Who do you talk to?

If you ever feel like everyone around you is full of good news it can be difficult to dampen the mood by talking about anything negative. Social media gives the impression that people are constantly on holiday and doing exciting things which can compound feelings of loneliness. It is often when we are down that we torment ourselves by looking at Facebook and seeing all our happy Facebook friends and wondering why we aren’t like them. 

We need to learn to share our feelings more. To find a friend or two that we can really talk to. Forget about the contacts we have on social media - most of these are not close friends - and stop trying to keep up. We need people in our lives that we can unload on and we need to be that person for someone too. We also need people to share our happy with.

At times it can feel too hard to talk to someone we know well. We have an image we project and we don’t want to alter their impression of us by stepping out of character. You may be considered the ‘strong’ one in your family or group of friends. Showing weakness to these people may mess with the relationships- or you might just be unnecessarily worrying that will happen. Either way, it is not weak to ask for help. It is not weak to accept help. And that help might just come from an unlikely source. 

At work we see the same people every day. It can sometimes seem like you spend more time with your colleagues than you do with your spouse. And you’re very likely to be seeing these people a lot more than your friends (unless you live with them!). If you can ask someone if they are ok, and mean it, you might just make a difference. If you can accept support when someone offers it, it might just make a difference. 

Saying “it’s nice to see you today” could be all it takes to start a conversation that could save a life.

Respect. Where is it in the workplace?

I don’t think it matters what role you fulfil in your work life. All people deserve to be treated with respect. Too often we see aggression in the workplace. And we don’t mean the angry ‘I’m going to hit you’ aggression. We mean the passive aggressive behaviour that can be extremely upsetting for those on the receiving end. And very hard to prove. 

People make mistakes. Sometimes things go wrong. Sometimes the person you are confronting with an aggressive email (because the written word can be so powerful) is not the one at fault, or has simply made a mistake. Everyone has Something going on. 

Reflect on that before you send the email or make the comment. Let’s show each other respect and be kind when we communicate with each other.

Look out for each other!

I want to hammer this home. 

It is our responsibility to look out for each other. We spend a lot of time at work with our colleagues and we are often well positioned to notice any changes in behaviour. In my last blog I talked about creating a care culture by which I mean that we all go to work and care about each other, look out for each other, and try to help each other when needed. It is so important to talk, to communicate. 

As employers we find ourselves in the unique position of being able to influence change. If someone in your team is tired because they have a new baby at home - can you change their hours to allow them to sleep better? If there is illness in a workmates family can they move into a less stressful role at work for a period? If an employee had an injury you would follow a return to work process set out by their doctor or physio - helping someone through a difficult or different time at home should be the same. We don't expect people to work at 100% straight after surgery or with a broken bone. It seems shortsighted to expect full capacity from a new parent or a recently bereaved. Or someone suffering from mental illness.

So, let’s be caring and tolerant of each other. Ask each other ‘are you ok?’ And listen to the answer.

Creating a care culture

We have been talking about psychosocial risk factors and their impact on the workplace which, I believe, is immense. These risks are related to the way an individual interacts with their job and work environment, like control over their job, feedback from superiors, a supportive team, the stress of the job. These factors can be controlled, to a degree, by your management style and culture and can directly impact the happiness of the employees.

External psychosocial factors also play a part in affecting work dynamics. Ill health, depression, death of a loved one, birth of a loved one, getting married, lifestyle - these factors (some good but mostly bad) can distract a person from doing their job effectively. This can be dangerous for their safety and that of those around them. Our workplace culture can be severely affected if just one person is bringing everyone else down and it could be a combination of factors that are contributing to their disengagement.

The point is, there are many reasons why workers may be distracted at work. Caring enough to know a bit about each other creates a more supportive culture and issues are less likely to escalate. We aren't suggesting you become bff's with your employees - in fact this can lead to a whole separate issue in the workplace! - but being approachable allows team members to feel comfortable bringing their concerns to management. Open and supportive communication should be a core aspect of any good leadership strategy. Happy workers makes for an engaged workforce and this can only be good for business. 

And in case you still don't get why you should care - it's called being a good kiwi...

