Can you see when your employees are stressed?

So what are you going to do about it? Business large and small are feeling tense at the moment and some are rising to the challenge whilst others have descended into tension filled spaces. Can you spot if your employees are stressed?

Here are some signs to look out for.

1. Increased gossiping - office gossip is a way of life in most organizations but the level I'm talking about here is much higher. Lots of whispering behind closed doors and furtive looks. This is likely because of job insecurity with the current climate but whatever the reason, its destructive if it continues and can add to the tension.
Solution - be more open with employees about what's happening and keep them as much in the loop as you can so you reduce the amount of speculation. Initiate a group outing - even if it's just a quick get together after work or a lunch.

2. Tension in the air - you can feel it when you walk into certain workplaces and it's almost tangible. When people feel insecure and unhappy, the atmosphere is pretty toxic for everyone else. The problem is when clients pick up on the low morale, it can only reflect badly on your company.
Solution - Talk to your employees or get a manager to keep talking to them so they feel valued and appreciated. Morale can be raised easily with a little recognition.

3. Lack of productivity - is productivity down? Are your employees a little unfocused? Lost their drive?
Solution - Kick start the competitiveness amongst your teams again with some 'friendly' sports and games. Confronting competitiveness directly can seem a little intimidating and sports is the perfect way to get people to unleash it without feeling so self conscious. Get your teams working as teams again.

4. Absenteeism up - or performance down. When employees get sick, it can have a real knock on effect to their work schedules but when they feel guilty about being off sick, it can sometimes be just as disruptive if they are not well enough to be in the office and are under performing. Keep your office a healthy, motivated place.
Solution - organize yoga classes after hours or in lunch times which help to relax, de-stress and refresh your employees. these can be easy and cheap to set up and with discounted rates for your teams, they'll feel valued and invigorated.

If you think your business could benefit from any of these wellness suggestions, please contact Jeff at The Tonic.

Photograph by programwitch (flickr)

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Why your boss behaves like an animal

This new report will come as no surprise to anyone who works with a male boss who is partial to a bit of preening and showing off in the office. Real I Am The Man behaviour.

"a boss who struts around the office, preening himself and puffing out his chest, showing off a splash of colour – perhaps a red tie? According to a study of male managers, he is behaving like much of the animal kingdom, particularly monkeys and chimpanzees."

So what does it say about them and what's the best way to handle a boss who's a chest thumper?

You know the kind of boss -

"they have bigger chairs than everyone else, speak more loudly and interrupt more frequently. They lace their conversation with management jargon and acronyms, in order to confound people. They spend most of the day in meetings, jealously guard their personal space (office with view), and show off their superior gadgetry, including cars and mobile phone."

But why do they behave like this? According to this new report, they do it because it's in their genes. They have a need to preserve themselves, defend themselves and let other potential threats know who's boss - just as monkeys in the wild need to protect their tribe.

My advice on how to handle these office peacocks? 

1. Play them at their game. 

2. When they talk about how much they know, they need an audience so listen and nod in the appropriate place. 

3. When they interrupt you when you're talking, let them and wait for a suitable moment to finish your point. They will interpret this as respect.

4. Flatter them when you can. 

All of this may feel a little fake but what it will do for you is remove you as a threat to them as they'll feel they've enchanted you and then, they'll most likely ignore you and let you get on with what you're really paid to do. Trust me, it works.


Photograph by Ben30 (flickr)

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Too busy for a sick day?

Gone are the days of high absenteeism going unchecked. Companies are now clamping down so much on days off sick that a new survey has revealed that three quarters of employees still turn up for work when they could legitimately have stayed home sick.

The main causes of this are fears of letting colleagues deal with the workload, too much work piling up on your desk if you're not there and the fear of getting a bad record at work for absenteeism. Either way, sick people in offices ....where will this lead?

The report claims that the majority of us, some 71% still go into the office when we are unwell. The research also revealed that:

People working in marketing, advertising and PR were most likely to go into work if they were feeling unwell, whereas those in the charity sector and graduate trainees were least likely to soldier on. Women were more likely than men to go into the office if they were ill.

What this tells me is that the amount you are paid could be linked to your sense of obligation to the job (charity work and graduate trainees are not normally high earners), money can buy a sense of loyalty and that women appear to be more wary of being judged so ignore their poor health.

Either way, it is very frustrating to be sitting next to a clearly unwell person in the office who is kindly sharing their germs with you but perhaps now you can see why they're there.

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Office life is getting tense - lighten yours up

It's impossible at the moment to switch on the news without hearing about banks closing, mortgage houses collapsing and doom, doom and more gloom where money and the future is concerned.

This is bound to effect the attitude people have to work and employees can start to look around for safer bets. Staff turnover is always higher than any organisation would like but it's costly too. Now is the time to be motivating staff to feel happy and secure where they are and incentivising them to choose to stay put rather than be tempted elsewhere. But how can you do this without throwing more money at the situation? Remember, pay rises don't always get loyalty.

There are many great ways to make employees feel valued and wanted by an organisation and sometimes, it's easy to miss the point and just give a small pay rise or a change of job title. If you're looking for something that will cost you less but inject your business with a bit of buzz, why not try one or all of the following:

1. Wellness Program - a heath, fitness and relaxation program offered to staff is a great way of telling them you value their well being, you want them to be less stressed and you want them to have fun with their colleagues whilst achieving a great personal health goal they may have. Anything from yoga classes to relaxation sessions, running club to team football. These perks will always leave your staff feeling indulged and valued. Find out how to organise events like these for your teams.

2. Get Flexible - Work and Life work well together when they are balanced but when one demands too much at the cost of the other, the individual caught in the middle always suffers. Why not allow staff to work from home once a week with clearly set out targets and a lot of trust. This change can achieve staff loyalty in next to no time and is usually rewarded with hard work - not slacking. Review this each month so both parties know it is working.

3. Start Listening - personal Development Reviews are sometimes ignored by companies but it is the only official time that employees feel listened to so start doing them regularly and make sure issues and gripes get listened to an acknowledged. When employees leave companies, it is often because they feel like a number. Address that issue once and for all by being pro-active. You'll gain their respect.

Photograph by The Flooz (flickr)

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How to squeeze in a 5 mile walk without leaving the office

I work from home and I also have a gym membership. I get to the gym at least 3 times a week and manage to go running at least twice a week but some weeks are so busy, I don't get the time to work out and this makes me feel stressed. I always perform better when I exercise and work more efficiently and so a few months ago, I started walking whilst talking and even tested it out on a pedometer to see how far I was going. I have never looked back. but what if you could walk 5 miles without leaving your desk? Sounds good doesn't it?

Here's how you can squeeze in 5 miles of walking into your day - saves going to the gym after work and means that you'll get fit, deal with stress and stay healthy without having to travel to the gym.

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