The Recruitment Process: Key to Work/Life Fit

The employee-employer value proposition is like a romantic relationship (besides the lawsuit-inducing inappropriate behaviors of course!)--you both have something to offer, ideas for an ideal candidate/position, and the goal of hopefully helping each other grow.

So, just like a relationship, those first few communications are key to success. As work/life professionals, we spend so much time ensuring that we're creating healthy & productive workplaces, chock full of programs and policies aimed at helping employees find the fit  between work and family that works for them. But we rarely focus on how stressed out, overworked, unbalanced individuals got there, and although a good deal of it has to do with life changes (children, elder care, school, etc.) I think a lot of it could be solved in the recruiting process:

1. Clearly Communicate Organizational Culture on Your Careers Site. If you do truly have a culture that supports flexibility, let prospective employees know-but if you are not yet there, then don't include it on the site. Highlight your strengths to attract candidates, but beefing up your weaknesses will only lead to conflict and confusion once employees are settled. If you do have a long hours culture, 
2. Ensure that Job Descriptions and Expectations are Clear and Complete (to the best of your ability). Of course, jobs morph and change depending on the employee's strengths, but make sure that future employees know what it will take to be successful in the position they're applying to. If putting in a lot of face time and extra work will help them get ahead with that manager in that position, then find a (still attractive) way to say that. 
3. Hire Leaders Who Fit With Where You'd Like Your Culture to Be, not One's Who Will Continue to Be Sticks in the Mud. If you've already gotten the support from senior leadership on work/life and wellness programs, but are getting bogged down with skeptical middle management (which is almost inevitable), recruitment can help. Make sure that they know the directions the organization is looking to go in-not only from a bottom-line perspective, but culturally. If they know that senior leaders are all about work/life, hire middle managers who are too. Include this as hiring criteria to make sure that the company can move in the right direction.
4. Allow for Informational Interviewing or Shadowing. One of the best ways for potential employees to find out if they fit with the culture of the organization (and for you to see how they fit as well) is to connect them with another employee within the organization for informational interviews or shadowing. Think of this as meeting a first date for coffee-a low pressure, quick way to get to know each other and whether a good fit can be achieved. 

Work/life and wellness programs are so difficult to communicate because, although these are topics that affect everyone, they affect everyone differently. Therefore, there are hundreds of different entry points with the same goal of increasing utilization of a policy or program. So reach out to Recruiting-work/life is an extremely attractive recruiting tool, and they'll be bringing in the future leadership that can help support the work that you do.

Delivering the Wow in Work & Life

I recently had the chance to attend AWLP's Work-Life Forum in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona (it's a dry heat, so your hair still looks awesome!), and although there were multiple sessions on a variety of work-life strategies and topics, there was one little utterance during the meeting that stuck with me.

It was an example from Zappos.com (and yes, I'm reading the book too! Not Delivering Happiness, but The Zappos Experience), and as you may know, culture at Zappos is everything. They have 10 core values that they seriously live by, and this culture helped to catapult the organization into a leader in online service. The part that stuck with me was core value #1 - to deliver the WOW through service. But more importantly, it was that they consider the audience of this WOW (or clients) to be customers, other employees, vendors, and just about everyone a Zappos employee comes in contact with. This. Changes. Everything.

When we consider our clients to be our employees as well as our customers, you're creating a culture where everyone is valued and trusted, and a much more positive, collaborative work environment. 


This aspect of organizational culture is more important now than ever. Employee loyalty has hit a 7-year low (according to SHRM), and many Millennials, disillusioned by the massive layoffs their parents faced years ago, and they face now, can be turned off by bottom-line, shareholder-value focused organizations (see Millennial Study). Creating a culture where employees are valued, and where they find meaning in their work could help retain and engage these employees, particularly as the economy begins to pick up and they start looking for something bigger and better.