In loving memory

This past week has been pretty rough. My previous workplace lost a team member and this has got me thinking about the effects of bereavement on a team. We spend so much time with the people that we work with and although we don't always know all that much about their personal lives we do form relationships based on what we do at work and how we interact with others as we go about our tasks. 

Death affects us all differently and there exists, I think, a very real need to acknowledge the different ways we grieve. The grief felt for the loss of a co-worker or team mate can be difficult to work through. We tend to assign to family members and friends a level of ownership of grief but the loss felt by those left behind at work can be severe as well.

Employers need to be aware of the effects bereavement can have on the workplace and put support measures in place to help their employees through difficult times. Having open lines of communication means that you will know when an employee is going through a tough time. Sometimes just offering a listening ear and some flexibility around work times can be enough.

In the case of a colleague passing away it is prudent to make sure everyone is able to attend the service and that there is support in place for those that would like it. Again, an open door policy works well (and should be a core aspect of your everyday operations), offering to host a team event to mourn as a group, organising counselling for anyone that might require it. There are a range of things employers can do so that employees feel supported. I think the crux of it is that most people want to feel that their employer cares. 

I watched my old team mates as we came together to mourn the passing of a friend and realised that the family culture we had strove so hard to create had already existed. The concern each person showed for the other people in the team and the support that was offered to our colleague's family was inspiring. 

Feeling Blue too...

My earlier post titled 'Feeling Blue' got me thinking about what complex beings we are. Health and Safety in New Zealand seems to have been labelled as naff and a whole lot of needless paperwork. None of us actually want to get hurt at work though. And none of us want anything to happen to anyone we work with either. We tend to view hazards as physical - like the sharp knife or the hole in the pavement - but there are so many other hazards that we don't even think of. In NZ we have a really high rate of depression and our suicide rates are pretty extreme too. None of us want to see friends or family struggle with mental health concerns and if we are honest with ourselves our workmates fit into those categories as well, more often than not. So going out of our way to help our workmates (and family and friends) means we need to learn to recognise the signs that all is not well and do something about it. Lots of people don't have the support system that strong family ties or church circa 1900s (unless you're Amish) provide. The workplace can be an effective support system too though. So get talking. Forget to mind your own business. Because, after all, if something goes wrong at work it affects everyone. And there is no I in TEAM.

Feeling Blue?

Workplace bullying can severely impact your team and your business. Bullying can affect the mental and physical health of workers lowering productivity and leading to absenteeism. You can minimise the risk of workplace bullying by taking a proactive approach to identifying early, any unreasonable behaviour and situations, before they escalate. Make sure your code of conduct is being followed and that everyone knows what to do if they are feeling bullied. Make mental health just as much a part of your health and safety programme as physical health. Foster good relationships between all levels of the organisation. And communicate effectively. 

Leadership matters

Effective leadership doesn't ignore the threats to a business and nor should it ignore the hazards that put worker health and safety at risk. Good leaders play a vital role when it comes to workplace health and safety and leaders can be found at all levels of an organisation. Fostering a culture of consultation and collaboration is most effective when health and safety is given priority in organisational decision making processes. Health and Safety should be a core facet of your strategic planning. And remember - there is no I in TEAM. Health and Safety - it's a team thing!

Is your PPE performing?

Personal Protective Equipment or PPE is important to keep you safe at work. Make sure you have the correct PPE to allow you to do your job and make sure you check it regularly. Your PPE must be in good condition otherwise it won't work. Talk to your boss if your PPE is not up to scratch. If you are the boss - get your team to regularly check their gear and teach them how to look after it properly.

“Health and Safety - it’s a team thing...”

Did you know??

 Businesses with over 10 employees, childcare centres, and buildings with public access are among those that require fire evacuation schemes that have been approved by the NZ Fire Service. You can check out the details at www.fire.org.nz to find out more. Having an evacuation scheme in place is great but you also need to make sure everyone knows what to do. Regular drills are important, not just because they are a requirement but also as a means of training your team.

“Health and Safety - it’s a team thing”

Get going with Get Go

Since the Health and Safety at Work Act came into play last year there has been a lot of info in the media and this can get confusing. At Get Go we want to help small businesses create and implement successful health and safety management systems. We believe that involving your team from the 'Get Go' helps promote a culture that embraces health and safety - because it is important that everyone goes home safely.