Mental health A Boardroom Issue Which Wont Go Away

Mental health A Boardroom Issue Which Won’t Go Away Mental health is an important focal point in society and as with any societal shift, it is impacting the place of work, businesses and companies alike.  As a result, organizations need to respond and adapt. As companies have previously harnessed other societal shifts such as the power of social media to reach their target audience, businesses are now realizing the significance of awareness and understanding mental health. One in four people have a mental health illness Individuals and businesses can no longer avoid this subject.  But beware, just simply building awareness of mental health among your employees is no longer all that is required of a business; you must do more if you want to truly reap the rewards for yourself and your teams.  Organizations should be taking strong and positive action to support everyone’s mental health and ensuring their employees know where they can access that support. One in four people have mental health illnesses, which works out at around 8.15 million employees in the UK. That’s 8.15 million people who, at some point, might need time off work or just some extra time do their job.  Typically, these individuals are desperate for some empathy and understanding from their managers and the wider team. This can be achieved by having a clear, supportive and structured wellness program in place while at work. Championing from the top down Wellness in the workplace needs to be championed from the top and filtered down. If the top of the tree i.e. senior team and management takes it seriously, those beneath will follow. This can be achieved by the senior and management teams taking time to show your teams that they need time-out and that they understand others do too.    This will go a long way towards employees accepting there is are only so many hours in the day and some days can be less productive than others, which will help address some of the work-related stress and anxiety often felt. A big part of pushing workplace wellness, in fact, the most important part in some respect, comes from your managers. They have daily direct exposure to your employees and training them to recognize a shift in someone’s behavior and how to better support that person is key to having a strong wellness program in place. Your managers can advocate the program, constantly direct team members to the advice, update them on seminars, one-to-one, and additional support and begin to tackle mental health within the workplace proactively.  At hero, we’ve recognized this, which is why we train all management-level employees in mental health and teach them how to spot changes in their teams. Managers will have the training to understand what training and support their teams need at any given time. Advice for managers When it comes to dealing with the mental illness of employees it’s important that managers understand how to engage in a meaningful conversation but also recognize and understand their limitations as a manager.    As a manager, there is only so much they can do to support their teams but ultimately they need to understand the importance and significance of safeguarding themselves too. Hero’s checklist of advice looks like this: Educate yourself on the common signs and symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression Facilitate good conversations and really ask and mean:  â€œare you alright?” Establish what reasonable adjustments can be made to support team members. Identify the relevant support network i.e. HR, Direct Leader, EAP access, Occupational  Health or even local charities. Understand limitations â€" What level of help can be given before another individual is at risk? It’s important to remember, this is not about opinion, but instead, impartiality, being non-judgmental and supportive. The Hero difference Hero’s differing factor is its proactive approach to mental health and wellbeing in general. By delivering bespoke programs for businesses that are tailored to the employees, people can access the training and advice that they need whenever they need it and can arm themselves to spot when they are feeling strained or not quite themselves. In knowing what to look out for and having access to solutions-led advice via the Navigator app as well as one-to-one sessions, employers can help employees to keep themselves healthy and happy. About the author: Andy Romero-Birkbeck, hero Content Delivery Director, has over 15 years’ experience in Manageable Health and Wellbeing.   He regularly delivers talks and seminars on all aspects of mental health at the workplace and supports organizations with their strategies to proactively manage this.

Office Organization My Favorite Office Supplies

Office Organization My Favorite Office Supplies Grace at the Shoplet blog  challenged me to think of my favorite office supplies.    Here are a few favorites that I WISH I had to help keep me organized! Semikolon Accordion File Galison Memo Mousepad See Jane Work Basics Desktop Organizer Vinea Magazine File Susy Jack Pencil Cups What are your favorite office supplies?

