December morning ... the smoke from a log fire ... a walk in the park as the light fails ...
Cherish the time for reconnecting with your family and friends.
Don't magnify your problems by thinking that everyone else is having a better time than you are. The chances are they are not!

Best wishes for the festive season from all at The Carole Spiers Group - www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk Telephone: 0208 954 1593

Mind over matter | Office hours | Jobs Editorial

2006-12-11T10:42:00.000Z

Mind over matter Office hours Jobs Editorial
Workplace stress is known to create mental health problems and in this article David Batty explains that employers are not always equipped to deal with this scenario. The Carole Spiers Group specialises in supporting employees suffering from work related stress. CSG's nationwide network of employee counsellors have supported many employers and employees in dealing with the demon stress and have ensured that absence from work is kept to a minimum and employees are fully supported through periods of stress and trauma. For more information on CSG's services go to www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk or call 020 8954 1593 to discuss your workplace stress issues

Israel21c

2006-12-11T09:52:00.000Z

Israel21c
Stress burnout has been around for a few years but the full implications of the long term effect on individuals has not been fully appreciated. Read the linked article to appreciate the potential harm burnout can do and then go to www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk to see what training and support services are available for stressed out employees. With the help of CSG workplace counselling services and early intervention stress awareness programmes you can insure that your employees do not succumb to workplace stress and related ill health.

Hexham Courant Gold Online

2006-11-30T07:51:00.000Z

Hexham Courant Gold OnlineWorkplace bullying is on the increase. Read the facts in this article and then go to http://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/bullying.html to see how we can help your organisation can best manage Workplace Bullying

Be rehearsed for the worst. Listen to Carole Spiers on Post-trauma.

2006-11-21T08:34:00.000Z

Perhaps you’re one of the few left who haven’t heard that I’m addressing the Middle East Safety Management Congress on my subject ‘Evaluating Rapid Response and Post-trauma Support’.

Or should I say, ‘one of my subjects’.

You see, I’m an international stress guru and founder of the Carole Spiers Group, provider of solutions to blue-chip business all over the world for twenty years.

So I’m able to see traumatic incidents from a world perspective. And I’m also able to see Post-trauma counselling and training in the wider context of workplace stress management generally.

As you’ll see on our website www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk, our expertise extends across many other vital areas such as absenteeism, anger management, redundancy, bullying, resiliency and mediation. On any or all of these problems, you can utilise our services in the form of counselling, training or consultancy. And the quality of our client-list across industry, government and the professions speaks for itself.

For further information on Post Trauma before you commit yourself to any spending, you can benefit from our FREE Special Report on Post Trauma Support and Management, which outlines the strategies and tools you need. Click here to receive it - http://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/subscribereports.html

Or our low-cost popular e-book ‘The Silent Scream’, for distribution to any number of your executives. Dowload it instantly here http://www.carolespiers.com/productdetail.cfm?ProductID=23

But back to the present moment, and my visit to Dubai.

In case you are one of the few who don’t know I’m speaking at the Safety Management Conference, you’ll be glad to know we’ve got a few tickets left (just for you!) - at the time of posting, that is. The conference takes place at the Metropolitan Palace Hotel, Dubai 26 – 30th November.

We already know it’s going to be quite an audience. Partly because of topicality - the sadly increasing risk of your having to cope with a traumatic incident. But also because Carole Spiers Group represents your best hope of damage limitation, both in the short term (Continuity Planning) and the long term (Psychological Debriefing).

So come and hear me giving you my insights on this important management intervention.

And be better prepared for the trauma that we all hope won’t happen.

www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk
cs@carolespiers.co.uk

‘Trauma Strikes When It Likes’, says Carole Spiers

2006-11-20T18:52:00.000Z

Of course, nothing can prepare you for the shock of that bomb outrage or arson attack when it happens.

But you can be trained to get you and your colleagues over the shock quickly and into certain constructive drills that will impact on your performance, both in the short and the long term.

How do I know ? Because as founder of one of the world’s top stress management groups, I’ve spent twenty years working for blue-chip business all over the world, supplying the three key inputs for Post-trauma - counselling/debriefing, training and consultancy.

Our researches are so extensive, they could fill a book - which we’ve done regularly - but they can be divided naturally into two sections. One is the immediate action for getting your human and material resources back in operation (Continuity Planning), and the other is the long-term monitoring and diagnosis of trauma-related effects (Psychological debriefing).

These are two parts of the unique Post-trauma Support Model, used as a standard reference-point all over the world in this important yet still largely unfamiliar area of management responsibility.
For further information before you commit yourself to any spending, you can benefit from our FREE Special Report on Post Trauma Support and Management, which outlines the strategies and tools you need. http://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/subscribereports.html

Or our low-cost e-book ‘The Silent Scream’, for distribution to any number of your executives. Instantly download it here - http://www.carolespiers.com/productdetail.cfm?ProductID=23

So - is Post-trauma still unfamiliar to you? Are you going to be caught unprepared if a traumatic incident happens to strike in your backyard?

Well, this week, you’ve got a prime opportunity to explore the subject in the convenient location of the Metropolitan Palace Hotel in Dubai where I - Carole Spiers in person - will be speaking on ‘Evaluating Rapid Response and Post-trauma Support’ at the Middle East Safety Management Congress, on 29th November organised by IIR Middle East (www.iirme.com).

Still a few seats left if you’re quick.

So - see you there.

Carole Spiers
www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk
cs@carolespiers.co.uk

GNN - Government News Network

2006-11-09T04:54:00.000Z

GNN - Government News Network
According to the HSC 2.7million working days were lost in London due to injury and ill health in 2004-5. Stress, depression, anxiety and Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) were by far the most common causes of absence. Read this article and then consider: "Is your organisation doing enough to create a healthy workplace culture?" Carole Spiers, MD www.carolespiersgroup.com believes that employers need to engage in a dialogue with employees to address issues such as stress, workplace bullying and harassment and violence at work. "A healthy corporate culture enables organisations to achieve sustainable success" says motivational speaker Spiers

One in five employees experiences bullying or harassment - 24/10/2006 - Personnel Today

2006-11-09T04:09:00.000Z

One in five employees experiences bullying or harassment - 24/10/2006 - Personnel Today
Workplace bullying has become a canker in some organisations impacting on absenteeism and productivity. Carole Spiers MD of Carole Spiers Group www.carolespiersgroup.com recommends that employers take note of the statistics contained in this article featured in Personnel Today. Employers need to be aware of the warning signs of workplace bullying and have policy and precedures in place to manage it.

HR needs to convince boards that wellbeing really matters - 17/10/2006 - Personnel Today

2006-10-22T19:08:00.000+01:00

HR needs to convince boards that wellbeing really matters - 17/10/2006 - Personnel Today

Carole Spiers has been convincing boards that wellbeing really does matter for 20 years now. Spiers says that a healthy workplace culture where employee wellbeing is the number one priority brings with it the reward of sustained success. For a motivational presentation on employee wellbeing visit www.carolespiersgroup.com

Beating the bullies - 9 October 2006

2006-10-14T03:24:00.000+01:00

Beating the bullies - 9 October 2006 Is your organisation taking workplace bullying issues seriously? Carole Spiers MD of the Carole Spiers Group - www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk believes you should. Workplace bullying is one of the main causes of workplace stress and leads to an unhealthy workplace culture that is not conducive to High productivity and employee morale. This article out lines why from a legal perspective all organisations should take the issue of workplace bullying seriously.

