Should wellness programmes be made compulsory Viewpoint careers advice blog

Should wellness programmes be made compulsory Many studies indicate that wellbeing programmes can improve productivity and retention. But is making such programmes compulsory a help or hindrance to organisations and their workforces? In the latest Hays Journal, we explore the potential benefits and pitfalls of enforcing participation. You would be hard pushed to find anybody who is willing to argue the case against wellness programmes. Statistics from United Healthcare show that 62 per cent of employees using  them report productivity rises, 56 per cent have fewer sick days and 30 per cent even have a disease detected through health screenings. A further study on workplace wellness programmes, conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), found that participants in such schemes were more likely to feel that their management cared about their health. David W. Ballard, Assistant Executive Director for Organisational Excellence at the American Psychological Association, explains: “Employee wellbeing and organisational performance are inextricably linked, so taking care of workers is not only the right thing to do as an employer, but it also makes good business sense. “In a healthy workplace, employees benefit from better physical and mental health, increased job satisfaction and higher morale,” he continues. “Meanwhile, organisations can see improvements in performance and productivity, reduced absenteeism and turnover, while gaining a reputation as an employer of choice.” But despite the benefits, the NBER study found that less than 39 per cent of eligible employees chose to participate at all. So, given the benefits for employer and employee alike, should it be a surprise that some organisations are implementing compulsory programmes? Not every employee will get involved “The question of compulsory programmes is a really interesting one,” says David Price, CEO of health and wellbeing firm Health Assured. “The biggest problem with wellbeing initiatives is that often, the biggest converts are the employees who are already very fit. Meanwhile, those with poor wellness â€" who employers really want to target â€" get left behind and don’t improve a company’s overall good health.” KPMG was reported to have launched one such programme earlier in the year. The consultancy firm launched a three-day course for all UK-based auditors, known as ‘KPMG Audit University’. Compulsory sessions included mindfulness and yoga to help staff deal with the stress and scrutiny their job can entail. More physically focused programmes have been introduced, too. In Sweden, so-called ‘compulsory exercise’ has been described as the country’s latest craze. Each Friday, staff at fashion and sportswear company Björn Borg are required to tools for a mandatory workout at a nearby gym, and other organisations (such as city water company Kalmar Vatten and consultancy Rotpartner) are following suit. But will more employers really be tempted to make wellness mandatory? It seems that some organisations will take a bit of convincing. Participation has to be down to the individual In Russia, Anastasia Prechistenskaya is Head of Human Resources CIS at Group SEB â€" the French consortium that owns brands including Tefal and Krups. She says being part of a French-owned multinational company with high ‘Great Place to Work’ score already means that staff are well cared for, but earlier this year, she officially launched a wellbeing strategy (called ‘Take Care, Be Well’), because she feels that staff first need to be made aware of what’s there for  them. “We’re inviting experts to talk about diet and healthy eating, and we’ve begun a process to promote the benefits of doing sport and physical health, including having a yoga trainer in the office twice a week,” she says. She says that building initial engagement was the biggest hurdle, but once it had been overcome, staff began making their own wellbeing requests. “We find that once people are engaged this way, it’s the small things that really make a difference. For instance, in Kazakhstan, staff asked if we could simply buy them an extra fridge, because that way we could help them bring in their own, healthier, home-made lunches.” Now that awareness is there, she says she’ll be bringing in elements that are already successfully run in other Group SEB locations, like massages (currently offered to staff in Poland). “We want to make health part of our company culture,” she says. “But one thing is certain: making it mandatory would not be an option. Health comes from people’s hearts. They have to make their own decisions about whether to participate.” There may be unintended consequences Ballard also raises warnings when it comes to insisting on employee participation: “Although companies may have good intentions in mandating participation in wellness activities, those efforts can backfire if not executed properly â€" disrupting trust, heightening tensions and allowing cynicism to grow in the workplace. “If employees are forced to participate in wellness activities, those who were already self-motivated to do so may begin to feel like it’s a chore. Similarly, those who participate against their will may take a compliance-based approach and do the bare minimum to meet requirements or avoid penalties. “Unfortunately, this can lead to employees resenting programmes they might otherwise find valuable, and limit the gains achieved.” “When an employer makes something compulsory, it means they are effectively deciding what’s important for employees and that is a significant use of power” argues Megan Reitz, Professor of Leadership and Dialogue at Ashridge Business School â€" “it means these decisions need to be made rigorously, respectfully and ethically”.   