an article by James Woodall, Kris Southby and Joanne Trigwell (Leeds Beckett University, UK) and Vanessa Lendzionowski and Rosana Rategh (Workplace Leeds, UK) published in International Journal of Workplace Health Management Volume 10 Issue 1 (2017)
Abstract
Purpose
A proportion of the working age population in the UK experience mental health conditions, with this group often facing significant challenges to retain their employment. As part of a broader political commitment to health and well-being at work, the use of job retention services have become part of a suite of interventions designed to support both employers and employees. While rigorous assessment of job retention programmes are lacking, the purpose of this paper is to examine the success of, and distils learning from, a job retention service in England.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative methodology was adopted for this research with semi-structured interviews considered an appropriate method to illuminate key issues. In total, 28 individuals were interviewed, including current and former service users, referrers, employers and job retention staff.
Findings
Without the support of the job retention service, employees with mental health conditions were reported unlikely to have been maintained their employment status. Additional benefits were also reported, including improved mental health outcomes and impacts on individuals’ personal life. Employers also reported positive benefits in engaging with the job retention service, including feeling better while being able to offer appropriate solutions that were mutually acceptable to the employee and the organisation.
Originality/value
Job retention programmes are under researched and little is known about their effectiveness and the mechanisms that support individuals at work with mental health conditions. This study adds to the existing evidence and suggests that such interventions are promising in supporting employees and employers.
Showing posts with label workplace_health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workplace_health. Show all posts
Tuesday, 19 December 2017
Wednesday, 29 March 2017
‘We're Sorry to Hear You've Been Unwell…’ Personal Reflections on Health and Well-being in the Workplace
an essay by Andrea Prothero (University College Dublin) published in Journal of Management Studies Volume 54 Issue 1 (January 2017)
Opening Paragraphs
Open Heart Surgery
At 6pm on 16 December 2014 while sat at my kitchen table and slowly marking 500+ exams I received a call from my cardiologist. As expected, the various tests I had completed all proved to be normal. However, a cardiac CT scan had surprisingly identified a rare and life-threatening anomaly. It seemed I suffered from a condition which occurs in less than one per cent of the population and could (though might not) lead to me becoming a victim of sudden cardiac death. Open heart surgery beckoned five weeks later. I was not seriously ill before my surgery; tests were sparked by a single fainting episode and a low heart rate detected via an App. Neither the cardiologist nor my 47 year-old self expected such an outcome. Open-heart surgery is serious business, recovery takes about six months to be on the right side of ‘normal’ and another six before you are ‘fully’ recovered. Thankfully, long-term prognosis is excellent and I have recently been discharged from the cardiologists’ care.
What then was my experience of returning to work after a lengthy absence? Here, I provide an intimate introspective account and hope it provides food for thought for future managerial research in the health and well-being arena.
It should be noted that an income protection policy meant I did not have to worry about money during my absence from work, a privilege that is not afforded to many others with long term illness.
Full text (PDF)
Opening Paragraphs
Open Heart Surgery
At 6pm on 16 December 2014 while sat at my kitchen table and slowly marking 500+ exams I received a call from my cardiologist. As expected, the various tests I had completed all proved to be normal. However, a cardiac CT scan had surprisingly identified a rare and life-threatening anomaly. It seemed I suffered from a condition which occurs in less than one per cent of the population and could (though might not) lead to me becoming a victim of sudden cardiac death. Open heart surgery beckoned five weeks later. I was not seriously ill before my surgery; tests were sparked by a single fainting episode and a low heart rate detected via an App. Neither the cardiologist nor my 47 year-old self expected such an outcome. Open-heart surgery is serious business, recovery takes about six months to be on the right side of ‘normal’ and another six before you are ‘fully’ recovered. Thankfully, long-term prognosis is excellent and I have recently been discharged from the cardiologists’ care.
What then was my experience of returning to work after a lengthy absence? Here, I provide an intimate introspective account and hope it provides food for thought for future managerial research in the health and well-being arena.
It should be noted that an income protection policy meant I did not have to worry about money during my absence from work, a privilege that is not afforded to many others with long term illness.