Issue of the week: stress - Newspaper Edition - Times Online

2006-09-19T12:51:00.000+01:00

Issue of the week: stress - Newspaper Edition - Times Online
Workplace stress is a canker that is spreading through many organisations not just the public sector says Carole Spiers Occupational Stress Consultant. Action is needed now to to challenge stressful workplace practices and develop a healthy workplace culture. Go to www.carolespiersgroup.com for more information on taking positive action to manage stress related issues in your organisation

Make your company a healthier place to work - Newspaper Edition - Times Online

2006-09-18T13:29:00.000+01:00

Make your company a healthier place to work - Newspaper Edition - Times Online

A healthy workplace culture is essential if your organisation is to achieve success says Carole Spiers, Personal Empowerment Guru. This article adds weight to her point. Contact Carole for professional comment on 020 8954 1593

Essential reading for all employers. Workplace bullying is a canker that is costing commerce and industry millions of pounds in lost time.

2006-07-27T15:35:00.000+01:00

The UK’s four million small firms are being urged to urgently review their policy on workplace bullying following a landmark ruling in the House of Lords.

Business pressure group the Forum of Private Business (FPB), and its employment law partner law firm Mace & Jones, warned that the decision opened a new channel for bullying claims under anti-harassment laws. From now on employers can be held liable for workplace bullying by their employees.

FPB spokesman and Mace & Jones Head of Employment Law Martin Edwards said even if there is no claim of discrimination or constructive dismissal, employees can now hold their employers liable for bullying at work. "The judgement enables people to sue the employers of bullies under the Protection of Harassment Act,’ he said.

“The Act was brought in to criminalise ’stalking’ and until recently it was not widely recognised that claims could be brought under the act by employees bullied at work. The decision also exposes employers to claims by third parties who are bullied by employees of the company. The message for employers is to update their anti-bullying policies - and ensure they are implemented effectively.”

Could Your Mobile Actually Be Slowing You Down?

2006-07-05T23:33:00.000+01:00

Time Management means questioning every assumption and thinking the unthinkable...

The miracle of the mobile phone!

How we celebrated this new liberating influence in our lives - business and social. Doing deals on the hoof. Cutting out formal meetings. No more waiting around for calls. Arranging little parties on a whim…

It looked like a whole new culture of high-speed living and working - cutting a thousand unnecessary corners, speeding and streamlining executive dialogue, and generally getting a whole lot more done.

Well, let’s agree that it’s certainly made a quantum difference. But not in the way we expected. For this great liberator has also had the effect of enslaving us, so that we can never avoid its demands at any time. (Try ignoring that flashing message from your biggest client, even if it’s midnight.) And as for more efficient dialogue, well, take the classic case of noise pollution via mobiles…

“I’m on the train…”
Rail journeys are now a downright embarrassment, with everybody’s inner thoughts suddenly being played-out at full volume, indeed often louder than necessary, you notice, as though in protest at decent manners and respect for peace and quiet.

Irritating enough is the ordinary social and family chit-chat. Almost unbearable, however, is the so-called urgent business talk, often dragging out to the full length of the journey, leaving you earnestly praying that the next stop will be his.

You have only to listen to a minute or two of this scrambled dialogue to see that it is unnecessary.

It stems partly from a snob-reflex, dating from when mobiles were new, reflecting high status on the speaker; and partly from a childish urge to ‘play soldiers’, generating an artificial sense of heroic emergency action.

In other words, it has no rational basis at all, and any transcript of the conversation would read like pure nonsense. The messages and meanings would be better conveyed in a single itemised e-mail at the end of the journey - and his time would be better spent privately (and silently!) composing it.

This little cameo of an everyday business situation should cause you to ‘think the unthinkable’ about mobiles.

And this is all part of Time Management, which has a lot to do with questioning common assumptions about the effective use of our time.

The true and false dynamics of urgency at work

Not surprisingly, www.carolespiers.com places a good deal of emphasis on Time Management as part of your personal journey towards that First-class Ticket through life.

Carole’s Time Management philosophy is clearly reflected in the best-selling manual by her colleague John Perry, a University Senior Lecturer in Psychology.

Titled ‘Hurry Hurry - the True and False Dynamics of Urgency at Work’, this downloadable e-book is widely used at Carole’s own executive training sessions for blue-chip corporate clients. Among the issues you are invited to question are these :

How we manage our time…

· “Not enough hours in the day!”
But not all hours are equal. 80% of key tasks are often performed in 20% of the available time. Limit your availability. Delegate for time-efficiency.
· The Paper Tide
Ration paperwork ruthlessly. Bin what you can. Cut corners by phone. Even colour-coded folders and see-thru files can save crucial time.
· The art of prioritising
Amazingly, you can save up to 10 hours a week by keeping a Time Log, charting the progress of key agendas and rating your daily performance.

How our time manages us…

· The Interruption factor
The average manager gets interrupted every 8 minutes. It’s something you can’t schedule - but there are practical ways to cut the chat.
· How Meetings squander time
Everything from latecomers to attention-seekers or just an unclear agenda. Make sure it’s necessary, then keep it brisk and businesslike.
· Logging the time-waster elements
List everything that tends to hold you up - desk clutter, drop-in visitors, long-winded talk, confusion of roles, false alarms - and tackle them.

To download this valuable aid to empowerment and self-development, http://www.carolespiers.com/productdetail.cfm?ProductID=24

www.eurohs.eu.com

2006-04-06T17:45:00.000+01:00

http://www.eurohs.eu.com/front-end/news-full.php?id=5385 is stress related absence causing your business to underperform? Employee wellbeing is essential if you want your business to be successful. Read CMI report keyfindings here

Guardian Unlimited Money | News_ | Stressed-out bosses suffer in silence as long-hours culture takes its toll

2006-03-29T17:30:00.000+01:00

Does your organisation have a healthy workplace culture? Read what the long hours culture is doing to employees in this countryGuardian Unlimited Money News_ Stressed-out bosses suffer in silence as long-hours culture takes its toll

Welcome to Broadcast Freelancer - TV freelancer Jobs, news, training & career advice

2006-03-29T17:23:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Broadcast Freelancer - TV freelancer Jobs, news, training & career advice
Are you being bullied at work? Workplace bullying is costing UK employers 12 billion a year. Take the online survey now.

CNN.com - Five warning signs of job burnout - Mar 15, 2006

2006-03-17T18:26:00.000Z

CNN.com - Five warning signs of job burnout - Mar 15, 2006

If you think you may be suffering from an overdose of workplace stress then please do read this very good article

www.eurohs.eu.com

2006-03-09T13:36:00.000Z

http://www.eurohs.eu.com/front-end/news-full.php?id=5241
What do you consider as a treat to your health? This article highlights that Brits believe Stress and polution are the biggest threats.

