Give Your Company a Much Needed Breather: 7 Ways to Reduce Stress in the Workplace

There’s a lot of literature showing how workplace stress negatively impacts employee health, and unhealthy employees can greatly affect the company bottom line. Making matters even more difficult, the current economic crisis has forced companies to lean down, which has placed a larger burden on the existing workforce.
When employees are stressed, they are less engaged, less productive, and more likely to miss days at work due to stress-related illness.  Research suggests that stress weakens our immune system and increases inflammation which makes us more prone to illnesses ranging from the common cold to heart disease. In fact, some studies show that two specific types of workplace stress can take a toll on our cardiovascular system.

The first type of stress involves the physical strain of having to do more with less.  Taking on additional responsibilities and having to accomplish more work in less time is a common example. The second type of stress occurs when employees feel socially isolated and unacknowledged for their extra work.  Despite increased efforts, employees often feel their hard work goes unrecognized, and is unappreciated which leads to feelings of apathy, and as though they have little or no opportunity for career advancement.

Both types of stress cause a release of stress hormones; adrenaline and cortical, which if neglected can have deleterious affects on our health.  Recognizing the health dangers associated with workplace stress, here are 7 steps employers can take to help defuse stress in the workplace and create a healthier and happier work environment:

1. Frequently, acknowledge employees for their extra work, and make them aware of how valuable they are and how much they are appreciated. Failure to show appreciation for employee participation generates stress that endangers future efforts.
Solution: Daily, weekly, and monthly appreciation will help reduce stress and increase profits.
2. People want to know how they are doing, and whether they are meeting expectations. If you don't communicate your thoughts on their performance, they are stressed about how well they are doing.
Solution: Daily or weekly confirmation can help reduce stress significantly. Managers who wait until year end to explain job performance are about 51 weeks too late.
3. Encourage employees to take short time-outs. Rather than ruminate and stew over your workload, sometimes just taking short walk down the hallway can help us rejuvenate and refocus.
4. Meet regularly (weekly) as a group to discuss stressors in the workplace and come up with solutions to help mitigate the stress rather than sweep problems under the rug.  Even if the stressful problem is unavoidable, regular meetings will foster feelings of trust and improve team building.
5. Organize after work activities such as a walk or hike or a meeting at a healthy restaurant. Studies suggest that people tend to drink and smoke to mask the feelings of stress.
6. "Career and job ambiguity"
People want to know that their job is secure and know what is expected of them. Many employees also want to know about career progression and what they must do to advance.
Keep people informed of business situations, threats, and obstacles that must be overcome. They'll find out through the grape vine if you don't tell them. There is no such thing as a secret, so be right up front with everyone.

Rishi Arora
http://www.rifeindia.com

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Steps To Follow While Purchasing Ergonomic Products!

Ergonomic products are designed to reduce the pain or inconvenience, which occur in your body when you work in front of your computer for long period of time. You cannot expect which type of pain or problem may occur to you in the starting days of working with your computer. It all depends upon the time you spend in front of your computer, working environment, comfort levels, your position, etc.

Not all the ergonomic products are best ones! The recent studies have proved that not all the ergonomic products are suitable for all. Depending on your necessity and seating position, you have to select the right ergonomic product which is suitable for you.

Steps to follow while purchasing right ergonomic products which are suitable for you:
• Don’t feel like I don’t need ergonomic products in the starting days itself. In the starting days of working with your computer, you don’t feel pain at different parts of your body. If you take proper care in these days, you will not be affected with various pains in the long run.
• Unlike other computer accessories, the mind set here should not have to buy the cheapest one.
• Cheaper ones would usually lack on adjustments and lack of adjustment means that they cannot settle so well as your body would love it to be!! Hense no pint in having of such product!! Look for adjustment and adaptability in ergonomic products
• Find which type of materials or things are used in the manufacturing of the ergonomic product which you have selected. Estimate or know whether the things used in the manufacturing of the product are durable and helpful for you in the long run. Give preference to the durability while getting the product because durability makes the product to stay fine for long period of time.
• Comfort levels are also one of the essential things which have to be considered while buying the products. Check the comparability by using the product before buying it. Don’t compromise in comfort levels because uncomfortable position can create health problems to you.


Rishi Arora
rifeindia.com

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Never make these posture mistakes.

We all know the importance of maintaining a good posture to prevent workplace stress, strain an injury. And you may think that you are sitting correctly and maintaining a good posture for the most part in your work day, however it could be that you are making certain posture mistakes without realizing.

Make sure that you are not making these common posture mistakes –

1. Slouching is the most common posture mistake, which should be avoided since it puts the vertebrae under more pressure, also one must avoid sitting in a way that puts the body weight more on one than on the other side.
2. Sitting with the computer monitor to one side is also to be avoided. Even if you don’t spend all your work day on the computer, when you do work on the computer, the monitor should be to the front and not away to the side. This can cause you to twist the neck and torso at unnatural angles. Solve the problem by rearranging the desk or by using a long arm monitor stands.
3. Speaking on the phone with the phone receiver jammed between the neck and ear is really bad practice. Try speaker phone as small percentage of your calls.
4.  Craning the neck forward is also a no-no. avoid flexing the neck or extending the neck by keeping the monitor at the appropriate height and at proper eye level. Use adjustable monitor stands.
5. Avoid excessive reaching. The keyboard and the mouse should all be within reach; so prevent excessive reaching since this puts pressure on the arm muscles. Make sure that the mouse is close enough to prevent excessive reaching. Use adjustable keyboard trays and Drawers.
6. Improper position of the arms not using full arm motions while using the mouse and keyboard leads to compression within the arm, causing problems.
7. Gripping the mouse too tightly is also wrong-use a relaxed grip instead.
8. Avoid having the arms tilt up or down when using the keyboard and mouse – they should be parallel to the ground, with wrists straight.
9. The feet should not be dangling when one is seated; they should rest flat on the ground and if the chair is too high for this, make sure that a foot rest is used.
10. Static postures are also a big no-no, it is important to take frequent short breaks.

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