What to do When You Are Feeling Ostracized at Work
| 28 April 2010
“I just don’t feel that I belong there,” said Adam, a computer analyst with a large financial group. “At lunch and after work they all go off in their cliques. The only times they ever speak to me is when they want something from me.”
When I asked Adam’s workmates about what they thought of him, they replied, “He’s okay I guess. He seems to like keeping to himself though.” It is most often the case that the other work colleagues aren’t on some deliberate campaign to upset or alienate you.
For me, one of the most important ingredients to a successful career is the skill to enjoy your work. Yes, that’s right, I believe that enjoying work is a skill that can be learnt as opposed a natural gift or inherent part of the character. This gives hope to those like Adam, who find their workplace as a place to feel ostracized.
The important thing to those who feel ostracized at work is to understand that it is YOU who is feeling ostracized. YOU are the source of your emotions. YOU have the capacity to control your emotions. The common denominator is that the ostracized feel that their emotional wellbeing is being determined by others. They accept no responsibility for their own emotional state.
I used to always blame others for my stress levels. I used to get that upset at drivers breaking the road rules that I would often arrive at work with a headache. One of my mentors, Dr. John Hinwood use to get me to point my finger at the other drivers and blame them. He then would say, “How many fingers are pointing to the real cause.”
I would look down at my hand and notice that one finger was pointing away whereas three fingers were pointing back at me the real cause...me.
This doesn’t mean that you start blaming yourself for feeling this way. There is a big difference between acknowledging yourself as the cause and blaming yourself. Laying blame is just a form of abuse whereas if you acknowledge that you are the cause, then you also must be the solution. It places you in a position where you can take action to change things.
What action can you take to change things if you are feeling ostracized?
Stop playing the victim. Start being social and begin interacting with workmates.
Unsure of what to talk about?
Try their favourite subject...THEM. Find out about their likes and passions and then you can begin to uncover shared interests. Then you’ll have plenty of topics that you enjoy talking about.
Workforce Sustainability – The Untapped Source of Improved Productivity in Your Business
| 28 April 2010
Sustainability seems to be a real buzz word at the moment. Businesses are seeing the benefits of wiser, more energy-efficient use of our resources combined with recycling and other greener initiatives. But business is yet to really apply this sustainability concept to its most valuable resource...its workforce.
To me, workforce sustainability is about teaching people to juggle. We all need to juggle work, family commitments and keeping ourselves healthy. When we can juggle these things effectively you can work at your desired intensity without it compromising your quality of health and home life. That’s true workforce sustainability.
I am often confronted by business owners and managers who roll their eyes at the expectation of businesses having to teach their employees how to be healthy and have a healthy work life balance.
I absolutely agree with the bosses. An employee’s health and work life balance is their own responsibility. But the problem is that your work, your home life and your health all affect each other. If business waits for employees to discover a healthy, balanced and sustainable lifestyle for themselves it can severely limit business growth through sluggish productivity, work stress and poor customer experience.
But how much does poor health and a poor work life balance cost business?Creating a Healthier Work Environment and Unique Customer Experiences
| 07 January 2010
For many years businesses have long considered employee health and wellbeing to be the responsibility of the individual. Although people are responsible for their own health, corporations have only recently come to terms with the impact health has on the company's bottom line. They are realizing that their company's health is influenced by their employees' health.
Smart companies are now starting workplace wellness programs to help workers stay healthy and productive in an effort to lower health-care costs and employee absenteeism. A recent survey of hundreds of U.S. companies found that 41 percent had already launched a health-related strategy... and the results are paying off.
Statistics on bigger companies indicate that the savings can be almost $5 for every dollar spent on making workers healthier. And while larger businesses can afford more formalized health and wellness programs in the workplace, even smaller companies are can get in on the act.
Whether you are an employer or manager of a hundreds of employees or just a few there are plenty of low cost and time effective ideas that can improve the health, morale and productivity within your business but this would have to be my favourite way of creating a healthier work environment. What started out as a way to create a healthier work environment eventually became a unique selling point in our business.
A Natural Way to Relieve Stress in the Workplace That You Can Do Tomorrow
| 28 December 2009
I was driving into the car park of the local shopping centre. The news bulletin was on the radio.