Nursing Times News - daily online clinical news

2006-03-01T10:26:00.000Z

Nursing Times News - daily online clinical news

Is stress damaging your health. This article explains how stress may impact on your health

Jobs Editorial | Jobsadvice default | Too much to bear

2006-03-01T10:22:00.000Z

Jobs Editorial Jobsadvice default Too much to bear

Stress is a major cause of absence. Ill helth retirement due to stress related absence costs companies dearly. Read on to appreciate how workplace stress can damage your company profits

Employers get tough on workplace bullying

2006-02-28T15:46:00.000Z

Employers get tough on workplace bullying

Employers need to get tough with workplace bullying. This report highlights the scale of the problem

Employers urged to stamp out bullying

2006-02-19T14:33:00.000Z

Employers urged to stamp out bullying

Bullying is alive and well in UK plc. Read on to see how business is at home and abroad needs to tackle workplace bullying

Deputy prime minister told to act to end staff harassment

2006-02-02T08:39:00.000Z

Deputy prime minister told to act to end staff harassment
Put your department in order now! Stop workplace bullying and harassment. Contact Carole Spiers for confidential help and support

The �12billion annual cost of worker absence: News from Health and Safety Executive

2006-02-01T15:34:00.000Z

The �12billion annual cost of worker absence: News from Health and Safety Executive
Is stress causing your company lost days? The cost of absence has been set out by Lord Hunt. Seek help with stress related absence now

BBC NEWS | Health | IT stresses 'driving UK to drink'

2006-01-24T17:26:00.000Z

BBC NEWS Health IT stresses 'driving UK to drink'

Is stress driving you to drink? The charity DPP has some interesting research on the subject.

News, views for women on fashion, health, life Times Online

2006-01-23T21:05:00.000Z

News, views for women on fashion, health, life Times Online

Reduce your stress now! Seek immediate stress relief now. See how stress may damage your health

Business News - Leeds Today: News, Sport, Jobs, Property, Cars, Entertainments & More

2006-01-18T11:29:00.000Z

Business News - Leeds Today: News, Sport, Jobs, Property, Cars, Entertainments & More

Time to dust off those workplace bullying policies and procedures. See what is being said about workplace bullying.

Leicestershire workers are turning to drink and cigarettes to deal with the stresses of modern life.

2006-01-17T13:29:00.000Z

Leicestershire workers are turning to drink and cigarettes to deal with the stresses of modern life.
Dont turn to drink when you are stressed. look instead for stress relief tips and stress busting techniques

Wired-GOV: Requested Article

2006-01-17T13:19:00.000Z

Wired-GOV: Requested Article
See how oneNHS Trust is getting to grips with Workplace bullying. Workplace bullying and harassment is a real live issue and one of concern to businesses.

icHounslow - Third of men drink to reduce stress

2006-01-12T17:56:00.000Z

icHounslow - Third of men drink to reduce stress

Fact or fiction ?Alcohol reduces stress! read on to find out

icHounslow - NHS urged to clamp down on bullying

2006-01-12T17:53:00.000Z

icHounslow - NHS urged to clamp down on bullying

Does your organsation tolerate workplace bullying? Do you have policies and procedures in place to manage Workplace bullying and harassment? See how the NHS tackles these problems.

The Scotsman - S2 Monday - Stressed? You've never had it so good

2006-01-10T11:54:00.000Z

The Scotsman - S2 Monday - Stressed? You've never had it so good

The debate over stress continues! The bottom line however is that stress costs companies millions of pounds a year. "To retain the competitive edge your organisation cannot afford to ignore stress" says International Stress Consultant Carole Spiers. Organisations that create a healthy working culture and value their human resoursces will have the edge over their competitors.

www.eurohs.eu.com

2006-01-07T19:31:00.000Z

http://www.eurohs.eu.com/front-end/news-full.php?id=4998

Foregoing your holiday entitlement does you no favours and does not help your employer! holidays are a time for stress busting and recharging batteries. Holidays provide much needed stress relief and employers shouls ensure that employees take essential breaks.

�50,000 award for teacher over stress at work - The Herald

2005-12-30T11:20:00.000Z

�50,000 award for teacher over stress at work - The Herald: "NEWS - IN THIS SECTION RELATED ARTICLES NEXT ITEM

�50,000 award for teacher over stress at work

ANDREW DENHOLM, Education CorrespondentDecember 29 2005

It pays to tackle workplace stress before it costs your organisation hard earned cash.

Weather
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A TEACHER has won �50,000 compensation after suffering work-related stress in a landmark case which unions believe could trigger hundreds of similar claims.
The pay-out, believed to be the largest of its kind in Scotland, came after a protracted battle between teaching unions and a local authority over the teacher's workload.
Although no details were released, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said the council which employed the teacher was 'consistently unsympathetic' to the pressures o"

BBC NEWS | England | Cumbria | Council tackles workplace bullies

2005-12-30T11:16:00.000Z

BBC NEWS England Cumbria Council tackles workplace bullies
Workplace bullying is in the news again! Make 2006 the year that you tackle bullying and harassment in your organisation.

Is Job Stress Different In Small And Medium Sized Enterprises? Have Your Say

2005-12-29T10:43:00.000Z

Is Job Stress Different In Small And Medium Sized Enterprises? Have Your Say
Not sure what a risk assessment for stress is? Not sure if you need to condust a stress audit? This article will help you decide.

What is stress?

2005-12-29T10:40:00.000Z

What is stress?
Is it Stress? Can it harm me? How can I manage my stress? Find the answers in this article

Long hours ruling may open the floodgates for stress claims

2005-12-29T10:34:00.000Z

Long hours ruling may open the floodgates for stress claims
Stress related absences are on the increase and the long hours culture fuels that number of absences."Stress managemsnt and absence management must be a priority for 2006" says Carole Spiers keynote presenter in issues related to workplace stress.

Don't bury head in the sand over stress

2005-12-14T15:34:00.000Z

Don't bury head in the sand over stress
Stress management should be top of the agenda for 2006! This article highlights why organisations should tackle stress as a priority.

News & Star

2005-12-13T20:33:00.000Z

News & Star

Bullying and harassment are workplace issues that have to be managed. Would you recognise bullying in your organisation??

icScotland - Festive stress hits workers

2005-12-13T20:31:00.000Z

icScotland - Festive stress hits workers

Make sure that festive stress does not leave you burnt out!

icWales - Policy move on NHS bullying

2005-12-13T20:29:00.000Z

icWales - Policy move on NHS bullying

have you got a respect and dignity at work policy? Is your organisation working to eradicate workplace bullying and harassment? Read what a welsh NHS Trust has done.

Why is public sector sickness absence worse than the private sector?

2005-12-01T20:07:00.000Z

Why is public sector sickness absence worse than the private sector?

Public sector employer? are you managing your absenteeism correctly?

PM Online : Anti-bullying schemes 'are not enough'

2005-12-01T20:05:00.000Z

PM Online : Anti-bullying schemes 'are not enough'
How does your organisation manage workplace bulling? Anti bullying schemes are not enough

Flexible Working Cuts Time Staff Take Off Sick (from Guardian Series)

2005-11-29T08:13:00.000Z

Flexible Working Cuts Time Staff Take Off Sick (from Guardian Series)
Absenteeism costs organisations on average �476 per employee per year. Much absence is stress related and it makes good business sense to support stress reduction techniques and educate staff about how to manage pressure.

News & Star

2005-11-29T08:09:00.000Z

News & Star
Workplace stress is causing concern in Cumbria. this report from Cumbria empasises the need for stress reduction measures within education

www.eurohs.eu.com

2005-11-22T09:15:00.000Z

www.eurohs.eu.com
Workplace bullying is a known cause of work related stress and subsequent absence from work. Tackling bullying and harrassment can reduce the cost of absenteeism.