6 Things You Ought To Have On Your Desk

6 Things You Ought To Have On Your Desk Whilst a cluttered desk which is littered with all sorts of rubbish and inconsequential items will never be conducive to hard work, a well organized, minimalist working space is likely to spur you on to greater heights with regard to your work. But this is not the same as getting rid of everything and having a blank slate â€" it simply means you need to pick the few items that you do have on your desk with care, optimizing your working conditions and motivating yourself to achieve your best. Here are 6 daily essentials which ought to take up residence on your desk; most require almost no space, and will promote your health beyond simply increasing your level of productivity. Post-it notes The good old post-it note is unlikely to ever let you down, and comes in a range of bright, cheery colours. Whilst a digital diary may be all the rage (and can be carried everywhere with you via your phone), there’s nothing like a bright yellow note saying ‘CALL SARAH!!!’ to get your attention. In fact, visual reminders, especially if you’re a forgetful person, can be the best option to help get things done. A desk tidy If you can’t keep track of your biros, keep losing your pencils and are constantly borrowing your next-door neighbours stapler, what you need is a desk tidy full of exciting bits of stationary. These range from the pragmatic and ordinary to the wacky, weird and wonderful. Everyone loves a good bit of stationary, so why not indulge in keeping it orderly and pretty. A calendar If you work in an office, you most likely know all too well what day of the week it is, be this the dreaded Monday or the much-anticipated Friday. Nevertheless, a desktop calendar is always a good shout, and will create a clear visual picture of your commitments in the days and weeks to come. You can also get fun desktop calendars with new illustrations or facts for each day. Water Staying hydrated really can have a huge impact on your brain function and productivity levels. Rather than repeated trips to the kitchen to fuel your caffeine addiction, keep a bottle of water on your desk. This will keep you feeling fresh and stop you from reverting to sugar-filled fizzy drinks. A healthy snack In the same way that water is  preferable to coffee or fizzy drinks, a healthy snack such as carrot sticks and hummus is infinitely better than the office biscuit tin. Overeating in a sedentary job can be a huge issue across various professions.  And food tends to be used to celebrate every birthday, anniversary and little last achievement in office occupations. Avoid the fat-filled sugary snacks by taking your own tasty alternative to work. But be wary of ‘fat free’ or ‘sugar free’ diet foods, as these are likely to contain unhealthy substitutes.  Photos or personal items Have a couple of photos of your family and friends on your desk.   Not only will it improve your levels of happiness and optimism, it’s also likely to motivate you to work harder, especially if you’re working to support your family. A couple of personal items will make your work environment feel homelier and  remind you of the world beyond the office when the pressure’s piled on and things all feel a bit too much. Alexandra Jane  writes  graduate careers advice  for Inspiring Interns. Check out their website to see which  internships  and  graduate marketing jobs  are currently available.

Dealing With Money And Work Stress Post-University

Dealing With Money And Work Stress Post-University You may have been more than ready to accept your college Diploma, but as far as the stress that comes with it, you may not have felt as equally prepared. As soon as you walk across the platform to accept your degree, its commonplace for well-wishers to start bombarding you with questions: Where are you going to work? What are you going to do now? Where you are going to live? And to their surprise, and perhaps your own, you simply don’t have all of the answers. As you begin to navigate the next chapter of your life, keep these important tips in mind: SEE ALSO:  10 Ways to Have More Money During University Leverage the Internet for Employment Opportunities Several years ago legitimate work-from-home opportunities were limited to things like selling Tupperware, but today virtual opportunities abound. The advent of online businesses, combined with companies realizing that they can save money and even increase productivity by allowing employees to work from home, has resulted in legitimate virtual job opportunities across a variety of business sectors. From writing and editing, to serving as a consultant, tutor or even teacher, you can find opportunities to earn an income without leaving your home. And since you’re telecommuting, it buys you some time to determine where you want to settle down after moving out of your college housing. SEE ALSO:  How To Build An Online Business Without Sacrificing Your Studies Make Finding a Job a Part-Time Position, Not a Full-Time One As much as you may hear you should make it your job to find a job, spending all your time finding work is just not practical, especially if you dont have the luxury of living with family while you save up money to move out on your own. If you haven’t got something lined up, seek out a temporary or short-term position until you land the job you’re looking for. Make the Most of Your Part-Time Jobs Chances are, your first post-graduation job isn’t going to be your dream one. If you’re working part-time, look for opportunities to network and even create your own position within the company you work for. Consider ways you can move up the ladder, perhaps by becoming a manager, transferring to corporate headquarters, or leading a new project. Even if you dont feel the urge to move up within that company, network with your peers and the companys patrons. They could very well hold the key to your dream career if you make an effort to get to know them. Think Like an Entrepreneur Entrepreneurship may seem like the fail-safe method when you cant find a job. But a word of caution:  being an entrepreneur  is hard work.  It is indeed the young visionaries who make profound impact on the world with their brilliant ideas. Even they face struggles, though, and many are not averse to taking on side work while they get their passion businesses going. Whatever you decide to pursue, just be patient because it could take some time to get things off the ground. The prospect of totally being on your own can be stressful at times. As you embark on this new phase in your life, lean on your support network, figure out what you really want to do, and earn an income doing what you can as you search for your ideal job.