"Researchers have found that exercise causes the release of a chemical that helps us better control our sugar levels."
I wasn't really surprised by the result. There are still probably so many benefits of exercise that are yet to be discovered.
"Hopefully this will encourage more people to get off their backsides," I thought to myself as I found a parking spot.
But the end of that news bulletin nearly caused me to bump into the parked car in front of me. "Based on the results of this study, the researchers have now obtained a two million dollar research grant to develop a drug that mimics the affect of exercise."
Why do we waste so much time, effort and money trying to find a way to outdo and outsmart Mother Nature? Despite all the marvelous technological and medical achievements that have helped make our lives more comfortable it is easy for us to be seduced into thinking that technology has the answer to everything.
Some more progressive scientists at the University of Washington have reaffirmed rather than looking for some pill or potion to makes us relaxed, it is better to look to nature for a solution. Well actually we should be looking at nature.How to Motivate Others Without the Hype or Expense
| 22 December 2009
How much more enjoyable would your work be if everyone was really motivated? How much more productive and profitable would it be for the company and its workers if everyone was motivated to do their best? Companies spend lots of time and expense recruiting outside speakers and consultants to motivate their workforce. Learn about a low-key and more low cost approach that ensures long-term motivation.
I've been to a lot of the hyped up motivation seminars. I've walked barefoot over burning coals and broken glass. I've heard many great speakers and inspiring and uplifting stories and some others that are just too 'Pollyanna' for my liking. The trouble with motivational speakers is that the feeling of motivation generally subsides after about two weeks.
For longer lasting motivation many business consultants recommend that you should develop a company mission statement. Sure, they sound very grand and noble but do they actually do anything? I know that they are intended to motivate or inspire workers but the problem is that company mission statements only represent what's important to the boss or a small group. If you want to motivate or inspire your fellow workers without the hype you just need to find out what is important each individual at work.
Jamie was a secretary in her early thirties for a health care company yet she had a strained look of stress etched upon her face that despite her immaculate dress sense and style, still added another 10 years to her appearance. As she went about her work you could tell that she was operating on autopilot.
Like many people that I have observed in various workplaces, Jamie was just going through the motions. She wasn't motivated at all by her employers mission statement or by any aspect of her work (except her paycheck). As a result she often earned the ire of her boss for not completing many of her required tasks.
During a lull in business, I approached her. "How do you think you are going in this job? Do you feel you are doing your best?"
"Why should I try to do my best?" insisted Jamie. "At the end of every day, my boss just stands there complaining about something I've done or tells me that I am too slow." She went on to share a long list of incidents of being berated by her boss.
In fact, I knew her boss and had found him to be a very genuine and caring man. In fact, he had asked me for some help in working out why his business had become rather lacklustre and he had troubles with his staff. He had been following a lot of the recommendations of his business management consultant but he wasn't getting the results that he desired. After talking to his secretary, I was getting a pretty strong indication about what could be holding the business back.
How to stop workplace bullying ... And it has nothing to do with the bully
| 02 November 2009
In my younger years of running a business I was very driven and passionate about my work. Some would say that I was rather intense. Now when I required something from another team member urgently my demeanour was rather direct. Although it was not my intention, I found out later from others that my directness and tone was sometimes being perceived as aggressive or intimidating. It wasn’t that they communicated that to me. They were too scared to let me know their feelings in person.
One day, when I was feeling frustrated about the lack of progress of one particular project I voiced my frustrations to my secretary, Heather. At our team meeting the following day, Heather brought up something changed the way I dealt with fellow staff members forever.
Work Life Balance: the key to a sustainable business and a sustainable life
| 05 October 2009
As requested by the school principal, I left a pile of work life balance surveys with the school receptionist. Glancing briefly at the surveys she returned gaze above the rim of her glasses. “So is work life balance really attainable?” she asked with more than a hint of cynicism in her voice.
“I suppose it depends what your definition of work life balance is. Do you think work life balance is attainable?” I asked.
“No I don’t believe in work life balance,” she declared defiantly.
