Welcome to May’s edition of “In Equilibrium”

This month we give details of two recent additions to our course list; have an article which puts forward the Business Case for investing in Health and Wellness programmes; offer a practical stress tip; and give you a link to an interesting speech given by Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. We hope you’ll find a couple of minutes to read on …
In Equilibrium News

Practical Approaches to Handling Pressure
This is a new one-day course which is suitable for all individuals who want to increase their understanding of stress and its effects. On successful completion of the course, participants will be able to put together a personal action plan based upon the topics covered and suggested strategies.
Full course details are available here

In Equilibrium Partnering with Shaw Trust to provide workplace advice for line managers
In Equilibrium are partnering with Shaw Trust, the national charity for disadvantaged people, in their campaign to raise awareness of mental ill health in the workplace. Shaw Trust have launched a free web resource that provides advice to line managers who work with employees with mental ill-health. The website provides advice on ‘Creating a healthy workplace’ and has chosen In Equilibrium to provide the stress management training for managers and employees for any organisations who need help in this area.

Tackling The Last Workplace Taboo
Visit the above website for free, practical advice.This web resource was developed as part of Shaw Trust’s ‘Mental Health: The Last Workplace Taboo campaign’. This included some eye opening research into how British Industry perceives mental health in the workplace, and what employers need in order to feel able to support and retain valued employees and recruit new ones.

Stress Management Tip

Our tip this month encourages you to relieve some stress by breaking the odd routine. It is thought provoking rather than time consuming.

The Business Case for Investing in Health and Wellness Programmes

One of the objectives of Dame Carol Blacks review, Working for a Healthier Tomorrow, was to provide employers with a convincing business, evidence based, case for investing in the health and well-being of their employees. The Accountancy Firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was appointed to build the necessary evidence base.

In this article written by our director, Alastair Taylor, the recommendations made in PwCs report, regarding how to appraise expenditure on health and wellness programmes, are challenged. He proposes an alternative strategy that HR Directors could use to convince a sceptical Board to invest in their most important asset – people.

Read the article here

Websites/Resources

We found the following websites interesting:

Let’s Get Healthy
Along with their mobile studios which can be taken to workplaces or conferences anywhere in the UK, the team’s website offers lots of ideas to get healthy in the workplace including a pedometer challenge and the opportunity to register on the site in order to receive their hints and tips for a healthier lifestyle.

Age Positive
Informative website run by the Department of Work and Pensions. The Age Positive campaign promotes the benefits of employing a mixed-age workforce that includes older and younger people. Due to recent research results, they are calling upon employers to look at their retirement policy and perhaps adopt a gradual step down in work by considering flexible working options in the lead up to retirement.

Stress in the News

“We need a Radical Rethink around employment practices to help mentally ill at work.  What we know now is that even for those who do not start with a disability, work itself is increasingly the environment that triggers mental illness. Mental distress is joining conditions like back pain in becoming a modern industrial injury.”

So said Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. He also called on employers to create a workplace which cultivates openness, provides support and promotes mental wellbeing.

Read the full speech he gave at the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health
Clinics at work cut sicknotes
According to an investigation by the London School of Economics, absenteeism in large organisations could be dramatically reduced and the UK economy could save around 1.5bn pounds a year by copying an experiment carried out by the Royal Mail.

The NAHT (National Association of Head Teachers) Work-Life Balance Survey 2007-8
The survey carried out for the NAHT by the Centre for Industrial Relations at Keele University provides substantive evidence that the workload of school leaders is increasing with significant negative consequences for the work-life balance and health of NAHT members.

The Struggle to be a Dad
New research released by the NSPCC highlights that our culture of long working hours and pressure of work is keeping many fathers away from their children.

Amanda’s Column

Guilty secrets, strikes and bumper cars – what exactly has Amanda been up to this month?

Quotations

“When anger rises, think of the consequences”
Confucius, Chinese Philosopher (551 – 479BC)

“I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.”
Fred Allen, American Comedian (1894 – 1956)

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!