Developing & Implementing Workplace Resilience

Programmes

Louise Boston, Occupational Health Manager – E.ON

The Impact on Business

It is estimated that 'presenteeism' costs UK businesses £15.1 billion per year

in reduced productivity, while mental health related sickness absence costs

£8.4bn

Each episode of mental health related sickness absence lasts on average for

28 days

1 in 4 people have considered leaving their job in relation to work related

stress

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The Pace of the World

- Technology

- Consumerism and Marketing

- Multi-tasking

- Family Life

- Commuting & Globalization

The Pace of the Workplace

- Technology

- The changing face of employees – turnover, demographics

- Equality & justice

- Market demands

- Justifying your job – from determining critical functions to outsourcing

MORE WITH LESS

Why Resilience?

We need to learn to not only survive

but thrive in this environment

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Definition of Resilience

Resilience – from Latin “to leap back”

Definition:

The process and experience of being disrupted by change, opportunities,

stressors and adversity, and, after

introspection, accessing gifts and strengths to grow stronger through

disruption.

Journal of Health Ed, 1990

Resilient People

- Look for opportunities in problems

- Have a positive attitude

- Fight the victim mentality

- Find their power in every situation

- Overcome difficulties – find solutions

- Learn from mistakes

Developing resilience programmes

Have clear aim and objectives

Understand what you want to achieve, and how you plan to evaluate

success

Consult and engage both leadership teams and workforce

Consider how this fits with organisation’s overarching strategy

Don’t forget your contracted workforce

Sell the Sizzle & Communicate!!!

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Visibility Innovation Best

Practice

Creating a Resilient Workplace

1. Hardiness skills

2. Psychologically healthy work environment

3. Immediate coping skills and resources

1. Utilise and encourage hardiness skills

Individuals with Hardiness Skills

Don’t give up easily under pressure

Find solutions rather than problems

Adapt to stressors around them

Are good leaders and show up at their best

2. Create a Psychologically Healthy Workplace

Psychologically Healthy Workplaces have:

Employee involvement

Work-life balance

Employee growth and development

Good safety records

Employee recognition

Proactive risk assessment processes

3. Provide coping support and resources

Coping Support

Competent managers in soft skills Clear and effective policies Employee Assistance Programmes Access to flexible working Fairness and justice at work

Case study – E.ON

It’s Time To Talk

Follow up to 2012 Head Shed Campaign

Needed to be sustainable, targeted & engage employees at all levels

Board sponsored

Board facilitated Time To Talk Sessions

Employee driven case studies

Portal advice and support

Training to line managers on soft skills, awareness and resilience

Partnership with national charities

Management ‘pledges’

Roll out of ‘Health Passport’

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Mental Health Awareness May: 16 articles 3 blogs – 1500 hits 26,500 hits 2000 video views 2500 mood o meter hits 3000 cards in connected 15 Time to talk sessions

What colleagues said in May…

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“Sometimes having external help (not from within your family) is most definitely the best course of action. You should feel proud of yourself for speaking out, not to us but to your doctor.”

“I think you are incredible to come out in the open and share this with us. My personal experiences suffering from depression always seem so much easier when other people share openly.”

What our managers said

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Example pledges from the people managers conference

Find out more about line manager support in

dealing with mental health situations and

share this with my fellow managers

To spend one on one time with

my advisors. To understand

them and to open up to them

To ensure my peers and I

understand the warning signs and

act accordingly for the good of the

team :)

To hold a time to talk session

with my team

To make my team feel

comfortable to discuss mental

health freely

Look for signs and symptoms of

stress and behavioural changes in

my team

Contact Details

Louise Boston

Occupational Health Manager – E.ON UK

07921 943248

Louise.boston@eon-uk.com