So wherever you are, whatever you do, try to deliver that WOW to co-workers, friends, and (most importantly) family. And, hey, maybe they'll wow you too :)

It Takes a Village to Make Or Break Your Health

I'm reading a book now called Outliers, which looks at exceptional people and the ecosystems that create them (this blog is turning a bit into a wellness book review, huh? Oh well!), and in the introduction the author talks about this one small town of Roseto, Pennsylvania (named for their hometown in Italy) where there are virtually no men ages  55-64 showing any signs of heart-related illness. Weird, especially considering how prevalent heart disease is/was (study conducted in the 1960's) for this age group.

So, why was heart disease (and mortality) so low in this small town of Italian-Americans? Was it their diet? Nope, these men smoke and drank freely and cooked all of their food in lard, not the lighter oils from their home country. In fact, many men in this town were quite overweight. And it wasn't genetic, as men from Roseto, Italy who settled in other areas in America fit right into the national averages for heart disease. So why on earth were these men so heart-healthy whereas the rest of America was dropping like flies from heart disease?

Social Support. Many Rosetans lived in multi-generational households, where older family members were revered, and all were very active in their church groups and other social groups in their community.  Many took evening strolls where they would stop and greet neighbors, and the town was filled with laughter and good humor. If one Rosetan was down on his luck, the others would make sure that his family always had enough, and they worked to spread the wealth throughout their town. Rosetans knew they would always be cared for, and each person knew his or her role in the community.

How does this translate to corporate wellness? Here's a bit of food for thought:

• Having a Friend At Work Doesn't Just Help Engagement. #10 on Gallup's 12 Elements of Great Managing doesn't just help engage employees and increase retention rates, but actually makes them healthier. Encouraging friendship formation through employee resource groups, group activities (these can be healthy ones too like group exercise classes), or company-wide picnics has huge benefits to the organization.
• Consider Adding Social Aspects to your Healthy Nutrition and Fitness Programs. Do double duty here by creating support groups or walking groups and encouraging inter-departmental mingling in a healthy way. While birthday parties and celebrations are a great way to bring people together, make sure that these events are not centered around unhealthy food options, and use these as an opportunity to cross-market wellness events or programs as well.
• Encourage Positive Feedback Systems. All too often, we focus on the negatives-what went wrong here so we can fix it for next time-instead of the positives-what went right here so we can build upon our successes. Make sure that your employee performance reviews and project feedback meetings include some time for highlighting wins, and do not underestimate the importance of employee recognition. A small appreciative gesture goes a long way in creating a lighter, more social culture.
• Make Time for Volunteering. One of the best ways to lift yourself out of a funk is to help someone else, and group volunteer efforts do wonders in forming new relationships and camaraderie among employees. In addition to increasing the company's Corporate Social Responsibility efforts, community service projects lead to better mental and physical health, skill development, and a better social life. Help connect employees to volunteer efforts, or organize partnerships/volunteer days for your organization.

What else can we learn from Roseto, PA? How can you add more social aspects into your workday without taking too much time away from your desk?

Be.Well.Now. 

How Coworkers Can Help You Stay Healthy

During a recent conversation, the topic of work lunches came up. Mainly, the fact that there is always salad and fruit left over, but how the cookies and chips seem to fly off the table. Now, there is a lot of hub-bub out there about how co-workers are making each other fat, and how group dynamics and peer pressure can can lead to unhealthy behaviors and habits (see cartoon to the left.) But instead of complaining about how co-workers can de-rail healthy eating habits or exercise routines, lets focus on how co-workers can help you on your wellness journey.

1. The Happy Halo Effect. A longitudinal study of the residents of Framingham, MA found that happiness (like the flu) is contagious! For example, they found at time 1 that the Jones's have happiness scores that are off the charts, then at time 2 their neighbors on both sides saw an uptick in their scores, and on and on. This phenomena can be replicated at the office for both positive and negative emotions, and employees radiating energy can really change their office neighbor's environments. So use those wellness champions and help them let their smiles shine :)
2. Group Weight Loss Programs Are Successful. It really does take a village to lose that weight and keep it off! If your organization has weight watchers in the workplace or support groups in place, or is just creating a culture of health, that makes it much easier to stick to healthy lifestyle changes, since you'll have allies to help you make healthy choices. Plus the lurkers in the picture above have a greater chance of keeping quiet if they're subject to the same educational campaigns for nutrition.
3. If Healthy Options Outweigh Not-So Healthy Ones, You'll Make Better Decisions. If your company orders, for example, make your own salad or sandwich options with WW Points + values with portion sizes listed next to each item instead of the usual sandwich and salad platter, you can decide what you're putting in your body instead of choosing from a few (usually not so great) options. And as for birthday party or other celebration cakes? Start a new trend-cupcakes or cake pops. Both are portioned controlled and make it easy to get a little taste of something sweet without derailing your whole day.