She is required to tussle with this conundrum herself, as she integrates mindfulness sessions into development training for high-potential executives. And compulsory training doesn’t always work for staff, says Mike Blake, Wellbeing Lead at Willis Towers Watson’s health and benefits division. He argues that it’s the very ability to choose that engages them in the first place. “Some may want financial assistance more than health, or vice versa,” he adds. Employers need to provide protection regardless That’s not to say that employers shouldn’t be offering protection to their employees. Bruce Daisley is VP â€" EMEA at Twitter and host of the Eat Sleep Work Repeat podcast. He says that changes in the way we are living mean that organisations must take new steps to look after their staff. “I was reading a paper by banker turned academic Alexandra Michel â€" she looked at how the banking industry has been built on new hires working 120-hour weeks,” he explains. “It’s happened for a century, but in the last ten years â€" despite the fact that the toll of these working practices has always been brutal â€" there has been a shift. Young bankers have been collapsing, having breakdowns and sometimes worse. “The difference is that our mobile phones have been filling the gaps. The bankers, who used to go home and sleep for six hours, are now not even achieving that. And for all the extremes of banking, we’re seeing the same damage in our own jobs too. Workplaces are seeing a great toll on workers and are having to take actions to help.” However, Daisley agrees that mandatory wellness programmes are not the right approach: “Irrespective of the benefits, it’s not appropriate for firms to make it mandatory to join in schemes that are dealing with such personal psychological feelings.” Cultural transformation must come first Isaac Getz, Professor at the ESCP Europe School of Business, agrees that cultural change must come first. “Too many wellness programmes are like an aspirin,” he says, “in that they calm the fever but don’t hit the root cause of why it’s happening. Wellness programmes only work if everything else about being at work is in alignment too. There’s no point having meditation or resilience classes if managers are still overworking people; if the environment is too  controlling; if there’s discrimination; or if there is no scope for autonomy. Wellness needs joining up to  the business as a whole.” One way in which employers have increased participation is through incentivisation. IBM has four wellbeing programmes comprised of training courses lasting 12 weeks. It wants staff to participate in them, and so, to attempt to make this happen, it offers a maximum of US$300 a year (US$150 for each course completed). As a result, it reports that 80 per cent of its 400,000-plus staff have signed up for at least one of the wellness programmes every year. Other strategies employers could start to use include moving a greater proportion of their wellness options into employees’ flexible benefits pot â€" essentially forcing them to use them or lose them, and guaranteeing at least some engagement with wellbeing services. Sue Baker, Director of the ‘Time To Change’ movement at mental health charity MIND, believes this is a good place to start. “Mental health sessions should certainly be encouraged or incentivised,” she says. “While the carrot is probably better than the stick, the business case for dealing with mental health can’t be ignored.” She adds that, while making participation in wellness programmes compulsory may not be the right thing to do, staying more aware of employee mental health issues could come through the review process instead: “I can’t imagine why certain large companies couldn’t make having a mental health check-in part of their annual review, or part of joining in the first place.” Changing the way we work A further force that could see compulsory programmes become more commonplace is the spread of co-working spaces (growth of which has more than doubled in the past few years, according to office space analyst Cushman Wakefield). Here, it’s the providers of workspaces (rather than the companies that locate there) that are now calling the shots from a wellbeing perspective. For instance, WeWork, the UK’s largest provider of co-working spaces (which also runs gym and yoga sessions at its locations), recently decided to ban meat in its canteens, and it promotes low-sugar, low-salt and slow glucose-releasing foods in the name of wellness. But Rob Hingston, boss of Origin Workspace (and former Group HR Manager at David Lloyd and HR Business Partner at Virgin Active), takes it a whole stage further: “Our