The Cumberland News

2005-11-22T08:55:00.000Z

The Cumberland News
if you suspect you have bullying in your organisation then read this article. Workplace bullying needs managing now!

Unhappy workers face emotional burn-out | the Mail on Sunday

2005-11-21T12:34:00.000Z

Unhappy workers face emotional burn-out | the Mail on Sunday
If you are are suffering from stress and emotional burnout then this article is for you

PMLive.com - Pharmaceutical Marketing - information for the UK and international pharmaceutical industry

2005-11-21T12:12:00.000Z

PMLive.com - Pharmaceutical Marketing - information for the UK and international pharmaceutical industry
Are you prepared for the unexpected? This article by Carole Spiers looks at the human side of business continuity planning and how to manage ptsd

Belfast Telegraph

2005-11-11T12:26:00.000Z

Belfast TelegraphThis article highlights the need for support when dealing with post traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)

Media bullies under the spotlight

2005-11-11T12:21:00.000Z

Media bullies under the spotlight
Is workplace bullying costing your organisation money? This article sheds more light on the subject.

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Commuters 'suffer long-term bombings stress'

2005-11-02T07:49:00.000Z

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Commuters 'suffer long-term bombings stress'
Post traumatic stress counselling and critical incident debriefing are all important for the victims of urban terror attacks and violent incidents. This article throughs more light on exactly why we need to plan for the future.

UK plc can't afford to ignore the bullies

2005-11-01T10:50:00.000Z

UK plc can't afford to ignore the bullies

Make bullying in your organisation an unacceptable practice. train managers to recognise and deal with workplace bullying

Fear of confronting bullies is driven from the top

2005-11-01T10:44:00.000Z

Fear of confronting bullies is driven from the top

Bring workplace bullying to the top of your agenda on Monday 7th November - designated Ban Bullying at Work Day

ManchesterOnline - Health and Beauty - News

2005-10-27T11:29:00.000+01:00

ManchesterOnline - Health and Beauty - News
Stress and sleepness nights go together. Take a look at stress reduction techniques and instant stress relief and resore your sleep patterns

BBC NEWS | Business | Bullying 'costs UK �1.3m a year'

2005-10-27T11:26:00.000+01:00

BBC NEWS | Business | Bullying 'costs UK �1.3m a year'
Spearheaded by The Andrea Adams Trust, Ban Bullying At Work day takes place on 7th November 2005. Call 02089541593 for more information on an issue that is costing industry in lost productivily and absenteeism.

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Sick and stigmatised

2005-10-18T07:34:00.000+01:00

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Sick and stigmatised
Stress relief and stress reduction cannot be gained from sitting in front
of the TV. TV is a stress inducing activity and time is better spent exercising the body and the mind in the outdoors.

ShropshireStar.com - Features - Business - Article - Dealing with stress

2005-10-13T03:28:00.000+01:00

ShropshireStar.com - Features - Business - Article - Dealing with stress
Workplace stress is an issue that is costing organisations dearly. Stress reduction and stress relief tips abound. National Stress Awareness Day on 2nd November 2005 will seek to educate employers on how they can best reduce workplace stress and improve company performance.

Telegraph | Money | Why workplace stress is no surprise

2005-10-07T21:06:00.000+01:00

Telegraph | Money | Why workplace stress is no surprise

Workplace stress does exist and it is harming organisations and costing them millions of pounds in lost productivity,low morale and absenteeism. It is time reduce stress and improve productivity!!

Labour Relations Agency

2005-10-07T21:02:00.000+01:00

Labour Relations Agency
Carole Spiers Group supports Ban Bullying at Work day on 7th November 2005 and hopes that other organisations will too. Spearheaded by Andrea Adams Trust Workplace Bullying Charity the day aims to highlight the damage that workplace bullying does to organisations and the individuals that fall victim to this unacceptable behaviour.

ITN - A quarter 'too scared' to take lunch break

2005-09-27T11:09:00.000+01:00

ITN - A quarter 'too scared' to take lunch break

Stress and bullying are endemic in the workplace. It is time for UK plc to stop playing lip service to these serious issues and look at how they can best reduce workplace stress and eliminate workplace bullying

Edinburgh Evening News - Opinion - It's a real battle to take on the bullies

2005-09-27T11:03:00.000+01:00

Edinburgh Evening News - Opinion - It's a real battle to take on the bullies
Workplace bullying is being exposed! November 7th is ban Bulling at Work day. Indormation available from Andrea Adams Trust who are spearheading the day

Third of directors fall victim to bullying

2005-09-16T08:17:00.000+01:00

Telegraph | Money | Third of directors fall victim to bullying
Workplace Bullying is alive and well in the boardroom so says this interesting article. Ban Bullying at Work is set for 7th November 2005. Spearheaded by the Andrea Adams Trust, it is hoped that media coverage will raise awarenes on the serious effects that bullying has on employees and comanies alike

Are You Being Bullied

2005-09-12T22:25:00.000+01:00

Synopsis
According to the results of a study presented at the annual conference of the British Psychological Society in April 2005, more than one in eight people admit to being bullied at work, and ganging up against the boss - often a middle manager - is on the increase. But what are ‘bullying behaviours’, and how can you tell if you yourself are being bullied? Leading stress management guru Carole Spiers provides the answers.

Are you being bullied?
According to the results of a study presented at the annual conference of the British Psychological Society in April 2005, more than one in eight people admit to being bullied at work, and ganging up against the boss - often a middle manager - is on the increase. But what are ‘bullying behaviours’, and how can you tell if you yourself are being bullied?

According to the trade union AMICUS in their publication ’Bullying at work: How to tackle it’, the type of workplaces where bullying is more prevalent are those where one or more of the following factors exist:
• An extremely competitive environment
• Fear of redundancy or downsizing
• Fear for one’s position of employment
• A culture of promoting oneself by putting colleagues down
• Envy among colleagues
• An authoritarian style of management and supervision
• Frequent organisational change and uncertainty
• Little or no participation in issues affecting the workplace
• Lack of training
• De-skilling
• No respect for others and/or appreciation of their views
• Poor working relationships in general
• No clear published and accepted codes of conduct
• Excessive workloads and demands on people
• Impossible targets or deadlines
• No procedures or policies for resolving problems

Being bullied is an isolating experience. It tends not to be openly discussed in case this increases the risk of further ill-treatment, and because the ‘target’ often feels ashamed to discuss it with colleagues in case their professional credibility is called into question. Even the mildest form of intimidation may be very disturbing, and, as this intensifies over time, the effect on the victim can be severe.

Early warning signs of being bullied include:
• ‘This relationship is different to anything I’ve experienced before’
• ‘I’m persistently got at for no good reason’
• ‘My work is forever being criticised, even though I know my standards haven’t slipped’
• ‘I’m beginning to question my own ability’
• ‘I wonder if all these mistakes are really my own fault’
• ‘My supervisor is overbearing and constantly rude’
• ‘My boss is constantly ridiculing me in front of my team’
• ‘I don’t want to go into work anymore. It’s making me ill’

It’s not unusual to hear complaints from individuals that their professional competence has been called into question by their colleagues or managers. These attacks might be overt actions such as a public ‘dressing down’ for work errors, or covert behaviour such as circulating rumours or gossip that appear to question an individual’s ability. One difficult area is where this includes ‘non-action’ - for example not giving acknowledgement and/or approval for a good piece of work, or not asking for an opinion from the person who is clearly best qualified to provide that input. These areas are also very difficult for the targets of bullying to raise, as they question their own validity.