If your organization does not have wellness programs in place, there are still simple things that you can do to help create healthy allies in the workplace. Start a walking program-just 10 minutes at your circadian rhythm low (around 2:00pm) around the office or around the block will help you feel refreshed-from both the exercise and the social time. Or see if your organization has a wellness Employee Resource Group to join. Any support you have at the office will help you stick to your wellness plan and be successful!

Be.Well.Now

Why Are We Trying So Hard to be Unhealthy?

I bet that you (like me!) have told yourself "you know, I'd really like to make healthier choices, but I just don't have the time or energy to put into changing these habits" and then keep on turning pages while you read Women's Health or while talking to a super-fit friend...but you know what? We're actually putting a lot of time and energy into cultivating UNHEALTHY behaviors, so our excuse is, well, bunk!

I had read a book called "Sayonara, Mr. Fatty" a while back, but its' been sticking in my head recently. This interestingly weird read is about the co-founder of an animation studio (GAINAX, of Evangelion fame for all of the otaku out there ;) who lost over 100 pounds. This self-proclaimed "king of the geeks" decided one day to write down everything that he ate, and when and where he ate it. Not count calories, not tally anything up, just write it down. And do you know what he found?

He found that he was working really hard to be fat. He would take the train completely out of his way just to visit his favorite ramen stand for an after-work snack, take time out of his day to walk down to the cafeteria and wait in line for sweets, and waiting and waiting for the train/bus that would deliver him right to his doorstep. Just by writing down everything he ate and the planning, thinking, and time that went into eating it, caused "Mr. Fatty" to make some gradual changes in his life, and led to his drastic weight loss.

So the next time you say "oh, I just don't have time for zumba or planning a healthy meal or buying organic" think about all of the time and resources that you may be wasting cultivating unhealthy behaviors. And if you're looking for weight loss, try journaling. Not even weight-watchers points journaling, but just write everything down. It'll help you plan for when you need snacks, or help you notice unhealthy patterns.

Be.Well.Now.

Why Wellness isn't just about 'wellness'

So I magically and serendipitously discovered this new book called The Power of Habit and it's starting to change the way I think about a lot of things. Besides the fact that I've been constantly blabbering about Pepsodent (as my friends and family shake their heads), I've had a mini-breakthrough about wellness strategies. Here we go.

Piecemeal wellness strategies will not work. What we're looking to do with wellness is create healthy habits-decrease snacking in the afternoon, increase exercise, increase stress-relief, developing coping, etc-which themselves create healthy organizations. And the only way to create these new habits is by helping individuals identify cues and develop new routines while receiving the same rewards. We need a comprehensive strategy to give employees the tools they need to make changes in all parts of their life--not just a on-site gym or healthy choices at lunch.

Wellness strategies are not just wellness strategies. Employees who learn how to understand cues (i.e. boredom/fatigue at 2:30 leads to sugar-seeking) for unhealthy habits are have the tools to remake their other unhealthy behaviors (i.e. bullying, unproductive or uncreative days, lack of organization, lack of prioritization) that slow down organizations. By creating a successful wellness strategy, we're creating successful organizations. Done!

The stigma around wellness can be broken. Similar to workplace flexibility, diversity & inclusion efforts, and other still 'taboo' subjects, wellness is considered an individual accommodation, and not a business strategy. But don't you see! If you've read my paragraph above, wellness isn't just about making our obese employees leaner to reduce healthcare costs, but about creating lean, productive, and happy organizations. It's not an individual accommodation, but a strategy to increase profits and shareholder value.

