Introduction

This is a one-day workshop for managers. The workshop is highly interactive and contains a variety of group and individual exercises, including case studies, scenarios, questionnaires, group discussion, personal reflection, and action planning.

Course Summary

The objective of the course is to provide managers with the knowledge and skills to improve the well-being of their staff while they are at work.

To achieve this we have developed a practical framework, in the form of a formula that managers can use to improve the well-being of individuals who work for them.

The 'Managing Well-being Formula' looks at the following four factors, each of which has an influence on an individual's well-being at work:

• Their work pressures and demands
• Their individual characteristics, e.g. personality, behaviours, preferences
• The characteristics of that individual's line manager, e.g. perceived management style, competences
• Their personal circumstances, e.g. significant life events

Feedback

The feedback we have from the courses we have run so far is that managers find the formula to be a useful framework they can easily understand and apply in the workplace setting.  They also find the course interesting and energising as it focuses on positive actions they can take to enhance enjoyment and well-being at work for their staff.

The main benefits of the course are:

• Easy to get manager's 'buy-in'
• Avoids focusing on a 'blame culture' approach
• It encourages investment in improved working relationships between managers and their staff
• The training is positively focused and energising
• Improving work enjoyment and satisfaction enhances health in general
• Managers are equipped with practical tools and frameworks they can use

Purpose of the course

To equip managers with knowledge and tools to:

• Raise awareness of what ‘well-being’ means in practical terms
• Increase awareness and understanding of early warning signs of increased vulnerability (stress and poor mental well-being)
• Understand the link between work pressures and vulnerability
• Identify and manage work pressures effectively
• Take account of an employee’s individual characteristics and behaviours, so enabling enjoyment and satisfaction at work
• Become more self-aware, to better manage and regulate own behaviours and reactions appropriately, including when ‘under pressure’
• Take account of an employee’s circumstances, be flexible, supportive and make adjustments, in order to reduce vulnerability at work
• Construct action plans to minimise risk, and enhance well-being, enjoyment and satisfaction at work

Course content summary

Context

• Brief summary of how training fits within company frameworks and competencies (this is company-specific, so is tailored for each client)

What are ‘well-being’ and ‘vulnerability’?

• What does well-being mean to you?  What does it look like?
• The link between enjoyment, satisfaction and well-being
• Completing a well-being and work-life balance inventory
• Factors affecting individual vulnerability – the ‘Managing Well-being Formula’: V = W + E + M + C
• Early warning signs of increased vulnerability (V) e.g. stress

Effective management of Work Pressures (W)

• The link between work pressures and vulnerability
• 6 categories of work pressures
• Work pressure profiling tool; how to use this tool with your team
• Prevention of stress and enhancement of well-being through effective management of work pressures

Taking account of employee characteristics and behaviours (E)

• How individual employee characteristics influence vulnerability
• Respecting difference and individuality
• How well do you know the people you manage?
• Practical actions to improve knowledge – getting to know your staff better
• Using your increased awareness of characteristics, behaviours and preferences, to enhance enjoyment and satisfaction at work and to minimise risk to well-being

Management behaviours and their influence on satisfaction and well-being (M)

• Why your characteristics, behaviours and reactions are important
• Exercise: “How do you react?” Normal v ‘pressurised reactions’ and the impact on others
• Managing your reactions and regulating behaviour to minimise risk: practical tools and techniques

Managing increased vulnerability caused by ‘Circumstances’ (C)
By ‘circumstances’ we mean non-work pressures like significant life events e.g. divorce, family illness, bereavement, marriage, moving house, elder care etc 

• Circumstances and their impact on well-being and vulnerability
• Personal information, disclosure and the boundaries of the management role
• Creating a climate of openness and trust where self-disclosure is more likely
• Taking account of circumstances; being flexible and making adjustments

Bringing it all together

• Reflecting on what you have learnt today
• Constructing action plans and making commitments to enhance well-being, satisfaction and enjoyment at work
• Group feedback

Evaluation and Close

Resources Included

• Comprehensive course handouts are included in the price. 

Managers Managing Well-being - Workbook and CD

• To view content summary of workbook and CD click here

Who should attend

Senior Managers, Line Managers, Team Leaders, HR, Health and Safety, Occupational Health, Trade Unions

If you wish to discuss any aspect of this training course please contact Alastair Taylor on Tel: 0131 476 5027 or e-mail: alastair@in-equilibrium.co.uk

We would not hesitate to recommend the services of In Equilibrium to anyone who is wanting to commission either training/workshops around the management of stress in the work place.

June Leek, Business Development Manager, Sheffield City Council, Workforce Development Unit.