Examples of bullying behaviour
Bullies will typically:
• Make life at work constantly difficult for their targets
• Make unreasonable demands: constantly criticising
• Insist that their way of carrying out tasks is the only way
• Shout at victims, publicly, in order to get things done
• Give instructions and then subsequently change them for no apparent reason
• Allocate tasks which they know the person is incapable of achieving
• Refuse to delegate when appropriate
• Humiliate their targets in front of others
• Block promotion, refuse to give fair appraisals or refuse to endorse pay increases or bonus awards
• Exclude the victim from meetings or other legitimate business activities
• Constantly make attacks on the professionalism or personal qualities of their targets

Personal attacks
In addition to attacking a person’s work role, bullying behaviour may also include actions and statements that are intended to undermine them personally, for example where someone has an interest that is easy to ridicule; or by making comments related to physical characteristics such as their height, weight, clothes or hairstyle – all of which are clearly inappropriate in a work environment and can undermine the person’s standing at work.

Isolation
Social isolation and its effects should not be underestimated. It is reminiscent of the playground and can be just as miserable and humiliating for adults as it is for children (if not more so as it can jeopardise their livelihood). Enforced social isolation of an individual within a group also requires enormous courage for any one group member to break ranks with their ‘bullying’ colleagues and risk the consequent ridicule and rejection. Once these situations happen, for whatever reason, they are typically very hard to stop.

Overwork
Overwork, in a bullying sense, involves the imposition of highly unrealistic deadlines where people are effectively deliberately ‘set up’ to fail. This may also appear as ‘micro management’, where every dot and comma, bolt, nut and screw is checked so often that incompetence or inability is deliberately implied.

Bullying by subordinates
Bullying by subordinates can take many forms such as not delivering messages, hiding notes, changing documents, excluding people from social groups, or not delivering papers for meetings on time – all of which are designed to make the bullied manager seem incompetent.

Destabilisation
People who are deliberately ‘destabilised’ feel that they have lost control over their work environment and, as a result, have ceased to be able to carry out their duties in a relaxed manner without being threatened. Instead they live from day to day as they fight to regain a position of normality, often unsuccessfully.

Workplace behaviour such as obvious inconsistencies in the allocation of rewards, unequal enforcement of working standards, withholding privileges, changing objectives without warning, or breaking agreements, also invariably leads to extreme discomfort for the individual(s) concerned.

So to summarise, bullying behaviour includes overt action such as yelling and shouting; covert action such as rumour and gossip; non-action such as deliberately failing to include individuals in discussions; or a more general inaction that adversely impacts on the victim’s situation (or security) at work – all of which can be extremely distressing for the individual(s) involved, and counterproductive for their employer.

About The Author

Carole Spiers combines three roles of broadcaster, journalist and corporate manager in the challenging field of stress management and employee wellbeing.

With 20 years as a top industry guru on stress management and wellbeing, Carole’s energy and dynamism extends to providing professional comment to media including television (BBC, ITV, Sky, NBC, CNN), print (Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, trade and professional journals) and countless radio interviews.

A successful entrepreneur herself, Carole is the founder and MD of the Carole Spiers Group – a dynamic, niche consultancy, and the UK’s No. 1 provider of Stress Management and Employee Wellbeing from the shop floor to the Boardroom

A former Chairperson of the International Stress Management AssociationUK, Carole was instrumental in establishing National Stress Awareness Day™. Carole acts as an Expert Witness on Stress Risk Assessment before the Courts, and is the author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’.

Further information

Contact us to receive our FREE Special report ‘The Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions About Stress’ please email sb@carolespiersgroup.com

For more information on CSG’S services, including in-house and public training, stress policy, stress audit, risk assessment, attendance management, rehabilitation support, post trauma support, mediation, impartial investigations, expert witness, nationwide employee counselling team, coaching and mentoring services, please contact us:

Carole Spiers Group
International Stress Management & Employee Wellbeing Consultancy
Gordon House, 83-85 Gordon Ave, Stanmore, Middlesex. HA7 3QR
Tel: +44(0) 20 8954 1593 Fax: +44(0) 20 8907 9290
Email: info@carolespiersgroup.com www.carolespiersgroup.com

All You Need To Know About Work Related Stress

2005-09-12T22:20:00.000+01:00

November 2004’s publication of the Health and Safety Executive’s new Management Standards for work-related stress has focused the minds of many organisations on this increasingly serious workplace hazard. But what are the differences between pressure and stress? What are the telltale signs and symptoms? What’s the current legal position? And what role should managers be playing in helping to combat work-related stress? Leading stress management guru Carole Spiers provides the answers.

All you need to know about work-related stress
November 2004’s publication of the Health and Safety Executive’s new Management Standards for work-related stress has focused the minds of many organisations on this increasingly serious workplace hazard. But what are the differences between pressure and stress? What are the telltale signs and symptoms? What’s the current legal position? And what role should managers be playing in helping to combat work-related stress?

Pressure or stress?
Many people are confused about what stress is, and in particular the difference between pressure and stress:
• Pressure is the stimulation and challenge we need to achieve job satisfaction and self-esteem.
• Stress is a reaction to continued excessive pressure or responsibility when we feel inadequate and unable to cope.

Ever since prehistoric times, the ‘stress response’ has been a mechanism that our bodies have used to help us cope with danger. As soon as we’re aware that something is threatening us, our brain sends messages to our nervous system to either get ready to stand and fight, or run away. Unfortunately, whereas in Stone Age times we would usually have time to recover from the life or death encounters that triggered the response, in the modern world we’re confronted with a continuous stream of ‘stressors’ that our bodies perceive as threats, and react to accordingly.

Today, these could include financial pressures, fear of redundancy, overwork, deadline pressures or an important business presentation. The constant, ongoing pressure resulting from these stressors is different to the more immediate dangers that our stress response was designed to cope with. And it’s at the point at which our bodies cannot recover from these pressures that we can begin to experience stress.

The scale of the problem
According to the latest figures from the HSE:
• about half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress at a level they believe is making them ill
• up to 5 million people in the UK feel ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ stressed by their work
• work-related stress costs society about £3.7 billion every year (1995/6 prices)

Telltale signs and symptoms
Depending on the individual, stress can manifest itself in many different ways. The table provides a summary some of the most common physical, psychological and behavioural reactions.