Phew-now that that's off my chest and everyone's nodding their head in agreement, I can get to work changing the world (my Gen Y is showing again, isn't it?).

Be. Well. Now.

Wanderlust (n): a strong desire for stressed-out American Employees to hightail it outta here

There's a new movie out this weekend (trailer above!) about two stressed out New Yorkers who both suffer identity crises when one of them becomes unemployed. Although most unemployed people don't necessarily visit a nudist colony in order to regain their sense of self (not that there's anything wrong with that ;) this movie does reinforce the fact that many Americans are overextending themselves to everyone's detriment.

Only 38% of Americans take all of their vacation days (which are measly to begin with compared to our coworkers in Europe!) and 72% of vacationing workers check in with the office at least occasionally. Taking vacations (even short 4-5 days) has been linked to better health and wellness on vacation as well as lasting effects, particularly when the employee DOES NOT work on vacation and DOES live in the moment and detach from work.

The economy still isn't where it needs to be, and employees are still being asked to do more and more with less and less. Many feel that they need to show they are committed to the organization by always be present and available, but what are we sacrificing in order to do what we think will help us keep our jobs? Our identity outside of work. All accounting and no play makes John, well, an accountant. Not an accountant who plays softball and is in a killer 80's cover band. Not a dad, masterchef and football coach who moonlights as an accountant, but an accountant. Now this may be my Gen Y talking, but being defined by your job will only lead to heartbreak. Particularly if the one thing that defines you is pulled out from under your feet.


So, in summation, I'm probably going to go see Wanderlust this weekend, and please, remember to diversify your identity portfolio, people!

Why Sitting May Be Ruining Your Life

There's been a bunch of articles floating around about how we're all doomed to die of obesity and arthritic related illnesses because of one facet of our modern lifestyles: the fact that we sit in a chair most of the day.

Research has shown that even if you exercise regularly, the fact that you're hunched over like a grasshopper in front of your desk for hours on end means you will have a higher risk of mortality in general than those who move throughout their day. Maybe this is why teachers live so long (or at least it seems that way!). Another study found that sitting for more than 6 hours a day shuts off the enzyme that digests fats (lipase) - completely independent of diet or exercise. To drive the point home, people who sit for most of the day are 54% more likely to die from heart attacks. Seriously.

So what are we supposed to do? Throw caution to the wind and buy a standing desk? Yeah, I didn't think so either. What you can do is:

1. Take Back Your Lunch. More and more people are working through their lunch, or grabbing a bite in between meetings (mainly due to workloads and the feeling that you need to put in 150% or you'll see a pinkslip on your desk). This is bad. A 2010 research study found that taking a break during your lunch is correlated with decreased emotional, mental, and physical stress and strain. 
2. Take Booster Breaks.  Take short breaks in-between projects or after a meeting in order to re-energize and re-center yourself. Set a 5 minute reminder on your outlook calendar every hour (or few hours) and do some stretches or light exercises at your desk (examples of exercises here and here).
3. Live Ergonomically. Part of your back, wrist, or neck pain may be due to a cramped workstation. OSHA has a lot of information on their website on proper body positing and how you can set up a ergonomic workstation.  

What do you think about this whole "sitting is killing you" trend? What changes can you make to decrease the amount of time you spend on your keister? 

Be.Well.Now

The problem with bringing your whole self to work

Ever wish you didn't have to check yourself at the sliding glass door? Think it would be a lot easier to get through the day if you could just bring your whole self to work?

Well, this may cause more problems that you think (to both you and your employer!)

True, studies have shown that job related emotional labor (having to smile when you're sad or cheer people up regardless of what's going on in your life) has been linked to increased work-family conflict, so being able to openly express your emotions can lead to less strain and conflicts. Also, Dr. Russ Eisentat's research found that people who do not have to compartmentalize, but can bring all of their home, social, and other selves to the workplace are happier.