wellbeing programme â€" comprising organised workouts, ‘work-out networking’ (where people meet other businesses in the building while working out), monthly jogs or runs, and orienteering 8km runs â€" are part of our culture. So much so, we use it to select the businesses that want to locate here.” He adds: “We’re quite overt about it: if you want to work in this space, you need to join in with what we see as wellness. Compulsory is a strong word, but we’re keen to stress that tenants need to embrace the wellbeing element.” Yet he does sympathise with businesses struggling to improve participation. “Even at David Lloyd, a health business with 6,000 staff, voluntary wellness was something we had to work very hard on to get buy-in from people.” Finding the right balance For some, the key is to take a balanced approach. Pip Hulbert is Chief Operating Officer at digital agency Wunderman, which has 10,000 employees in 70 countries. For them, like other organisations, engagement was key to seeing staff join these programmes. She says this creates trust, arguing that it makes wellness something that staff own, and that they are therefore more likely to participate in. However, the organisation has made some elements of wellness mandatory for leaders in the organisation. The company has taken a more instructive approach when it comes to resilience; particularly in regards to their leaders. While companies can exercise control over their own culture, they are not necessarily able to protect their staff at all times from the challenges and stresses that come with their job. If left unchecked, low emotional resilience among staff can lead to higher absence rates and affect mental health. A survey of 2,063 individuals entitled The Positive Effect of Resilience on Stress and Business Outcomes in Difficult Work Environments found that good resilience among workers in high-stress jobs protected them against depression, absence and low productivity. Hulbert says that leaders at Wunderman are told they must attend sessions in this area â€" not least because it protects the organisation more widely. She concludes: “It’s a big financial commitment, and I wanted to make sure as many people did it as possible, so we did mandate that all senior managers â€" those with people management responsibilities â€" attended it, purely because they need to be able to spot the signs early if people need help.” So, while there certainly isn’t a consensus that a compulsory approach to wellness is the way forward, it seems that organisations are increasingly looking for ways to boost participation. Whether they’re leaning towards new engagement strategies that focus on health or pushing leaders to get involved in new schemes, many businesses are placing a greater emphasis on addressing wellness among staff. Did you enjoy this blog? Here are some more Hays Journal 16 articles that you may be interested in: Decision-making at work â€" do we need a nudge in the right direction? The multi-stage career journey â€" are employers ready? How are companies bringing performance feedback forward?

To Get a Job, Sharpen Your Axe - Jane Jackson Career

To Get a Job, Sharpen Your Ax - Jane Jackson Career Numerous individuals tackle their pursuit of employment process by depending on the least demanding option. They make online applications to fill publicized jobs and discreetly sit tight and to be chosen for an interview. If they are required a screening meeting they stroll in and hope to have the option to 'make things up along the way' and be chosen for the job. Some might be fortunate anyway this is definitely not an expert way to deal with secure one of the most significant things throughout your life â€" a satisfying career. Abraham Lincoln once stated, On the off chance that I had eight hours to cleave down a tree, I'd burn through six honing my axe.The key to a compelling quest for new employment is readiness, planning, and preparation.Do you know explicitly what you bring to the table and what you need in your career? If not, you won't have the option to showcase yourself adequately when you dispatch your pursuit of employment campaign.Treat your pursuit of employment li ke a Marketing Campaign. This is a promoting exercise in which YOU are the item and the PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS are your customers.Here is the procedure to advertise YOU · Define the Product You · Analyze the Market What Jobs? · Develop Marketing Strategies · Implement the StrategiesKnow Your Product In request to get yourself and what sort of jobs, businesses and conditions suit you, set aside some effort to behave appraisal practices that will give important experiences into: · Your specialized aptitudes, information and profession accomplishments · Your own qualities and premiums, what is generally imperative to you · What fulfills you in an occupation, your inspirations and de-motivators · The characteristics you have that are attractive to employersThink about the useful and transferable abilities that are your normal abilities. Analyze your self-administration aptitudes and your character traits. Consider your capacity to deal w ith yourself in changing circumstances, your work content abilities and the specialized, particular