There are proven things that leaders can do to create and enhance robust work cultures in challenging times. It is also very easy to be distracted and have practices that destroy organisational energy.

Many people confuse busyness with effectiveness, and hours worked, as a measure of productivity. Multi-tasking is standard practice. Research by David Meyer shows that switching tasks increases the amount of time it takes to finish the primary task you were working on by an average of 25 percent.

In short, juggling activities is incredibly inefficient and ultimately weakens a culture.  This juggling contributes to extraordinary levels of unhealthy stress. The recent RUOK?atWork survey showed that 40% of Australian workers” typically feel stressed out every day with 12% experiencing extreme stress.

Extreme stress leads to suboptimal performance and for some, depression and/or an anxiety disorder. A recent Medibank report reveals that 34% of all lost productivity can be attributed to the absenteeism and presenteeism (people at work but not fully productive) related to depression and anxiety disorders.

Having carefully weighed up the evidence, I believe that these 5 things are critical to having a robust and resilient work culture that thrives.

1. We trumps me

Ideas workers are motivated by purpose. Knowing how their work contributes to the greater good is essential for an energised work force. Leaders who can communicate their mission in a compelling way will increase their employee’s energy levels. No I’m not talking about “Our mission is to maximize shareholder value” but something that let’s everyone know your raison d’être. For example Ramsay Healthcare’s (RHC) “People caring for people”.  Most organisations have these statements framed on the on the wall, it quite another for leaders to consistently “walk the talk”. If it is done well it will pay dividends. In the last 10 years RHC have returned 2500% to shareholders versus 147% for the ASX.

Only 27% of highly stressed employees in the RUOK?atWork Survey agreed with “my organisational purpose energises me” compared to 66% of employees with low levels of stress.

2. Acknowledge Progress and Setbacks

In a surprising study summarized in Harvard Business Review (May 2011), researchers Teresa M. Amabile and Steven J. Kramer interviewed over 12,000 employees – particularly knowledge workers and members of project teams - to discover what motivates them. Respondents said employee recognition is the least effective way to motivate them. Yet, 95% of managers surveyed said they believed employee recognition was the most important way to motivate employees.

In their research, the authors conducted an analysis of daily diaries kept by teammates on a variety of projects. Their conclusion is clear: what motivates people on a day-to-day basis is the belief they are making progress – successful steps forward to achieve a goal.

So, as a leader, what specifically can you do to motivate your team members by supporting their progress?  It is not hard to see where coaching fits in here. However the authors go on to highlight a couple of interesting areas on which to focus introducing the concepts of Catalysts and Nourishers, Inhibitors and Toxins.

It is also essential that supervisors learn to identify and develop employee’s strengths and utilized these to coach and mentor.

Mastering the art of asking “Are you OK?” is essential to stop little problems turning into big ones.

3. Encourage physical wellbeing

In the recent RUOK?atWork Survey only 42% of highly stressed employees said their employer encouraged physical wellbeing compared to 73% of low stress employees. Physical wellbeing can be encouraged by having walking or standing meetings, enrolling employees in the Global Corporate Challenge, having flexible work arrangements that allow time for exercise, gym subsidies.

Interestingly, when we asked employees what were the most effective strategies for reducing harmful stress “doing more exercise” rated second after “speaking to someone at work”. All other strategies nominated were very expensive for a business, such as “take days off” and “look for a new job”. Other elements of wellbeing include knowing and practicing how to relax.

4. Focus on outputs not inputs

Despite extensive research in Daniel Pink’s book “DRIVE: the surprising truth about what motivates us” showing that autonomy and mastery motivate employees, many employers still operate with Industrial Age thinking. For example, most legal firms operate on the billable hour method where employees are asked to account for every 6 minute interval. They are evaluated by how many hours they bill. Lawyers also have the highest levels of depression, substance abuse, and anxiety levels of any profession. This obviously has massive implications for the systems and processes that are utilized by organisations. Do they encourage or inhibit flexibility and mastery?

5. Invest your time wisely

Jennifer Aaker and Melanie Rudd from Stanford University published “If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy, Consider Time,” in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2011. They discuss how happiness is indeed a consequence of the choices people make. So what can people do to increase their happiness? Their answer is surprisingly simple: invest your time wisely.

Although happiness is clearly relevant for individuals, businesses should also pay attention. Building a workforce of highly qualified, hard-working, and loyal employees is an essential aspect of staying competitive in today’s global markets. Therefore, being concerned about employee happiness is not just a moral thing to do, but it makes smart business sense as well.

They conclude that the activities that generate the greatest wellbeing are spending time with people you like, work on projects that energize you (these usually allow you to use your strengths), enjoy experiences without actually doing them, focus on the here and now.