Typical Stress Reactions
Physical Psychological Behavioural
Palpitations, awareness of heart beating, chest pains Mood swings Susceptibility to accidents
Diarrhoea, constipation, flatulence Panic attacks Changes in eating habits
Indigestion Morbid thoughts Increased smoking
Loss of libido Low self-esteem Restlessness, hyperactivity, foot tapping
Muscle tension Irritability Over-dependence on drugs and/or alcohol
Menstrual problems Feeling of helplessness Changes in sleep patterns
Tiredness Impatience Out of character behaviour
Breathlessness Anxiety Voluntary withdrawal from supportive relationships
Sweating Crying Disregard for personal appearance
Tightness in the chest Cynicism Loss of confidence

Skin and scalp irritation, eczema and psoriasis Withdrawal into daydreams Sullen attitude
Increased susceptibility to allergies Intrusive thoughts or images Clenched fists
Frequent colds, flu or other infections Nightmares Obsessive mannerisms
Rapid weight gain or loss Suicidal feelings Increased absence from work
Backache, neck pain Paranoid thinking Aggressiveness
Migraines and tension headaches Guilt Poor time management

The current legal position
As well as acting as an unnecessary drain on the economy, workplace stress is also the subject of increasing government legislation:
• Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act (1974) lays out the broad principles of an employer’s ‘duty of care’ to ensure, as far as reasonably possible, the health (including mental health), safety and welfare of all employees whilst at work, and to create safe and healthy working systems. This general duty of care includes pre-emptive action to prevent and control work-related stress.
• Many employers do not realise that since the publication of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations (1999), all organisations with five or more employees have also had a legal duty to conduct regular risk assessments of workplace hazards, including psychosocial hazards such as stress. These assessments should then be used to identify and either avoid or reduce such hazards.
• On 3 November 2004, the HSE published its new Management Standards for work-related stress - designed to help ensure that organisations address key aspects of workplace stress (or ‘risk factors’) including demands, control, support, relationships, role and change.
• While the Standards themselves do not impose a legal duty on organisations, breach of the applicable regulations could lead to criminal prosecution, or claims for compensation through the civil courts.

So what can managers do?
The Management Standards are all about highlighting potential areas of stress, and encouraging employers to take action to reduce these – with the goal of matching the performance of the top 20% of organisations that are already doing this. If you think your organisation may be experiencing problems due to workplace stress, it will therefore need to take a proactive approach to tackling it:
• Many organisations face deadline pressures or sudden changes in work demands, and employees need the necessary training and experience to meet the ever-increasing demands made on them. Examples include training in resilience, time management, communication skills, and - for managers in particular - stress awareness enabling them to recognise the early warning signs of stress in themselves and others.
• Where employees have been forced to take time away from work as a result of stress, their rehabilitation back to work needs to be carefully managed.
• For those employees who require specialist support, Employee Assistance Programmes and counselling services are a vital component in employee wellbeing.
• Training in communication (and particularly active listening) skills is essential to help ensure that managers are aware of their team members’ problems and in a position to offer early interventions to resolve these.

Ultimately, reducing workplace stress is largely a matter of common sense and good management practice, and simply requires employers and employees to work together for the common good. Both share a joint responsibility for reducing stress – which, when this is successful, can help employees to enjoy their work more, and businesses to thrive as a result.

About The Author
Carole Spiers combines three roles of broadcaster, journalist and corporate manager in the challenging field of stress management and employee wellbeing.

With 20 years as a top industry guru on stress management and wellbeing, Carole’s energy and dynamism extends to providing professional comment to media including television (BBC, ITV, Sky, NBC, CNN), print (Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, trade and professional journals) and countless radio interviews.

A successful entrepreneur herself, Carole is the founder and MD of the Carole Spiers Group – a dynamic, niche consultancy, and the UK’s No. 1 provider of Stress Management and Employee Wellbeing from the shop floor to the Boardroom

A former Chairperson of the International Stress Management AssociationUK, Carole was instrumental in establishing National Stress Awareness Day™. Carole acts as an Expert Witness on Stress Risk Assessment before the Courts, and is the author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’.

Further information

Contact us to receive our FREE Special report ‘The Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions About Stress’ please email sb@carolespiersgroup.com

For more information on CSG’S services, including in-house and public training, stress policy, stress audit, risk assessment, attendance management, rehabilitation support, post trauma support, mediation, impartial investigations, expert witness, nationwide employee counselling team, coaching and mentoring services, please contact us:

Carole Spiers Group
International Stress Management & Employee Wellbeing Consultancy
Gordon House, 83-85 Gordon Ave, Stanmore, Middlesex. HA7 3QR
Tel: +44(0) 20 8954 1593 Fax: +44(0) 20 8907 9290
Email: info@carolespiersgroup.com www.carolespiersgroup.com

All You Need To Know About Work Related Stress

2005-09-12T22:18:00.000+01:00

Synopsis
November 2004’s publication of the Health and Safety Executive’s new Management Standards for work-related stress has focused the minds of many organisations on this increasingly serious workplace hazard. But what are the differences between pressure and stress? What are the telltale signs and symptoms? What’s the current legal position? And what role should managers be playing in helping to combat work-related stress? Leading stress management guru Carole Spiers provides the answers.

All you need to know about work-related stress
November 2004’s publication of the Health and Safety Executive’s new Management Standards for work-related stress has focused the minds of many organisations on this increasingly serious workplace hazard. But what are the differences between pressure and stress? What are the telltale signs and symptoms? What’s the current legal position? And what role should managers be playing in helping to combat work-related stress?

Pressure or stress?
Many people are confused about what stress is, and in particular the difference between pressure and stress:
• Pressure is the stimulation and challenge we need to achieve job satisfaction and self-esteem.
• Stress is a reaction to continued excessive pressure or responsibility when we feel inadequate and unable to cope.

Ever since prehistoric times, the ‘stress response’ has been a mechanism that our bodies have used to help us cope with danger. As soon as we’re aware that something is threatening us, our brain sends messages to our nervous system to either get ready to stand and fight, or run away. Unfortunately, whereas in Stone Age times we would usually have time to recover from the life or death encounters that triggered the response, in the modern world we’re confronted with a continuous stream of ‘stressors’ that our bodies perceive as threats, and react to accordingly.

Today, these could include financial pressures, fear of redundancy, overwork, deadline pressures or an important business presentation. The constant, ongoing pressure resulting from these stressors is different to the more immediate dangers that our stress response was designed to cope with. And it’s at the point at which our bodies cannot recover from these pressures that we can begin to experience stress.

The scale of the problem
According to the latest figures from the HSE:
• about half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress at a level they believe is making them ill
• up to 5 million people in the UK feel ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ stressed by their work
• work-related stress costs society about £3.7 billion every year (1995/6 prices)

Telltale signs and symptoms
Depending on the individual, stress can manifest itself in many different ways. The table provides a summary some of the most common physical, psychological and behavioural reactions.

