"6 ways to Stress Less At Work"

http://psychcentral.com/lib/2011/6-ways-to-stress-less-at-work/

I found this article super interesting because stress at work is something we all experience. There are a number of things that could affect us throughout a day yet it seems to all hit us when we clock in. Sometimes we deal with things that cannot be avoided, sometimes the stress IS work itself.  This article opened six main steps for managing stress in the work place. It caught my eye because in the text book (chapter 7), we can also find steps to managing stress. I was anxious to see how these things compared.

 The first step says to "take care of yourself". There are plenty of times people are so busy and full of worry and stress that they forget to nourish their own bodies. I think this is important because without a healthy body how can any work be done? Mental health strongly relates to physical health and often times people neglect this finding.

The other steps were not completely the same as the text however they still seemed really helpful. Everyone deals with stress differently so a variety of solutions is always good. This article primarily deals with focusing your mental state to a better place instead of  consistently thinking of the pressing issues.  However, it is true that one cannot run from their problems, they should eventually face them and pluck them at their root. Keeping a healthy surrounding is important also!

Check the article out, hope it enlightens and adds to your list of dealing with life's stresses!

*Raymi Smith*

Core & Convenience Benefits to help reduce stress

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjTZF19jBs8

After reading a few articles on the best companies to work for, SAS seemed to be a company that was on almost every list. SAS is in the high-end analytics business, where they help businesses optimize their business processes by selling their software to businesses. SAS’s culture is focused on creating an environment that promotes innovation and creativity. One of SAS’s main goals is to reduce distractions at work so employees can better focus on their work. In doing this, SAS offers its employees both core and convenience benefits. SAS offers core benefits to its employees such as medical, dental, disability, and 401K plans like many other businesses. But what sets SAS apart from other companies is its convenience benefits.  SAS offers benefits such as a recreation fitness facility, onsite health care that is free of charge to employees and their families, onsite daycare service that is primarily paid for by SAS, and a worklife center that provides programs to employees that support areas such as elder care, parenting, and financial and debt management. SAS claims that they provide these convenience benefits to make life easier, keep their employees happy, healthy, and more productive.

SAS’s CEO, Jim Goodnight talks about how when SAS employees are motivated and are in a good environment, they produce better software. He mentions a triangular situation between employees, customers and the company, where happy employees guarantee happy customers, and happy customers guarantee a happy company. Goodnight states how the company has set a 35 has set a 35-hour work week since the beginning of the company in 1976. He believes this is good for employees and that this provides a better life-style, not having a formal clock-in and clock-out  system. He believes in looking at the overall work/life balance combination.

SAS’s Senior Software Developer, Rick Langston, mentions how software development is 100 percent mental, and one must keep the mind sharp. He mentions that one must work with as much convenience as one can, and have the proper environment that is conducive to that type of development. Langston mentions how he can set the times he comes and leaves from work, and how he can also work from home when he needs to.  

This video segment on SAS reflects a lot of terms and concepts mentioned in Bauer and Erdogen’s “Organizational Behavior”, Chapter 7 ‘Managing Stress and Emotions’.  The chapter mentions the term, stressors, being events and contexts that cause a stress reaction by elevating levels of adrenaline and forcing a physical or mental response. With SAS’s convenience benefits, and the emphasis SAS puts on the proper environment, stressors are a factor SAS tries to keep employees from having. Also, the term Work-family conflict, meaning when the demands from one’s work and family are negatively affect one another. SAS tries to reduce this by having an on-site daycare service. Also, with the worklife center, employees are able to receive help regarding family or parenting issues. The last term that stood out to me was Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), which is defined as programs that are often offered to workers as an adjunct to a company-provided health care plan. This definition reminds me of SAS’s worklife program especially, as well as many of its convenience benefits.

SAS as a company definitely goes above and beyond when it comes to its employees. With SAS offering such an excellent program such as its worklife program, are there other ways that companies can be sure their employees are kept at the perfect stress level? Do you believe it is just as important for employees to manage their stress as it is for companies to help with employees manage their stress? 

-Lauren Brooks

Workplace Fun

http://www.leadingtoday.org/Onmag/feb03/ju-feb03.html


As we grow up we learn when and where it is appropriate to have fun and when we should be serious.  When growing up many of us think and have been told work is a place to be professional. We notice our parents and family members coming back stressed about work.  


In the above link Jody Urquhart discusses how "People who are in good spirits are more likely to be productive." Not only does having a good spirit allow one to be more productive but it attracts profit and people.  In a business you not only want your employees to love what they do but you want them to draw in others to your company to help increase the success of your company.  


What interested me the most about this article was the break down of how fun helps productivity, along with the question Jody ask about one's company.  These questions help identify if a company has "terminal seriousness."  Also, how laughter benefits individuals not only at work but in their health.  


A large majority of this article discusses steps to creating a fun workplace.  What interested me the most was, "Organize a “Fun Committee” for dreaming up fun “stuff” to do during and after work." To have a committee to organize fun in a company would be fun and different.  I wonder how many companies have this? Have you ever heard of anything like this? When reading the 31 ways to have fun at work I noticed one idea that to me seemed contradictory, " Charge late employees a small fine like $5, which goes to fun activities"  I would think this would make employees more anxious in the morning and could potentially start there day off poorly.  While the idea has a good outcome but its almost like a punishment which many do not like to have at work.  


~Apollonia Barrientos 

Playing games at work?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204294504576615371783795248.html

              I read the article called, “Latest Game Theory: Mixing Work and Play” that was written on October 10^th, 2011 in the Wall Street Journal.  The article discusses how companies like International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd. are using videogames in the work environment to motivate their employees.  These companies are using rewards and competition to make work tasks seem less like work.  Things like management training, data entry and brainstorming.  Many companies have used digital games for years in order to help market products to consumers, but now they will use it to motivate their own employees.  It is projected that by 2014 around 70% of large companies will use “gaming” for at least one business process.  Some companies outsource the games where others build their own programs. 

               IBM uses different strategies throughout their company including a program that allows employees to help create a virtual city more efficient or simulate various business scenarios.  They have 400,000 employees many who travel or work from home so having these games allows colleagues to stay connected and engaged. 

               I think using games sounds like a great idea.  I believe that adding a little extra fun spirited competition to a work environment will help keep people on task and focused.  I think using a gaming program will help employees with empowerment, the removal of conditions that make a person powerless.  These games can help because having competition usually fires people up and makes them feel that they have a duty to perform.  Also using these games can affect goal commitment.  It is the degree to which a person is dedicated to reaching the goal.  When an activity is made fun or there is a reward it motivates people to get the job done and usually faster. 

               Employers may think about adding a gainsharing program into what they have come up with.  Adding a gainsharing program will motivate employees against other employees but also themselves.  Do you think it would still work?  If you were at a company that used these gaming programs would it motivate you?  Do you think 70% of companies will begin using a program like IBM or Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd.? 

-Tara Tolomeo