Employee Wellness: Reducing Stress in Tough Economic Times
Nora Spinks, President, Work-Life Harmony discusses simple measures workplace parties can take to reduce stress, and different wellness programs that have proven successful.
| Category |
Work-Life Quality |
| Details |
In the current economy, where job security is disappearing, workload is increasing and customers and co-workers are more volatile, stress in the workplace has become a pressing concern. Maintaining a safe and healthy work environment, with a focus on employee wellness, is integral to the economic sustainability and development of enterprises. This panel examines the impact of stress on workplace productivity, discusses simple measures workplace parties can take to reduce stress, and highlights different kinds of wellness programs that have proven successful. Topics include:
- What are the elements of an effective workplace stress prevention program? How should a stress audit be carried out?
- Which types of organizational structures or cultures foster a positive, healthy environment? How can employers reduce common stressors in the workplace?
- What can employers and unions do to improve the psychological well-being of employees who may be worried about job security, or increased workload due to layoffs? How can employers mitigate the additional stress felt by front line workers, such as nurses and retail employees, caused by the current economic situation?
- How should employers and unions approach an employee with mental stress whose behaviour is causing increased stress in the workplace?
- What kinds of innovative collective agreement provisions or programs are workplaces introducing to address stress and increase overall wellness in the workplace?
- In what ways can unions contribute to wellness programs? Have union-sponsored programs fared well in organizations that have implemented them? How can parties implement and/or sustain wellness programs in the face of economic cutbacks?
Lancaster House and the University of Toronto, Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, presented their Health and Safety Conference on November 5, 2009. |
| Author |
Work-Life Harmony |
| Publication Date |
October 29, 2009 |
| Source |
www.lancasterhouse.com |
| Availability |
Book Nora |