Typical Stress Reactions
Physical Psychological Behavioural
Palpitations, awareness of heart beating, chest pains Mood swings Susceptibility to accidents
Diarrhoea, constipation, flatulence Panic attacks Changes in eating habits
Indigestion Morbid thoughts Increased smoking
Loss of libido Low self-esteem Restlessness, hyperactivity, foot tapping
Muscle tension Irritability Over-dependence on drugs and/or alcohol
Menstrual problems Feeling of helplessness Changes in sleep patterns
Tiredness Impatience Out of character behaviour
Breathlessness Anxiety Voluntary withdrawal from supportive relationships
Sweating Crying Disregard for personal appearance
Tightness in the chest Cynicism Loss of confidence

Skin and scalp irritation, eczema and psoriasis Withdrawal into daydreams Sullen attitude
Increased susceptibility to allergies Intrusive thoughts or images Clenched fists
Frequent colds, flu or other infections Nightmares Obsessive mannerisms
Rapid weight gain or loss Suicidal feelings Increased absence from work
Backache, neck pain Paranoid thinking Aggressiveness
Migraines and tension headaches Guilt Poor time management

The current legal position
As well as acting as an unnecessary drain on the economy, workplace stress is also the subject of increasing government legislation:
• Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act (1974) lays out the broad principles of an employer’s ‘duty of care’ to ensure, as far as reasonably possible, the health (including mental health), safety and welfare of all employees whilst at work, and to create safe and healthy working systems. This general duty of care includes pre-emptive action to prevent and control work-related stress.
• Many employers do not realise that since the publication of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations (1999), all organisations with five or more employees have also had a legal duty to conduct regular risk assessments of workplace hazards, including psychosocial hazards such as stress. These assessments should then be used to identify and either avoid or reduce such hazards.
• On 3 November 2004, the HSE published its new Management Standards for work-related stress - designed to help ensure that organisations address key aspects of workplace stress (or ‘risk factors’) including demands, control, support, relationships, role and change.
• While the Standards themselves do not impose a legal duty on organisations, breach of the applicable regulations could lead to criminal prosecution, or claims for compensation through the civil courts.

So what can managers do?
The Management Standards are all about highlighting potential areas of stress, and encouraging employers to take action to reduce these – with the goal of matching the performance of the top 20% of organisations that are already doing this. If you think your organisation may be experiencing problems due to workplace stress, it will therefore need to take a proactive approach to tackling it:
• Many organisations face deadline pressures or sudden changes in work demands, and employees need the necessary training and experience to meet the ever-increasing demands made on them. Examples include training in resilience, time management, communication skills, and - for managers in particular - stress awareness enabling them to recognise the early warning signs of stress in themselves and others.
• Where employees have been forced to take time away from work as a result of stress, their rehabilitation back to work needs to be carefully managed.
• For those employees who require specialist support, Employee Assistance Programmes and counselling services are a vital component in employee wellbeing.
• Training in communication (and particularly active listening) skills is essential to help ensure that managers are aware of their team members’ problems and in a position to offer early interventions to resolve these.

Ultimately, reducing workplace stress is largely a matter of common sense and good management practice, and simply requires employers and employees to work together for the common good. Both share a joint responsibility for reducing stress – which, when this is successful, can help employees to enjoy their work more, and businesses to thrive as a result.

About The Author
Carole Spiers combines three roles of broadcaster, journalist and corporate manager in the challenging field of stress management and employee wellbeing.

With 20 years as a top industry guru on stress management and wellbeing, Carole’s energy and dynamism extends to providing professional comment to media including television (BBC, ITV, Sky, NBC, CNN), print (Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, trade and professional journals) and countless radio interviews.

A successful entrepreneur herself, Carole is the founder and MD of the Carole Spiers Group – a dynamic, niche consultancy, and the UK’s No. 1 provider of Stress Management and Employee Wellbeing from the shop floor to the Boardroom

A former Chairperson of the International Stress Management AssociationUK, Carole was instrumental in establishing National Stress Awareness Day™. Carole acts as an Expert Witness on Stress Risk Assessment before the Courts, and is the author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’.

Further information

Contact us to receive our FREE Special report ‘The Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions About Stress’ please email sb@carolespiersgroup.com

For more information on CSG’S services, including in-house and public training, stress policy, stress audit, risk assessment, attendance management, rehabilitation support, post trauma support, mediation, impartial investigations, expert witness, nationwide employee counselling team, coaching and mentoring services, please contact us:

Carole Spiers Group
International Stress Management & Employee Wellbeing Consultancy
Gordon House, 83-85 Gordon Ave, Stanmore, Middlesex. HA7 3QR
Tel: +44(0) 20 8954 1593 Fax: +44(0) 20 8907 9290
Email: info@carolespiersgroup.com www.carolespiersgroup.com

Absence Management

2005-09-12T22:14:00.000+01:00

Synopsis

With sickness absence reportedly costing employers an average of £522 per employee per year (or an average of 10 lost working days), there are good reasons to look closely at the root causes of absenteeism and, where possible, provide early intervention to support employees in regaining their health. But what are the differences between short-term and long-term absence, and how can you manage absence effectively? Leading stress management guru Carole Spiers provides the answers.

Absent without leave - managing absence in the workplace
According to the Institute of Psychiatry (April 2005), for the first time, stress, anxiety and depression have overtaken physical ailments as the most common cause of long-term absence from work. With sickness absence reportedly costing employers an average of £522 per employee per year (or an average of 10 lost working days), there are good reasons to look closely at the root causes of absenteeism and, where possible, provide early intervention to support employees in regaining their health.

Short-term absence
Short-term absence is usually defined as a period of absence of less than ten consecutive working days, and will usually be as a result of the employee suffering from a minor medical condition.

Persistent short-term sickness is one of the most common problems employers have to face. Arranging temporary cover when an employee is off sick may not always be viable, and is often both disruptive and costly. Many employers therefore adopt the approach of persuading existing employees to cover for absentees on an ad hoc basis.

While this may work in the short term, when applied over longer periods it puts pressure on existing staff, as they struggle to do their own work in addition to that of an absent colleague. The effect of this on staff morale can be damaging and counterproductive. Staff frequently feel resentful if required to do two jobs - often within the same timescale and for no extra remuneration. The situation may be further compounded when the absentee employee returns to work and is met with resentment from those who have had to cover for them during their absence.

Long-term absence
Long-term absence is defined as any period of absence in excess of ten consecutive working days. Such absence - particularly where it is stress-related - presents a different problem for employers. In the short-term they may feel able to cover an absence internally, whereas in the longer term it may be necessary to recruit temporary staff who will normally require induction training and may not necessarily fit in well with existing teams. Temporary staff will also increase the salaries and wages bill, as well as involving the payment of costly agency fees.

After a long-term absence, a phased return to work will most certainly be recommended, with possible training needed to support the employee ‘back into work’. Where rehabilitation is not an option, the costs of premature retirement due to ill-health will also need to be taken into account. Stress therefore has a quantifiable impact not only on health, safety and individual well being, but on the operational and financial performance of the organisation as a whole.

Attendance patterns
The link between stress and absence is so well proven that statistics on non-attendance are often used as an indicator of stress ‘hot spots’ within an organisation. These figures may also be used to measure the effectiveness of stress management interventions.

In the analysis of attendance patterns, any extended periods of sick leave will immediately be apparent. Obviously, a stress-related illness or injury cannot be ‘undone’, but positive steps can still be taken by actively managing the return to work of the employee, and to minimise the risk of any identified stress reoccurring.

Of even more importance is the monitoring of short-term absences that may be the first sign of excessive pressure. Typically, absences that tend to fall into a pattern (e.g. if an employee is off sick every Monday), or are linked to particular operational requirements (such as reporting periods) are the most likely to be stress-related. It’s therefore important to look initially at the pattern of absence, rather than the reasons given for it.

Stress is typically under-reported as a reason for absence - especially in the early stages - with alternatives such as colds, back pain, migraine or general fatigue being given instead. This under-reporting can occur for a number of reasons. For example, it may be that the individual has not recognised that they might be suffering from stress, or they may be reluctant to admit, either to others or themselves, that this is the real problem. There is often a stigma attached to stress, related to a perceived inadequacy or inability to cope. This exacerbates the problem by creating an artificial barrier to its identification and management.

