Blog
Are we still feeling tired? (posted 18th Oct 2011)
On average 70% of staff are working through their lunch breaks, statistics* also show an average member of staff will also work between 1.5 – 4 hours extra each week, with the majority unpaid.
‘As a result of these extra hours, the health of the UK's workforce is suffering. More than a quarter (27%) report they feel tired all the time, 23% say they feel really stressed, 15% admit that their diet is suffering as they eat junk food and 9% need to smoke or drink to unwind’. *David Woods,13th Oct 2011 HR Magazine
How to work out the kinks at work (posted 5th Oct 2011)
We’ve all experienced the inconvenience of a computer crash at work, but the body is the one machine you can’t do without. When you spend work days at a desk, some muscles and joints work over-time while others languish. Backs, necks, shoulders, and upper extremities are common sore spots for deskbound workers. If you don’t want them to go on strike, you’d better make a move -- literally. Taking mini-movement breaks throughout the day (ideally five minutes out of every 30 to 60 minutes at your desk) can energize you and ease common office ailments.
Simply getting up and walking around for several minutes can do wonders, releasing spinal compression and revving up circulation. Dr. Traci Galinsky and other researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that not only did workers who took more frequent breaks feel better, they accomplished the same amount in a standard work day as those who took less time out. It can also help to shift your sitting posture regularly to avoid the muscular fatigue and tension that comes with maintaining a static position.
Employee wellbeing is not a perk; it’s a tool for improving performance (posted 30th June 2011)
Is your board interested in your employee’s health or about employee’s performance?
Research shows that people with a higher health risk take more time off work - on average seven days more absence a year than the rest of the population.
Research involving Unilever on the link between health and productivity reported a 10.4% improvement in work performance and a ROI of £6 to every £1 spent.
OnSite Plus provides you with the means to improve employee performance by delivering services direct to you:
• Massage at work
• Diet & Nutrition
• Posture and Exercise
Make a difference by calling us today
Are you a Generous Employer? (posted 14th June 2011)
With the cost of living rising twice as fast as salary increases many staff’s perception is that they are actually taking a pay cut. With this in mind a good way to boost morale and reward your staff is with a benefits package. But I wonder how many employees actually place a value on what they receive in your benefits programme?
How well do you market internally the benefits programme you run or facilitate through third parties? Frequent targeted communications are mandatory if you wish to get the message out to employees that you care. Avoid blanket emails, they may be quick and easy for you to send out but they soon become annoying and get filtered out or deleted. Segment your employee database according to needs and likes then talk to them about the things they are interested in and not everything you have.
Show them examples of the ‘The hidden value you have created’ the cost of what you provide for a typical employee in ££’s, in effect you have saved them this amount so don’t forget to remind them of this fact.
Look after your Eyes (posted 13th June 2011)
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
Do you need a wellness coach? (posted 9th May 2011)
Ever since Kate Middleton hired a wellness coach to get ready for her royal wedding the demand for this new breed of mind and body coaches has soared. A wellness coach is described as an enabler who points you in the right direction. They help free your mind and remove obstacles to guide you in finding the right path to put your life back in balance.
Search “what is wellness coaching?” on You Tube and you’ll find Dr Michael Arloski explaining exactly what it’s all about.
Employee engagement: a cause for concern to UK businesses (posted 6th May 2011)
I saw this item on a LinkedIn discussion forum and thought how is it people who still have a job do not feel grateful to their boss. Quite simply we don’t feel gratitude instead we feel that we survived that round of cuts. This Survivor syndrome has 4 clearly defined stages
1. Thank God it’s not me
2. Guilt - should I have lost my job?
3. Envy - that’s a large pay out maybe I should have gone
4. Resentment - Why do I have to do all this extra work with no thanks?
Providing survivors with as much attention and support as those leaving will go some way to mitigate their feelings and avoid negativity. Disengaged employees in the UK would take an average of 3.5 more days off than engaged employees, amounting to a £385 extra costs for UK business, according to the figures of the latest report on Absence conducted by PwC.
If you wish to look at an interesting article which further explains the concepts of survivor syndrome at work then go to an article by Robin Wood, managing director, Career Management Consultants
http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2009/02/act-now-to-prevent-survivor-syndrome.htm
Are you one of the 59% of people who sit down all day? (posted 6th May 2011)
An active workforce is happier; less stressed and takes fewer days of.
Being active doesn’t have to mean going for a long run. Simple exercises such as stretching and diverting eyes from a computer screen or shoulder and neck rotations at the desk can all help.
Research shows that the average person spends around 10 hours a day sitting down, 50% don’t even leave their desks at lunchtime. Never sit in the same position for more than 40 minutes, walk around or do some simple stretches
Hands and arms
Two simple exercises to get you started. The national back health charity, BackCare, recommends this fingers and thumbs exercise for office workers, to help prevent repetitive strain injury (RSI). Place an elastic band (with a reasonable amount of tautness, mind, not a really flimsy one) around the middle of all four fingers and the top of your thumb, all digits together. Now draw away your thumb, working against the resistance of the elastic band. Hold for a count of three and repeat five times. Swap hands.
The wrist and forearm stretch is great for anyone who uses a keyboard regularly. Hold your right arm straight out in front of you with your palm facing up. Use your left hand to pull your fingers back and down to the floor. Feel the stretch on the underside of your forearm and wrist. Now turn the arm palm down, and draw the fingers back towards the forearm, keeping them straight. Swap sides.
If you want some more exercises then you might be interested in this article:- Are you among the 59% of the working population who sit down all day? http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2006/sep/23/healthandwellbeing.features
Inspiring, inside and out (posted 25th April 2011)
Over the weekend I had a problem with my computer and without thinking I started to pace the room. This behaviour made me think of something I had read which suggested people think better when they move. When you have to make a difficult phone call do you stand up?
Studies abound that suggest movement stimulates the brain so that it not only makes learning easier, but it makes the knowledge more permanent. The more parts of the brain that are firing at once, the more likely things/knowledge is to stick. So why is it we invariably sit people behind desks or in meeting rooms when maybe something more dynamic is called for. Royal Mail seem to have stumbled onto this idea some time ago and provide a creative space for teams and external companies to use when problem solving called 'The Innovation lab', a wacky out there environment to encourage people to think out of the box. Take a look at their space if your interested in seeing how it might open your teams minds. (cut and paste link below)
http://www.royalmailgroup.com/portal/rmg/jump1?catId=23200554&mediaId=23200545
Have fun
About 1.8 million suffer with sight loss, National Eye Care week 13th – 19th June is hoping to raise awareness and encourage more people to have regular eye tests. Often just a new pair of specs or reading glasses can make a tremendous difference.
Eye tests are also good for spotting the early stages of Glaucoma, Diabetes and other medical conditions. Some foods are specifically good in terms of eye care including leafy green veg, carrots, oranges and sweet peppers, broccoli and eggs.
But did you know you lack of exercise can also be detrimental to the health of your eyes especially in the over 60’s?
Find out more about sun and the eyes (NHS Choices
http://www.visionmatters.org.uk/smartweb/looking-after-your-eyes/looking-after-your-eyes
CHEAT on sleep (posted 23rd May 2011)