What has been your experience? I would welcome your comments/suggestions/questions.

Kind Regards

Graeme

Tags: anxiety at work, depression at work, graeme cowan, mental health at work, resilience, robust cultures, thriving cultures, work stress, workplace mental health

In an alarming indictment of Australian risk management procedures, over 50% of employees don’t believe that there are systems and management practices in place to stop little problems turning into big ones, or in providing clear guidance for handling a crisis, an RU OK? at Work survey revealed.

It also showed that 13% of Australians feel that nobody at their workplace cares about them as a person.  Graeme Cowan, Director of R U OK? at Work says these figures have huge implications for morale and organisational productivity.

 Not happy Jan….

The survey, conducted in July by AMR Interactive, was designed to drill down to root causes of workplace stress. “The R U OK? at Work survey shows how these issues are manifesting,” says Cowan with 40% of people saying they typically feel tense or stressed out at work; with 10% highly stressed.

Cowan believes management need to do more to monitor staff and be proactive when noticing problems. “We’re seeing a real gap here, where people need to be checked in on. The survey shows the most vulnerable do not seek help. Managers are letting them fall through the gaps.”

This stress has substantial implications for productivity, with 75% of stressed workers reporting that they are not achieving all they are capable of. Only 30% of these stressed workers are satisfied with the work/life practices of their organisation compared to 80% satisfaction for non stressed employees.

 In a stark comparison, 77% of non stressed workers said their organisation encouraged physical wellbeing, whilst only 39% of stressed employees felt the same.

What can employees  do  to help colleagues?

1.       Learn how to ask “Are you OK?” to someone you think may be struggling and encourage them to seek expert help – to access free guides register your business at www.ruokday.com.au

2.       Encourage your team to participate in RUOK?atWork on Thursday September 15.

3.       Consider walking meetings. A Harvard study shows they produce high quality outcomes in 20% less time.

Implications for leadership

1.       Examine why most employees don’t believe there are systems in place to stop little problems turning into big ones.

2.       Consider how you can better encourage physical and mental wellbeing in the workplace

3.       How can you better communicate to employees the community benefits of your organisation’s mission and build in better recognition practices?

What is the RUOK? at Work Program?

On Thursday September 15 participating organisations will invite their employees to reach out to someone they are concerned about – either a loved one or a work colleague - and ask “Are you OK?”

In the time it takes to have a coffee, you can start a conversation that could change a life. Join 2000 organisations and register for free at www.ruokday.com.au to access full resources and merchandising material.

About the RUOK? at Work Survey

AMR interviewed 764 employed Australian residents living across all states and territory, to understand Australians’ experience of stress in the workplace from July 11-29, 2011. The data has been weighted to be representative of the employed Australian population. The questions were based on the findings of a global literature search that identifies root causes of harmful stress.

The full survey results and commentary can be down loaded.

For further information please contact Graeme Cowan on graeme@graemecowan.com.au or 0414 487 072.

Tags: anxiety at work, bounce back and thrive, depression at work, graeme cowan, lost productivity, ruok?atwork, ruok?day, stopping little problems becoming big ones, workplace mental health, workplace stress

In 2000 I was the Joint Managing Director of a Management Consulting Firm. It was also the year I crashed and burned and descended into unimaginable 5 years of hell which my psychiatrist described as the worst depressive episode he had ever treated. It’s hard to imagine that over that period I tried 23 types of medication, had 20 treatments for ECT (or shock therapy), was hospitalized 3 times and made a number of suicide attempts.

I was fortunate that my organisation was quite supportive, but I was on my own to navigate EAP services, Income Protection Insurance, Rehabilitation consultants, GP’s, psychologists, psychiatrists, “independent” psychologists and psychiatrists, Superannuation Trustees, Advisors to the Trustees, 3  Trustee Adviser Administrators, private detectives, forensic accountants, and Group Insurers. When you are in the black hole of depression clarity is impossible. I’ll let you in on a secret; I was the only one who had the vaguest idea what was going on. If I showed you the goat track of a process map that outlines how all these parties work together you would just shake your head in disbelief.

But enough about me…….

The World Health Organisation says that depression is the most disabling illness in the western world today. A recent study by Medibank Private shows that depression, bipolar, and anxiety disorders account for around 35% of all workplace productivity loss. In research I did in 2007, only 9% of people with depression were comfortable discussing it with work colleagues. We have the biggest cause of lost productivity in the Australian workforce, and only 9% of those affected feel comfortable talking about it. The ultimate pink elephant in the room. What is even more astonishing is that a study done by the University of Queensland, found that for every $1 spent on a program focussing on early intervention and treatment, over $5 in incremental productivity gains were realized versus a control group. Proposals that offer a 500% ROI never come across board tables for consideration, so why is reform “in the too hard basket”?