Absence management
A successful absence management policy will ideally create a culture enabling any individual to admit to stress-related ill-health, without feeling that their future employment or career prospects may be damaged. Clearly, the earlier that specific sources of stress are identified, the sooner appropriate action can be taken to reduce the poor attendance that often ensues.

In order to establish a level of control over sickness absence, and to implement an effective policy, it’s advisable to analyse employee data including the following:
• The number of days lost per year.
• The number of employees taking leave of absence.
• The average length of absence per employee.
• The employees and department(s) with the worst - and best - record of absence.
• Are there any identifiable absence patterns?
• Is absence influenced, for example, by age, gender, the number of years in the job or seasonal variations?
• How many employees take their maximum paid sickness entitlement in a year?
• Who takes the greater proportion of sick leave or other absence during the year –workers, staff or management?

The reasons for the various types and frequency of absence should then be assessed, including the following:
• Is a particular job too stressful or too boring?
• Is the work dangerous or does it require too much physical effort?
• Is the working environment unsuitable?
• Is management weak or over-aggressive?
• Is morale poor?
• Is there a culture of taking days off at particular times?
• Do working practices lack organisational support?
• Is there a general lack of incentive and motivation?

When all this information has been collated and analysed, it can then be used to devise policies and procedures in consultation with staff representatives that should, when properly implemented, substantially reduce the incidence of absence.

About The Author
Carole Spiers combines three roles of broadcaster, journalist and corporate manager in the challenging field of stress management and employee wellbeing.

With 20 years as a top industry guru on stress management and wellbeing, Carole’s energy and dynamism extends to providing professional comment to media including television (BBC, ITV, Sky, NBC, CNN), print (Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, trade and professional journals) and countless radio interviews.

A successful entrepreneur herself, Carole is the founder and MD of the Carole Spiers Group – a dynamic, niche consultancy, and the UK’s No. 1 provider of Stress Management and Employee Wellbeing from the shop floor to the Boardroom

A former Chairperson of the International Stress Management AssociationUK, Carole was instrumental in establishing National Stress Awareness Day™. Carole acts as an Expert Witness on Stress Risk Assessment before the Courts, and is the author of Tolley’s ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’.

Free Special Report

Contact us to receive our FREE Special report ‘The Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions About Stress’, please email sb@carolespiersgroup.com

For more information on CSG’S services, including in-house and public training, stress policy, stress audit, risk assessment, attendance management, rehabilitation support, post trauma support, mediation, impartial investigations, expert witness, nationwide employee counselling team, coaching and mentoring services, please contact us:

Carole Spiers Group
International Stress Management & Employee Wellbeing Consultancy
Gordon House, 83-85 Gordon Ave, Stanmore, Middlesex. HA7 3QR
Tel: +44(0)20 8954 1593 Fax: +44 (0)20 8907 9290
Email: info@carolespiersgroup.com www.carolespiersgroup.com

50 connect.co.uk - A portal for the over 50's

2005-09-05T19:52:00.000+01:00

50 connect.co.uk - A portal for the over 50's
Are your employees fir for work? Do they work out to reduce their stress? Read on!

Workplace bullying - a new diamension?

2005-08-30T10:26:00.000+01:00

E-mail harbours bullies
Employment expert Croner is advising businesses to tighten up on e-mail monitoring policies.

Condoning, Big Brother tactics Croner warns that e-mail is being silently used by employees to bully, harass and air prejudices against colleagues.

It is estimated that at least 35% of all outbound office emails are unrelated to work, with almost half of employees admitting to using internal email for personal reasons.

Richard Smith, HR expert at Croner, says: "In the past a controversial opinion might have been inappropriately voiced between colleagues over a drink in the pub, nowadays employees are also making these exchanges using office email. But whereas verbal harassment is difficult to prove, convicting email evidence could be sitting in a recipient's inbox, creating serious legal issues for the company.

"Employers can't afford to be blasé and are best advised to adopt a more watchful 'Big Brother' attitude over emails sent using their network."

Croner warns that even ‘harmless’ jokes between colleagues can be construed as offensive if accidentally discovered by an innocent party.

Smith adds: "A sensible employer needn't take email observance to the extreme, but should be taking email conduct very seriously and may think about looking into an email monitoring system which will alert them to potential bullying, harassment, discrimination or slander

Frightened to say you are stressed?

2005-08-30T10:23:00.000+01:00

Employees fear ‘stress’ revelations will lead to sacking
Seven in ten employees admit to feeling stressed but say that they won't confess all to the boss out of fear they will wind up jobless.

The survey results by employment law firm, Peninsula also reveals that 84% of employers won’t take time off work through stress as they cannot afford to be without pay and a job.

Seventy-nine per cent of employees suffering from stress have admitted that they feel isolated by the lack of confidants to turn to, resulting in 71% who say that work related stress has a negative impact on their personal life.

And 79% believe they just don’t get paid enough to deal with the amounts of stress and responsibility they undertake as part of their job.

Peter Done, Managing Director of law firm Peninsula warned that employers who ignore the stress issue are likely to wind up at an Employment Tribunal for not conforming to legislation requirements resulting in them breaking the law.

“The well being of employees is part of an employers responsibility and obligation; stress in the workplace should be treated seriously and monitored closely once the problem has come to light.”

Done says that preventative measures can be taken to reduce the likelihood of stress emerging in the workplace.

“An employee who has a healthy line of communication with their employer can express their needs, difficulties and expectations before the problem becomes substantial. Employers should discuss the expectation of their employees in the job and discuss the workload which they place on the employee and be willing to listen to the workers feedback.”

Done also highlights the importance of proper training for managers to enable them to recognize the signs of stress.

Mirror.co.uk - News - Latest - Burnout rises among hospital consultants-study

2005-08-30T10:16:00.000+01:00

Mirror.co.uk - News - Latest - Burnout rises among hospital consultants-study

failure to seek stress relief and reduce workplace stress can ultimately lead to stress burnout. See the results of survey

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Work until you drop: how the long-hours culture is killing us

2005-08-22T20:43:00.000+01:00

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Work until you drop: how the long-hours culture is killing us Long working hours can damage your health and spoil your leisuretime. Its time to call a halt to the 50 hour week and seek some stress relief!

Stressed and depressed - [Sunday Herald]

2005-08-22T20:39:00.000+01:00

Stressed and depressed - [Sunday Herald]
If you suffer from stress and depression or you know someone who does then this article is worth taking time to read

icWales - Bullying linked to poor productivity

2005-08-19T20:36:00.000+01:00

icWales - Bullying linked to poor productivity

Workplace bullying and harassment may be costing your organisation dearly. Ban Bullying at Work awareness day on 7th November 2005 aims to raise awareness to this incidious form of behaviour.

the Business

2005-08-19T20:31:00.000+01:00

the Business

Workplace bullying is alive and well! CIM has raised the profile of this important issue in advance of Ban Bullying at Work Day on November 7th 2005. Watch the press for important information on this costly workplace issue

The Sun Online - News: Sun, sea and stress

2005-08-17T07:15:00.000+01:00

The Sun Online - News: Sun, sea and stress
Are you feeling stressed about work as you lie in the sun on Holiday? If the answer is yes then it is time to look at some stress reduction techniques! For starters switch off that mobile phone!