How to Use a Guide to Writing Engineering Resume

How to Use a Guide to Writing Engineering ResumeIf you are in need of a guide to writing engineering resume, then this article can help you find the most relevant information you need. There are many resources available online that will assist you in crafting your own resume. However, there are so many resources available on the internet, it is hard to know which ones are reliable and which ones will actually give you useful information. Most of these resources will not tell you the right things to include on your resume and you will spend your time trying to figure out how to best accomplish the task before you have completed your resume.A job with an excellent salary and benefits will not be accomplished without proper documentation and references. This is why it is important to employ a guide to writing engineering resume. It will allow you to write a professional resume in the shortest amount of time and provide you with tips on how to make your resume unique.The guidelines and a dvice offered by the resource will offer you a few tips to utilize to organize your resume and determine what will work best for you. You will be able to determine what information will best represent your skills, education, experience, and goals. In other words, the guide to writing engineering resume will provide you with the information you need to create a unique resume. You can use the guide to write engineering resume and improve your chances of getting the job.A guide to writing engineering resume is the best thing to do if you want to get your dream job. There are many different resources available online, but not all of them are good. They may not give you the best advice on how to write a resume. There are many resumes on the market that are professional, but some people are still unsure about how to write a resume. This is why the guide to writing engineering resume can be very helpful.Once you receive this type of resume, it is important to follow the instructions. While it may seem difficult at first, after using the guide to writing engineering resume, you will be able to produce a professional resume that will make you stand out. The guide to writing engineering resume will also help you write a detailed job description that will help determine the exact type of positions you would like to apply for.There are so many resources available that are useful in creating a resume. However, there are many of them that do not provide you with the knowledge and understanding necessary. These guides will help you organize your resume in the right way and ensure that it is consistent with the details you have written down. When you are finished, you will feel like a professional and you will get a job that you will be proud of.The key to succeeding in the engineering field is to know what you need to do in order to get hired. You do not want to waste time applying to jobs that you do not need or are not suitable for you. This is why it is so important to us e a guide to writing engineering resume in order to create a professional resume that will land you the job that you need. It is important to begin by writing the basics and going from there.Using the guide to writing engineering resume can also help you determine how to create a professional resume that will work for you. Since you do not want to miss a step, it is important to make sure that you complete the entire process. If you do not have enough time to complete the process properly, you can ask for assistance from a professional who will be able to help you complete the process.