Full text (PDF)
Thursday, 11 July 2013
Enablers and challenges in implementing a comprehensive workplace health and well-being approach
an article by Nadine Mellor and Jennifer Webster (Health and Safety Laboratory, Buxton, UK) published in International Journal of Workplace Health Management Volume 6 Issue 2 (2013)
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify key enablers and challenges in the implementation of a comprehensive approach to the management of employee well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
A large organisation which had implemented such an approach was chosen as a case study. Company documents and data regarding the corporate well-being strategy were analysed, informing the content of the approach. Interviews with implementers and managers were conducted to identify how it was done.
Findings
The focal organisation had several health management systems capable of addressing the requirements for employee well-being management. These included occupational safety and health, health promotion, management of ill-health and human resource management. Key enablers identified were strong senior leadership support, dedicated resources, involvement of stakeholders and intensive communication. Challenges revolved around the integration of these systems into a coherent whole, striking a balance between a focus on occupational risks and lifestyle risks; readiness of managers to bring attention to the concept of employees’ well-being and their ability to monitor employees’ health-related needs. Together with a target-driven work culture, these challenges worked against promoting well-being.
Research limitations/implications
This case study is exploratory. Further research needs to gather direct views of both managers and employees on how the well-being approach had been received. Explanatory research models that integrate health promotion and work management systems to better inform implementation strategy and the roles of managers are needed.
Originality/value
The paper shows that line managers need to make greater use of regular management processes such as work planning, formal and informal interactions, and resourcing, to monitor employees’ well-being needs. They also need to continually self-assess how their own leadership style may affect employee well-being.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify key enablers and challenges in the implementation of a comprehensive approach to the management of employee well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
A large organisation which had implemented such an approach was chosen as a case study. Company documents and data regarding the corporate well-being strategy were analysed, informing the content of the approach. Interviews with implementers and managers were conducted to identify how it was done.
Findings
The focal organisation had several health management systems capable of addressing the requirements for employee well-being management. These included occupational safety and health, health promotion, management of ill-health and human resource management. Key enablers identified were strong senior leadership support, dedicated resources, involvement of stakeholders and intensive communication. Challenges revolved around the integration of these systems into a coherent whole, striking a balance between a focus on occupational risks and lifestyle risks; readiness of managers to bring attention to the concept of employees’ well-being and their ability to monitor employees’ health-related needs. Together with a target-driven work culture, these challenges worked against promoting well-being.
Research limitations/implications
This case study is exploratory. Further research needs to gather direct views of both managers and employees on how the well-being approach had been received. Explanatory research models that integrate health promotion and work management systems to better inform implementation strategy and the roles of managers are needed.
Originality/value
The paper shows that line managers need to make greater use of regular management processes such as work planning, formal and informal interactions, and resourcing, to monitor employees’ well-being needs. They also need to continually self-assess how their own leadership style may affect employee well-being.
Friday, 22 March 2013
Transforming stress in complex work environments: Exploring the capabilities of middle managers in the public sector
an article by Jennifer Walinga and Wendy Rowe (Royal Roads University, Victoria, Canada) published in International Journal of Workplace Health Management Volume 6 Issue 1 (2013)
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how to transform one’s perception of workplace stressors, moving beyond the idea of merely surviving or coping with stress to “thriving” within what is becoming a non-negotiable level of stress in the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
The researchers generated a working definition of work stress thriving based on current literature, then conducted a content analysis of qualitative interviews to develop an empirically-grounded understanding of factors differentiating a stress transformation response from a coping response to workplace stressors.
Findings
The study revealed key characteristics of a stress transformation response to stress challenges in the work place: systemic cognitive appraisal, inclusive communication strategies, collaborative and sustainable problem solving, individual learning and growth, and organisational positive impacts.
Research limitations/implications
As a pilot study, limitations to the research include a relatively small sample size and only one type of work environment. More empirical work is needed to test the model, develop and validate measures of stress transformation.
Practical implications
Findings provide the foundation for further empirical research into stress transformation, and will potentially lead to the development of measures, training interventions, organisational structures, and work processes to enhance stress thriving within organisations.
