BE A WELLNESS LEADER Workshop Facilitator: Tom Barker, University of Alberta Project Lead, HWHP
Overview What is Stress? Stress in Human Service Agencies Responding to Stress Organizational: What can your agency do for you? Individual: What can you do for yourself? Storytelling for Individual Support Storytelling for Change How to be a Wellness Leader 2
Definition of Stress Work related stress is the response people may have when presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope. World Health Organization, 2003 Key concepts in stress hazard or stressor : Something in the work environment that has the potential to do harm to the worker s mental health. risk: The possibility of harm to a worker s mental health based on contact with, or experience of, a stress hazard. 3
Activity: Stressors in Your Workplace 1. At your table, talk about the stressors of your workplace. Thought starters: Too much work and too little time I m in over my head here 2. Write your list of hazards on the flipchart. 3. What percent of people in your workplace experience these stressors? 4
What the Research Shows: Stressors in the Helping Professions in Alberta 62% 38% Low Stress High Stress Source: HWHP Healthy Workplaces Survey, 2016 hwhp.ca 1. Unrewarded contributions 2. Lack of discussion of health and wellness issues 3. Insufficient staff to handle client needs 4. Left out of decisions affecting my job 5. Live demands compete with work demands 6. Unreliable supervision 7. Lack of team support when needed 8. Put downs, backstabbing, racism, gossip 9. Lack of a clear job role 10. Work load too high 5
Activity: Write a Case Example Look over your list of stressors Pick one stressor to use as a typical example Write your example as a bad day on the flip chart Make it sound realistic: make up names, details, and feelings Thought starter Sally was having a bad day. She was trying to coordinate with four stakeholders. She took all day to drive to each location. She couldn t get her office work done. She let down her team commitment and the clients were unhappy when she showed up late. She was very frustrated. 6
Activity: Solutions to Stressors 1. Brainstorm possible solutions that might work in your case examples 2. Write a list of these solutions on your flip chart Thought starters Sally remembered to call the office and ask her coworkers for help. Sally divided up her workload for the day (planned better) so that she only had to visit some clients that day. Sally talked to herself and reminded herself that this was going to be a hectic day and not freak out. 3. Discuss: Who is responsible for these solutions? 7
Activity: Analyze the Solutions in Your Example Study the solutions you see in the examples Which are organizational, which are individual? Discuss: Where might they overlap? 8
What the Research Shows: Solutions to Stressors in Alberta Organizational 1. Control is given to me in my job 2. I have flexible work arrangements 3. I have opportunities for self care 4. I have access to employee assistance programs 5. I experience open communication about health issues Individual 1. I am professionally capable and qualified 2. I balance my life and work 3. I mediate and jog 4. I have supportive conversations with co workers 5. I try creative ways to do my work Source: HWHP Healthy Workplaces Survey, 2016 hwhp.ca 9
Organizational Social Supports Organized Groups o Health and fitness: yoga, meditation, fitness classes o Interest based: AA or Al Anon, smoking cessation o Skill based: Toastmasters, games, leadership coaching, lunch and learn o Social: lunch book club, walking club, mom s club Planned Activities o Picnic, volleyball, happy hour, potluck Mentorship o Buddy system, mentoring, coaching sessions, 1:1 training
Administrative Supports Employee Assistance Programs o Counselling, medical assistance, coping (divorce, domestic violence, death, depression, personal issues) Health and Safety Committee o Reporting, staff meetings, education Health and Safety Policy o Clear policies (hiring, training, rewards), flexible scheduling, employee involvement in decision making, job satisfaction surveys o Insurance, compliance with national and industry standards o Wellness policy with employee engagement
Resources for Agency Support Non Governmental Agencies Guarding Minds @ Work http://www.guardingmindsatwork.ca/info Government Agencies Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/well ness_program.html Employee Assistance Programs Family Services Employee Assistance Programs https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/wellness_pr ogram.html Wellness Standards Organizations Mental Health Commission of Canada http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/english/issues/work place/national standard 12
The Dimensions of Agency Wellness HWHP Workplace Health Survey, 2016 13
Information: The Helping Cycle 14
Imagine Two Agencies Hindering Agency Helping Cycle set by policy Employee motivation drives the employee High turnover and burnout Mission is to grow profits Low trust in supervisors Employees have little say Policies imposed from the top Culture of negativity and fear Communication suppressed Stress is unhealthy Thriving Agency Helping Cycle developing and growing Employee motivation drives the agency Employees inspired and eager Mission is to grow employees High trust in supervisors Employees have everything to say Policies grown from the bottom up Culture as a competitive advantage Communication used to grow trust Stress is a source of growth 15
Activity: The Next Day How Can You Be Part of the Solution? Imagine the next day What can you do to make your agency and your work better? Write your ideas on your flipcharts. Thought starter: I eat right I develop my meditation skills I will mentor new employees 16
Leader Resource: Case Assessment How to use this tool Staff meetings Training Record keeping Develop personal leadership skills 17
Resource: Daily Stress Assessment How to use this tool Staff meetings Training Record keeping Keep strong for others 18
Leaders Need a Story Good stories spread quickly and inspire us to take action. What makes great stories so powerful is their stickiness, their ability to draw our attention and engage our hearts and minds. (Changemakers, 2014)
Resource: Why are Stories Useful? http://www.bcasw.org/wp content/uploads/2012/11/reflective Journal Writing H1.pdf Expressive journal writing can offer relief from stress and heal the damage that can be done from highly stressful experiences. The bearing witness we do [with clients] can lead to the occupational hazards of professional burnout (characterized in part by emotional exhaustion), vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue. To prevent these hazards, social workers must have a way of processing the emotions relevant to the nature of our work which at its heart can be referred to as emotional labour. 20
A story for change Kelly s Story: The Touch Point I was having a problem with a kid and his mom. I had been working with him for months but his mother just seemed to block everything I wanted to do. I was furious, but somehow didn t want to admit it. One day Stacia said, It looks like you re really having an issue with the mom. I had to fess up. So I told her all about it. But that s not all. She remembered and took the time to hear me out. From that day on I ve done the same. Adapted from: Reflective Supervision on the Run, in Children and Families, National Head Start Association, Spring, 2003
Social Supports at Work Analyzing/Transforming Your Story Reflecting Drafting Analyzing and transforming Sharing 1. Activity: Look back over your bad day story 2. Discuss: How could this story be transformed? Are values reflected in your story? What social supports could be mobilized? What thought patterns need to change? Is life long learning part of your solution? How could workplace culture be affected? Are there new accountabilities? Were new practices could be applied?
Reflecting Drafting Analyzing and transforming Sharing Social Supports at Work Sharing Your Story Who is the audience for this story? What is the key message of the story? Where could you share story? With whom? What are you asking of your audience? Where/how will the story be shared?
Resource: Wellness Story Sharing Plan Same story; Different messages: To supervisors: I can help out other employees. To colleagues: I m here to listen. To family: Thanks for understanding my bad day. 24
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