5 steps to creating a company culture that employees love

5 steps to creating a company culture that employees love Investing energy in your employees’ well-being produces employees who are more willing to invest in your company. Creating a sustainable and enjoyable company culture is not only crucial for your employees’ morale, it’s also necessary for attracting new talent and creating business longevity. Google is often heralded as an organization that businesses should emulate when shaping their own company culture. From Austin, Texas, where Google has a “Geek Chic” collaborative room to London, where the company has a “walk in the park” space, each working space is curated to the specific geographic and cultural preferences of the area. So, how is a company culture created, and where do you begin? 1. Assign an owner Without someone who is directly focused on setting the tone of the office culture, the responsibility will inevitably fall to no one. An individual should be hired specifically for the purpose of being the lead on creating and instilling a sense of company culture. 2. Make it personal Without the input of management and leaders from within the organization, efforts to mold company culture will fall flat. Nicole Sandford, partner and national practice leader at Deloitte Touche LLP’s Enterprise Compliance Services, said, “The tone at the top sets an organization’s guiding values and ethical climate.” For example, if leadership engages illicitly or explicitly in illegal or immoral business practices, those behaviors are implied as acceptable for all team members. 3. Communicate your mission What is the point or purpose of the company? For example, on the Incorporate Massage website, recruiters let prospective job candidates know from their first sentence exactly what they want and what the company represents: “Youre looking for something exceptional. So are we. Corporate chair massage is what we do. Were not your typical massage therapists. And yes, thats a good thing. Fun, energetic, and passionate about what we do, weve started a company by massage therapists and for massage therapists.” 4. Empowerment and a sense of freedom Let your employees know that their opinions and suggestions about the company matter. If employees believe they can and should contribute to the company’s purpose, they will help build and sustain a healthy company culture. For example, Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg holds weekly Friday company meetings where any employee is invited to ask him a question. 5. Prioritize and focus Set consistent goals for the company: Weekly, monthly, quarterly, and/or yearly. Where do you want your company to be at the end of the year? Communicate these goals to your employees clearly, and they can help you get there. Without a well-thought-out goal or endgame in mind, employees struggle to know what they are working for and what their purpose is, hindering not only the success of the business but their personal success as well. Whether you want to create a company “lifestyle” around the organic cuisine and gym perks you offer, or build a culture around an established traditional narrative like The Walt Disney Company does, it is up to you and your team to pick a vision and run with it. Check out the infographic link below for both action steps to create a company culture and examples of companies that have succeeded in doing it. The Culture of Company Culture

Why Millennials Love Remote Working (And Why It Loves Them)

Why Millennials Love Remote Working (And Why It Loves Them) There has been, in recent years, a huge surge in the amount of businesses of all shapes and sizes embracing remote working for their employees. From a business perspective, it’s easy to see why. Remote working affords businesses an opportunity to significantly reduce their overhead costs. When employees aren’t in the building they’re not using energy or water or paper. They’re not making coffee or flushing toilet. What’s more, they’re not driving into work every day and so they’re helping their employers to reduce their carbon footprint and increase their green credentials. Yet, the reasons for the widespread growth of remote working aren’t all down to benefits for employers. The factors behind the growth There’s obviously a technological component at play when it comes to the rise of remote working. In recent years, managed IT services have enabled even modestly sized business affordable access to robust and reliable cloud based solutions- read more about this here. This has made it easier for remote workers to do anything they could to from their desktop at work from their home PC or in some cases even through mobile devices. Yet, perhaps one of the lesser known factors is the way in which remote working is so closely aligned with the millennial generation’s ideals for workplace success. For clarification, by millennials we mean those born between 1977 and 1997. As you can see from this infographic we posted recently, there’s some pretty neat correlation between the two… Advocates for work life balance Many millennials were raised by baby boomer parents who worked long hours for their money and it likely did little to convince their young minds that good money trumps time spent with friends and family. Thus, millennial workers are every bit as diligent as their baby boomer parents but focus on working smart over working hard and strive for work / life balance. Remote work allows employees to be more productive while enjoying greater autonomy over how they use their time. Moreover, they save a great deal of time every day by not commuting to work. Digital pioneers ‘80s and ‘90s kids grew up in an era of colossal digital and technological expansion. While Generation Z are digital natives who have never known adult life without digital technology, millennials are still excited by it and don’t take it for granted. Thus, they’re more likely to be enthused by the cloud based technologies that allow them to be at work… At home. Team oriented and collaborative Millennials are inveterate team workers and embrace opportunities to combine this with their enthusiasm for digital technologies. New digital applications can facilitate innovative collaborations through digital communications technologies. Millennials enjoy using the tools that enable them to collaborate with others even while working remotely such as Slack, Asana, Zoom etc. As you can see, there are many reasons why millennials love remote working and why it loves them. While it will likely never take the place of the traditional office it nonetheless makes for happier and more productive employees as well as reduced overheads for their employers… So everybody wins!