abilities you have procured through proper instruction and training.This self-evaluation process empowers you to dissect what you bring to the table before you start the inquiry procedure and encourages you to verbalize what you need during your search. By recognizing your achievements you can remember them for your resume â€" a basic device in the pursuit of employment process (for additional on continue composing, see Residue Off Your Resumeone of my past articles.) The self-appraisal process gives you certainty and lucidity when you are conveying during systems administration or occupation interviews. The huge in addition to is that it will likewise assist you with managing your vocation and remain consistent with your objectives after your hunt is concluded.Once you realize what you bring to the table and you have conceived a solid resume, there are various methodologies you sh ould utilize to go to market. Remember that the simplest alternative is to apply for promoted jobs anyway factually they just record for about 20% of employment openings. About 80% of occupations are 'covered up' â€" they haven't arrived at the Human Resources branch of the organizations yet. A recruiting administrator might be choosing precisely what assets are required for a particular task, somebody might be pondering leaving, somebody might be advanced soon and an initial will be opened up shortly. In request to get your foot in the entryway in these cases, systems administration and target advertising will be the most ideal approach to go.Here are upsides and downsides of each pursuit of employment method:Search Firms/Recruitment Agencies Benefits: They know the market and what is accessible now. They comprehend the recruiting procedure and can give talk with training and feedback. They can address ridiculous expectations. (See Recruitment Consultant Friend or Foe.Disad vantages: They work for the business, not for you. They bring in cash on arrangements and many won't invest energy in you except if they can coordinate you with an ebb and flow assignment. They don't know it all and they may contend with you â€" they may suggest a few competitors including you for the job you desire.Advertised jobs on-line and utilizing the Internet Benefits: An astounding wellspring of organization data, some openings for work are posted on organization sites and employment boards. The Internet will give a flavor to industry patterns and developments inside organizations.Disadvantages: Not all data on organization sites is forward-thinking and not all employment opportunities are listed. Emailed resumes may get lost among the huge number of resumes got and quite often the resumes go directly to Human Resources not the recruiting manager. If you are not cautious you can invest a phenomenal measure of time before the PC as opposed to successfully organizing f ace-to-faceResponding to Advertised Roles on-line and in print media · Read the notice cautiously and feature the center necessities of the role · Analyze the prerequisites to get an away from of the most significant parts of the job · Try to contact the chief or sponsor to pick up however much extra data as could reasonably be expected about the job before you apply · Write a solid introductory letter drawing the nearest conceivable match between your achievements and the activity requirements · Analyze and tweak your resume to the job, honestly and effectivelyTarget Marketing straightforwardly to Companies Benefits: You choose whom you need to work for, in which region and for whom through powerful research. You reach when you are ready.Disadvantages: There may not be a job accessible as of right now and, except if you have a proposal from somebody regarded by your intended interest group, your promoting email or letter may not be perused and your methodology not considered. Success can involve karma and applying to the 'perfect spot at the privilege time.Networking Benefits: You contact the individuals you know for data, exhortation, thoughts and support. These individuals might have the option to give extra contacts to help you in your activity search. Networking causes you to create and keep up connections and there might be shared advantage in the long run. You may reveal the 'covered up' employments, grow new contacts in the enterprises you have focused on and realize who the key individuals are in an organization. Systems administration offers you the chance to rehearse your meeting skills.Disadvantages: It is time consuming. Some individuals feel awkward with the idea of 'organizing' erroneously thinking they are requesting a 'favour.'Statistically, organizing is the best method to get a new line of work (see my postI Believe in Serendipity.) A proposal assists with slicing through the customary determination process.When apportioning time to your pursuit of employment guarantee that you spend around 70-80% of your time distinguishing and fabricating your system and the rest of your time applying for promoted jobs, working with enrollment experts and target marketing.Armed with this data and time spent, as Abraham Lincoln stated, Honing your hatchet you will direct a progressively successful activity search.Jane Jackson is a profession the executives mentor and creator of #1 Amazon Australia (Careers) smash hit, Navigating Career Crossroads. If you need direction in your pursuit of employment visit www.janejacksoncoach.com