“So you don’t believe that your present work, financial situation, family and social relationships or your level of health is sustainable?” I replied. She fidgeted uncomfortably in an awkward silence.
“You see, your work life balance is simply a measure of how sustainable your current lifestyle and business practices are.”
A healthy work life balance is a lifestyle where your habits and actions result in the sustainable growth and development of your health, wealth, business/career, family relationships, social relationships and fulfilment and enjoyment of your life. When your habits and actions at work or at home do not have a work life balance then something in your life will give and breakdown.
Workplace health and safety doesn't end at work
| 01 July 2009
I was recently talking to a representative from a major builder's union and I asked him, "What do you think is the major role of the union movement in today’s changing business environment."
“It to help support worker's conditions and in my industry in particular our main focus is to help workplace health and safety." he replied.
"Why is workplace health and safety so important to your members?" I asked.
“Most of our members have families to support and mortgages to pay off. If something happens to their health it affects the livelihood of their whole family."
I thought that it was great that the building industry was becoming more aware of the importance of their health and safety but something still didn't add up to me.
Corporate wellness programs
| 01 July 2009
Corporate wellness programs … Do they really improve employees health or are they just an attempt to be seen to be doing the right thing by their workers?
I was recently chatting to a human resource manager for a large power company. We were talking about the wellness program that was being incorporated into his firm.
“We are starting yearly health check ups for our staff,” he stated.
“Tell me, what do they test for in these physicals?” I asked.
“The routine blood pressure and blood tests. They test your sugar and cholesterol levels,” he replied. “We also are providing free flu shots and subsidizing gym memberships.”
Don’t get me wrong. It is important to get these tests done but screening for disease is hardly a wellness program.
Unfortunately programs like this promote wellness by name only. Wellness is not disease detection or providing some incentives to exercise. Nor is it providing a jab that, at best, offers questionable protection to the flu. Wellness is about being well. Wellness programs should be teaching people how to be well. Some programs involve a health professional teaching what people should do to be healthy such as stress less, eat better and exercise more.
Unfortunately, my experience has shown that outlining this conventional health program is simply not doable to the average working professional. The challenge is that most recommended health programs are hard to fit into an already busy life.
How to negotiate for more flexible working hours
| 01 July 2009
“There are some days when I’m just not in the mood for work,” explained Jacinta, a 28 year old accountant for a transport company. “I just need some time out for myself .If my work hours were more flexible, I would probably be more productive because a lot of time at home I really feel like working and I don’t have a lot of the other distractions.”
There is a growing demand amongst workers to have greater flexibility in their working arrangements to facilitate a better work life balance. In fact, some people aren’t even interested in having a work life balance. They would be happy enough just having a life outside of their work.
I regularly hear gripes from frustrated workers about the lack of flexibility in the workplace in regard to working hours. In many cases, the frustration has been building towards an animosity and resentment towards the management
“Our boss wouldn’t let us. He’s too “old school”,” complained Jacinta.
“What did he say when you asked him?” I asked.
Jacinta looked down with a sheepish smile.” Well I haven’t actually asked him.”
In my experience, I don’t see archaic attitudes by ogre bosses to be the main obstruction to flexible work arrangements. To me, the largest common denominator is a lack of communication from the workers wanting greater flexibility.
Is your boss making you sick?
| 01 July 2009
With business owners and heads of corporate departments looking at ways of tightening their budgets to cope with the global financial crisis, a new corporate challenge is starting to emerge. That new challenge is how to contain the potential increasing cost of health challenges due to the increasing levels of stress in the corporate world.
So how can corporate departments and business owners address the impending health issues during a time when most businesses are considering cutting back on various corporate training or corporate health programs?
You may be surprised that the answer lies outside the realm of most corporate training or stress management programs. If you manage a small or large team in the corporate arena you can significantly improve your team’s health and wellbeing without getting them to change anything. New research suggests that you can boost the health of your team by simply being a good leader.
A study published in the August 2008 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine suggests that good leadership has positive effects on employee health and well-being, including decreased sick leave and disability.
All you corporate managers and business owners may be wondering what constitutes good leadership?
Reducing workplace stress and conflict and boosting profits at the same time
| 01 July 2009
I recently had troubles with my computer so I arranged for a local computer technical support company to come out and fix the problem.