Social implications
The findings provide preliminary insights into tools for both organisational leaders and employees to respond more sustainably to increasingly stressful, fast paced, and complex work environments.
Originality/value
The study provides an original conceptual perspective on the concept of stress management, calling for a paradigm shift that views stress as desirable and conducive to optimal performance.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how to transform one’s perception of workplace stressors, moving beyond the idea of merely surviving or coping with stress to “thriving” within what is becoming a non-negotiable level of stress in the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
The researchers generated a working definition of work stress thriving based on current literature, then conducted a content analysis of qualitative interviews to develop an empirically-grounded understanding of factors differentiating a stress transformation response from a coping response to workplace stressors.
Findings
The study revealed key characteristics of a stress transformation response to stress challenges in the work place: systemic cognitive appraisal, inclusive communication strategies, collaborative and sustainable problem solving, individual learning and growth, and organisational positive impacts.
Research limitations/implications
As a pilot study, limitations to the research include a relatively small sample size and only one type of work environment. More empirical work is needed to test the model, develop and validate measures of stress transformation.
Practical implications
Findings provide the foundation for further empirical research into stress transformation, and will potentially lead to the development of measures, training interventions, organisational structures, and work processes to enhance stress thriving within organisations.
Social implications
The findings provide preliminary insights into tools for both organisational leaders and employees to respond more sustainably to increasingly stressful, fast paced, and complex work environments.
Originality/value
The study provides an original conceptual perspective on the concept of stress management, calling for a paradigm shift that views stress as desirable and conducive to optimal performance.
Friday, 27 July 2012
The future of health and wellbeing in the workplace
This paper is one of a series commissioned by Acas to address the future of workplace relations. It follows a publication in January 2011 The Future of Workplace Relations: An Acas View which addressed the wider terrain of employment relations including the drivers for change and the key future challenges. All papers in the series can be found at www.acas.org.uk/future
This Acas Policy Discussion paper was written by Emma Donaldson Feilder, Chartered Occupational Psychologist, Affinity Health at Work and Sarah Podro, Acas Senior Policy Adviser. The views expressed are those of the authors and not the Acas Council.
Series editors Sarah Podro and Gill Dix. We welcome your comments and opinions. These should be sent to policypublications@acas.org.uk
Whilst physical health and safety in the workplace remains a paramount concern, more recently there has been a growing recognition of the importance of psychosocial issues, with a focus on both the psychological and social elements of work. An exploration of work and well-being touches on a vast array of employment relations issues from leadership to job design, organisational policy to workplace culture.
The authors review the broadening of the health at work agenda and the link to the concepts of good work and engagement.
The paper then goes on to highlight the future challenges to health and well-being such as the ageing workforce and economic austerity measures. It then turns to government policy in this area with a focus on the outcomes of the initiatives set in train by Dame Carol Black and her team in addressing absence and return to work strategies, and considers what future policy and workplace initiatives might best address well-being at work.
Full text (PDF 15pp)
This Acas Policy Discussion paper was written by Emma Donaldson Feilder, Chartered Occupational Psychologist, Affinity Health at Work and Sarah Podro, Acas Senior Policy Adviser. The views expressed are those of the authors and not the Acas Council.
Series editors Sarah Podro and Gill Dix. We welcome your comments and opinions. These should be sent to policypublications@acas.org.uk
Whilst physical health and safety in the workplace remains a paramount concern, more recently there has been a growing recognition of the importance of psychosocial issues, with a focus on both the psychological and social elements of work. An exploration of work and well-being touches on a vast array of employment relations issues from leadership to job design, organisational policy to workplace culture.
The authors review the broadening of the health at work agenda and the link to the concepts of good work and engagement.
The paper then goes on to highlight the future challenges to health and well-being such as the ageing workforce and economic austerity measures. It then turns to government policy in this area with a focus on the outcomes of the initiatives set in train by Dame Carol Black and her team in addressing absence and return to work strategies, and considers what future policy and workplace initiatives might best address well-being at work.
Full text (PDF 15pp)
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