Martin Yates New Strategies for First-Time Job Seekers - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Martin Yates New Strategies for First-Time Job Seekers The eighth in Martin Yates Knock Em Dead arrangement, Secrets Strategies For First-Time Job Seekers centers around work searchers entering the market just because. He starts the book with some generally secret realities about the world you face: You are toward the start of what will probably be a fifty-year vocation. The insights state you will presumably change occupations (not generally by decision) about at regular intervals. You will most likely have at least three distince vocations over the range of your expert life. These real factors of the new universe of work might be a surprising bit of information to prepared experts also. His new methodology strolls perusers through their first pursuit of employment, giving a novel outline to savvy profession the board methodologies that will assist them with carrying on with the existence they need. By and by, hes took advantage of his Braintrust board of vocation experts â€" those he accepts to be probably the most astute vocation the executives minds we have in the calling today. Im excited to be incorporated among such regarded associates as: Imprint Babbitt, Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, Sultan Camp, Allison Cheston, Caroline Dowd-Higgins, Kate Duttro, Kevin Kermes, Sean Koppelman, Joyce Lain Kennedy, Roger Lear, Alexandra Levit, Kathryn Minshew, Hannah Morgan, Phyllis Mufson, Chris Perry, Amanda Pouchot, Lori Ruff, Josh Tolan, Tim Tyrell-Smith, Joshua Waldman, Denise Wilkerson, Leslie Zaikis Two years prior I added to Martins Knock them Dead: Secrets Strategies for Success in an Uncertain World. Related post: Do New Grads Have a Personal Brand? 00 0

The Most Overlooked Answer for Objective in Writing an Resume

<h1> The Most Overlooked Answer for Objective in Writing a Resume </h1> <h2>Lies You've Been Told About Objective in Writing a Resume </h2> <p>As a rule, you don't have to utilize each piece of the recipe for your resume objective. My motivation is to secure the position. Regardless of the way that a resume objective is a most loved way to deal with start a triumphant resume, it isn't simply the main way to acquaint with the business. Irrefutably the most proficient goal is one which is custom fitted to the activity you're applying for. </p> <p>The target area of resume is a brief explanation toward the beginning of the resume. You should have five target proclamations. In different manners, a target replaces a great deal of the detail you would put as far as you can tell area. Composing goals isn't the least complex activity on the planet, yet with our tips you will offer a persuading target expression for continue in the blink of an eye. &l t;/p> <p>When you're in urgent need of a particular activity. In this way, in case you're looking for a new position, it is urgent that your resume remains from the group to promise you a spot on the waitlist. Thus, while your resume goal should comprise of data on the profession that you might want, you additionally wish to illuminate why you are the ideal possibility for the activity. The perfect vocation objective is to verify that you realize what work you can do. </p> <h2> The Ultimate Approach for Objective in Writing a Resume</h2> <p>As soon as it's critical to your resume to join a reasonable vocation objective, you don't have to pass on it through an Objective area. Resume destinations can be to some degree disputable. A goal is a concise articulation that explains your objectives about the sort of business wanted and the manner by which your abilities make you a decent fit. Thus, profession targets can be anything which they need to ensure that you are the perfect up-and-comer. </p> <h2> Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Objective in Writing a Resume </h2> <p>In most of cases, a resume objective is only several sentences in length. In the event that you have to have a target, make certain it's the ideal one. A target should be by and by custom-made to the business. Eventually, expressing it is discretionary, yet it can help persuade businesses that you comprehend what you need and know about the business. </p> <h2> Objective in Writing a Resume: the Ultimate Convenience!</h2> <p>Writing a triumphant undergrad vocation objective is a fairly straightforward way to deal with reinforce your application for this temporary job or employment you have in sight. At whatever point you might want to underscore that you're goal-oriented, that you comprehend what you need in a profession, or you have the right stuff for the specific employment, you could profit by a resume objective. You may have a lot of significant professional training, yet then except if it's very much enunciated, you probably won't be even thought of. At the point when you're making your resume objective, you should focus on specific capacities and encounters which are straightforwardly connected to the activity. </p>