“We’ll see you at 11.00 tomorrow,” the company confirmed. “How long should I allow for this?” I asked so I could most effectively plan around this inconvenience.
“Problems like these can take anywhere from a half an hour to two hours to fix,” they replied. I looked at my diary for tomorrow and made a few phone calls to reschedule things. I was pleased with the outcome and had a productive day ahead of me despite the computer glitch.
When 11 am arrived and the technical support person hadn’t arrived, I reminded myself to be patient and reassured myself that they would be here soon. By the time 11.20 came around I called the company to find out where their representative was.
“Oh, he must be caught up at a previous job,” said his work colleague.” I’ll call him to find out where he is and I’ll get back to you immediately.”
15 minutes went by and I still hadn’t heard from the company so I called again.
“Uh, sorry. I was just going to call you,” he said with embarrassment.” Yeah right, “I thought to myself. “They don’t really care about all the important things that I am still to do.”
“I have just heard back from him and he said that he can be at your place by 12.30,” the company representative said.
“OK,” I said with begrudging annoyance. My computer was needed for many of my afternoon tasks so I then had to reschedule my afternoon yet again.
When the computer guy arrived, he said “Sorry I’m late,” as he then indulged me in some story outlining all the reasons why he was late. In essence he was trying to put the responsibility for his lateness onto someone else. I didn’t buy it.
The computer guy did a good enough job on the computer at a reasonable price but it also cost me 90 minutes of unproductive time. It could also cost the company a chance of doing future business with me.
So many companies make the mistake of trying to make the claim of "great customer service" as their unique point of difference yet they don’t even deliver the basic service of doing what they say. Simply keeping your word with your customers when you have an appointment or deliver will help alleviate a lot of the stress and antagonism from customers and will certainly help to retain customers.
In these more challenging economic times the old adage, "Time is money," is more relevant than ever. When you are reliable in keeping your word, you are saving your customers time and money and they will support your business because of that. Keeping your word develops one of the most valuable business commodities: integrity.
The no stress way to resolving conflict in the workplace
| 01 July 2009
I was recently visiting a friend when the phone rang. A brief but terse conversation ensued before John abruptly finished the phone call with “I’ll see you in court.”
“What was that about?” I asked, noticing that John was quite unsettled.
“We had some cupboards installed for $8000. We were issued with a quote for $8000 and we paid it. He says that we owe him $850 for delivery and installation. That was their collection agency threatening to take us to court.”
“What did it say on your quote?”
Showing me the quote, John points to the area marked delivery fees. “See, there it says “Delivery fee - As requested”. We thought that meant that they will deliver it to us as we requested. If we knew that there was and extra $850 charge for delivery and installation, we would have chosen a different company. We are not going to let ourselves be ripped off by a crook.”
“What is the company’s opinion?” I asked.
“They say that their quote was given according to guidelines outlined by their industry body and that we need to pay up or they’ll take us to court,” John replied.
“So really this conflict comes down to confusion to the meaning of what “as requested” means in the original quote?”
“Yes.”
“So you are going to get a lawyer and spend a day in court over a simple misunderstanding?” I asked.
“It is a matter of principle.”
“Is it worth the time, the expense, the stress and the lost nights sleep to try to prove that you’re right?”
There was a pregnant pause as John contemplated the real impact of this argument in his recent quality of life. “What do you propose?” he asked.
“You know how I use to work at many Judo tournaments over the years? Well, there was this one smaller competitor who could consistently flip his larger opponents with relative ease. I asked him how he managed to do it.
He said that the key is not to push against them. You don’t get anywhere like that. You must align yourself with their force. You need to pull when they push so you are both going in the same direction. When you are both going in the same direction the contest is virtually over.
It is a very similar concept to resolving potential conflict. Whether it is with a customer or with a colleague, a conflict can only continue for as long as you push against the other person’s opinion. Once you align yourself with the other person’s point of view that you can resolve the conflict.”
“So how do we put it into practice in this instance?” asked John.
Whether it is with a work colleague or with a customer, there is a 4 step process to resolving most conflicts...