Welcome to the summer edition of "In Equilibrium"

In our June/July issue, along with our regular items, we also have a special offer for you; further details about our annual conference; a special section which looks at some stress stories from around the globe; and an article which suggests how an HR manager can present a strong case for work-related stress management training.

We hope you will find time to have a browse and would like to wish you a restful and relaxing break if you have a summer holiday planned over the coming months.

In Equilibrium News

Equality and Diversity Training

With growing evidence that people are concerned with the social and ethical dimension of their work, we can now offer a one-day in-house workshop on this subject which tackles why organisations should treat their employees fairly and the benefits to be gained by managing diversity effectively. The workshop is run by Frank Ritchie who has spent the last 7 years specialising in Equality and Diversity training following a 20 year career in management development consultancy.

Special offer

If you think this course may be of interest to your organisation, for the months of July, August and September 2008 we can offer a free taster half-day workshop on Equality & Diversity. All we require would be for you to arrange a suitable venue for your delegates and to reimburse any travel expenses our consultant may incur. For further details, please contact us on freephone 0800 622 6932.

The course details are available here http://www.in-equilibrium.co.uk/index/equality-and-diversity

3 Case Studies incorporated into our Conference Programme

This year our annual conference Workplace Stress, Resilience and Well-being offers you the chance to hear from no less than three speakers from organisations who are actively addressing health and well-being issues for their staff. Dr Adrian Chojnacki from GlaxoSmithKline will explain how GSKs occupational health function has developed; Matthew Thomas from Ernst & Young will describe the support infrastructure and strategy in place for the health and well-being of their people; and Amanda Hinkley from Winchester & Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust will review the impact of their recent Healthy Workplace strategy six months since its inception.

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As you know, it is really important to us that we have your correct details. We also want to ensure that you receive emails from us at a frequency that suits you. By clicking on the Managing Preferences option at the foot of this page, you can update your profile as well as choose whether you would like to receive our weekly updates and/or our monthly newsletter. Please do not put it off, it really is a quick and simple process.

Stress Tip

Our tip this month looks at how Thomas Edison's approach towards his invention of the electric light is still relevant today.

Read the tip here http://www.in-equilibrium.co.uk/index/stresstips

If people are the most important asset of a company, why do HR Managers' experience such difficulty persuading their senior management team to spend money enhancing the well-being of their workforce?

Using a fictitious haulage company as an example, our director, Alastair Taylor, proposes a dialogue which may help the HR Managers case and allow their Management to see the way forward in what is rapidly becoming the number one corporate health issue, work-related stress.

Read the article here http://www.in-equilibrium.co.uk/index/if-people-are-a-companys-most-important-asset

Websites/Resources

We found the following websites interesting:

Amanda's Column

In this issue Amanda wonders why there's an upward age limit on an otherwise very well-balanced project.

Read her column here http://www.in-equilibrium.co.uk/index/amandas-column

Stress in the News

Price Waterhouse Coopers report on Managing People in a Changing World Key Trends in Human Capital: A global perspective 2008.

In the 3rd edition of Key Trends in Human Capital, particular focus is placed on financial results and their direct relationship with human capital performance. The authors intend the report to provide practical guidance to human capital practitioners. A limited number of key issues are identified that will have a significant effect upon an organisations future success in order to provide insight into where management attention should focus.

http://www.pwc.com/extweb/pwcpublications.nsf/docid/1252496a8ffdb972852570170066c43d/$File/Key_trends_2008.pdf

Mental Health at Work

Half of employers think that none of their workers will ever experience mental ill health. Yet in reality one in six have a mental health problem at any one time.

Angela Greatley, Chief Executive of the Sainsbury Centre welcomes Dame Carol Blacks report on Working for a Healthier Tomorrow and feels that the NHS should lead by example by quote … demonstrating to other employers how to create a mentally healthy workplace and the gains that accrue from it.

http://www.hsj.co.uk/opinion/2008/04/angela_greatley_on.html

Absence Special: stress - in the grip of it With stress continuing to be the biggest cause of workplace absence, Sally OReilly reports for Personnel Today Magazine on what practical measures HR can take to rehabilitate sick staff and prevent stress taking over.

http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/05/19/45893/absence-special-stress-in-the-grip-of-it.html

Sky high salaries fail to please workers - 5th Annual Happiness Index reveals the secret to job satisfaction City & Guilds have announced their findings based on research carried out from a sample of 1000 employees across 20 professions. They found that the number one factor for ensuring job satisfaction was not financial reward but having an interest in what you were doing.

http://www.cityandguilds.com/cps/rde/xchg/SID-2CFFD20E-0F76EFD0/cgonline/hs.xsl/24640.html

Stress in the News Internationally

We thought you may be interested in the following articles which cover stress related issues in other countries.

International Business Report 2007

Global Overview

Grant Thornton have published their annual business report which in 2007 was based on interviews carried out with 7200 privately held businesses across 32 economies and provides insights into their views and expectations. Pages 24-26 come under the sub-heading, Stress and give some interesting statistics regarding stress level increases; the top and bottom 10 economies reporting a stress increase; as well as the average hours different economies work per week. They conclude by saying that ... Acknowledging stress and taking action to combat it by using the range of knowledge and ideas that now exists is in the best interests of all organisations.

http://www.grantthorntonibos.com/files/International_Business_Report_2007-Global_overview_FINAL.pdf

Workers Mental Health and Stress Affecting Business Results in Canada

According to new research by Watson Wyatt, global business consultants, mental health issues and increasing stress levels are not being addressed by Canadian employers. They found that mental health issues were the leading cause in both long and short term disability claims and feel that unless organizations and society start doing a better job addressing the major causes of time away from work, the hidden costs will only get worse.

http://www.watsonwyatt.com/news/press.asp?ID=18422

Finding New Ways to Become Resilient

A positive article from New England which tells readers why the Department of Homeland Security decided to award a grant to a training company to teach resilience in the face of disasters and prolonged crises, to public safety workers. The psychologist who founded the Maine Resilience Programme said ...Ensuring public safety personnel can handle the mental rigors of the job - particularly during an extended crisis like Hurricane Katrina - is as important as physical conditioning and technical know-how.

http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/4994054.html

Suicide and Stress in the Workplace

Aurelien Bordet provides an analysis of the causes of this troubling phenomenon following six suicides by employees of vehicle manufacturers in Europe.

http://www.cafebabel.com/eng/article/24838/stress-work-suicide-google.html

The Stress-Health Connection and its Implications for Employers

Given that stress is an unavoidable part of life, this article looks at why and how employers in America offer stress management and wellness programmes to reduce the costs associated with employee stress.

http://www.gordian-health.com/_pdf/MCO_Stress_Health_Connection_May_15_08.pdf

The Work-Life Balance

Globalisation, competition, and ambition are driving corporate India to work, work, and only work. And what about life? Sorry, there is no time.

http://indiatodaygroup.com/btoday/20010121/lifeandwork.html

Quotations

There is more to life than increasing its speed Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Statesman (1869 - 1948)

I would rather think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to come together and make sense.

Rabbi Harold Kushner (1935 - )

Direct to Your Inbox

You may also be interested in the following courses we have available:

Managers Managing Stress Open Course 17th July 08 Last chance to book http://www.in-equilibrium.co.uk/index/cms-filesystem-action?file=open-courses/mmsoclon.pdf

Lifestyle Management In-house course

http://www.in-equilibrium.co.uk/index/cms-filesystem-action?file=pdf/lifestyle-management.pdf

Thank you for taking the time to read our Newsletter, we would be delighted to hear from you with any feedback you would like to offer - the good, the bad but hopefully not too much of the ugly!