However, a recent Fortune Magazine article made some convincing points about why bringing all of your life's drama into the workplace could be detrimental to everyone, and I've got a few reasons of my own to add:

1. You could be alienating the single or childless employees. If everyone knows that Carol wants to leave early in order to catch her daughter's soccer game, whereas Kathy wants to head out early to get in a run before the sun goes down (both will be logging on later that night to make up the work), managers who need the coverage will have to prioritize. And although we don't exactly live in a society that supports families, Carol's may just seem a more pressing matter. And if this continues, Kathy (and other childless employees) may just start to get pissed.
2. Let's look at ROWE, shall we? A Results Only Work Environment (ROWE) is one in which employees are evaluated on outputs, performance, and results only. Here, it does not matter where, when, or how you work (you could be working upside down in a fish tank at midnight) as long as you perform. ROWE is all about accountability and letting the individual be in charge of his or her own workstyles. This is kind of an extreme example of bringing your whole self to work (wherever you are!), and it's important to keep in mind that this can only be successful if everyone buys in to this huge workforce change. 
3. In our society, we can't all be best friends at work. Although having a best friend at work helps increase engagement and happiness, having everyone be your best friend makes actual business decisions extremely difficult. On-boarding, layoffs, and promotions become extremely personal, and the fact that managers will know all the complications going on in their direct reports' lives will mean that they need to be case managers and social workers as well! While this may work for a small, family owned company, you may run into some big troubles in a mid to large sized organization.

What do you think? Should we be bringing our whole selves to work, or is this another question of "are you a segmenter or integrator?" 

Be. Well. Now. 

New Year, New Stressors: Preventing Stress and Burnout in 2012

As we're all getting ready to head back into the office (hopefully) refreshed from our vacations, it may be a bit overwhelming to think about catching up on our 'email jail' and the workloads awaiting our attention.  Now before we all start hyperventilating--there's hope! Although workloads don't look like they're going down anytime soon, new research is shedding new light on other factors within our control that can help decrease workplace stress and lead to more centered, engaged employees.

A 2005 National Institute of Justice study found that heavy caseloads, workplace conflicts, and low pay led to stress and high turnover among parole and probation officers, but researchers out of UC Berkeley were more interested in the individuals who just happened to be thriving in the same environment. What makes some people completely stressed and burnout while others are still engaged and enjoy their jobs? Well, what the UC Berkeley researchers found was that empathy played a huge part in engagement and de-stressing.

Results from this research haven't been released yet, but the authors (Dr.'s Ekman & Halpern) recommend working on cultivating empathy (understanding the experience of others - great videos on how to develop empathy here) in yourself and in your employees in order to help decrease stress and increase engagement.

In addition,  a recent study out of Tel Aviv University studied the effects of job control, workload, and supervisor and co-worker support on morbidity and a variety of health outcomes by following employees' health and job measures over a 20 year period (Shirom, 2011). While little to no effects were found for job control, workload, and supervisor support, having  strong peer social support-which could represented how well a participant is socially integrated into his/her workplace--was positively related to lower morbidity and disease risks.  And another study found co-worker support to be linked to lower blood pressure and a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (Karlin, 2003).

How can you work to empathize with co-workers or clients and build your social support systems in 2012?

References:

Karlin, W., Brondolo, E., & Schwartz, J. (2003).  Workplace social support and ambulatory cardiovascular activity in New York City traffic agents. Psychosomatic Medicine 65, 167-176.

Shirom, A., Toker, S., & Alkaly, Y. (2011). Work-based predictors of mortality: A 20-year follow-up of healthy employees. Health Psychology 30 (3) 268-275.

Be. Well. Now.

Welcome

Happy 2012!

Judging by the barrage of sports club and diet program commercials, I think that wellness is once again on top of everyone's resolution list. As a budding work/life and wellness professional, total wellbeing is always on top of my list, not only for myself, but for employees and society in general. Through this blog, I'd like to share my thoughts on recent news or research articles and how we can use this information to enact changes both as individuals and work-life professionals. Thanks for reading :)

Be. Well. Now.