Industry superannuation funds representing over 6 million employees have banded together to form SuperFriend, so that a cohesive plan can be established to address this madness. It’s time for HR Managers to also show some chutzpah and in the spirit of Peter Finch from the movie Network start shouting from the windows “I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more”.

EAP is a dinosaur

EAP can be a valuable service to those that are struggling but at best they only address the tip of the iceberg. Conducting “Resilience” and “Worklife Balance” courses can also be helpful, but as the seminal global study conducted by VicHealth called “Workplace Stress in Victoria” revealed, only a systems approach which incorporates prevention and early intervention strategies yields the best results for both the employee and employer.

To understand what is meant by a systems approach it is worth looking briefly at the legal industry.

A study completed by the Brain and Mind Research Institute in 2008 showed that 31% of lawyers have a high to very high emotional distress level compared to the general population of 16%.  To their credit, Australia’s 5 largest law firms have jointly established a group called “Resilience in Law” to start to address these disturbing figures. They have prepared an excellent video where a brave group of employees (including a couple of partners) have discussed living with a mood disorder. They are also endeavouring to train their employees to be more resilient. Admirable initiatives, but the systems approach requires a much deeper understanding of the root causes of depression. In my view, it’s hard to envisage any significant progress in the legal profession, when the insidious “billable hour” dominates. It is a system that rewards long hours and ineffective work, dominates Performance Management and Remuneration, and creates a culture of “fudging” to meet revenue targets. It’s  not congruent with good personal wellbeing. The system is contrary to all evidence, on the requirements to engender an engaged and motivated workforce in the knowledge economy.

What we can learn from Chairman Mao?

Addressing systemic problems requires a long term perspective, and considerable will. What can we do right now? In 1965, Chairman Mao, became frustrated by the inertia from the Chinese Health Ministry in addressing rural health problems. He sent many of the Western trained doctors to work in the rice paddies and replaced them with carefully selected villagers, who were trained in the basics of epidemic prevention, hygiene, sanitation, wound care and good nutrition. At first glance, this would seem to be another of the disastrous strategies of the Cultural Revolution, but a strange thing happened. These “barefoot doctors” came from the local villages and were chosen because of their credibility and influence in the community.  The simple preventative health changes they recommended were much more readily adopted than if they had been mandated from Peking. The World Health Organization regarded the barefoot doctor program as a “successful example of solving shortages or medical services in rural areas”.

I strongly believe if a similar strategy (in the context of a systemic approach) was followed by organisations it would also yield substantial benefits. In any organisation there are people that have tremendous influence which often has no correlation to where they sit on an organisational chart.

Imagine if these barefoot doctors were trained to help identify someone who may be experiencing extreme stress, and encourage them to visit a local GP or Psychologist with rigorous mental health diagnostic skills. Imagine if they knew that recovery from depression and anxiety wasn’t just dependent on taking a pill and seeing a psychologist but also depended on getting regular exercise, the emotional support of family, friends, and work colleagues, and learning how to relax. Imagine if they knew the importance of following up to see if the person had taken action and was following the proposed treatment plan.

Register for RUOK?atWork – Thursday Sept 15, 2011

RUOK?atWork is a not for profit initiative created to build a nation of barefoot doctors in the workplace to stop little problems turning into big ones. Last year almost 700 organisations including the CBA, Rio Tinto, Optus, NSW Fire Brigade, and Queensland Police participated. They invited their employees to reach out to someone they were concerned about – whether a loved one or work colleague – and ask “Are you OK?”. User friendly materials encouraged a 3 step process, Breaking the Ice, Asking Non Judgemental Questions, and Encouraging Action. Even more importantly, the resources provided simple guidance on how to find expert help. Ninety five percent of those that participated last year said they planned to do so this year (with 5% undecided).

Register for Free at www.RUOKday.com.au to access “How to ask RUOK?”

Tags: depression at work, mental health at work, mental illness at work, wellbeing at work

I think most of us who have struggled with depression or anxiety have experienced the dilemma of whether to disclose our illness to our work colleagues or not. Whilst it makes sense to discuss what we are living with, many of us are fearful that if we are honest, it could jeopardise our career prospects.

I believe that most of this fear stems from the people not be able to have sensible conversations about depression and anxiety in the workplace. This is ironical as it is the biggest contributor of lost productivity.

Whether you work for small company or a large employer, I would like to propose something that we all can do to make a difference. Ask your boss if your work team can start conversations that could change lives on October 7^th by participating in RU OK? At Work. Whilst we all recognize that things won’t change over night – we have to start somewhere. If you don’t feel like pushing it – suggest it to someone else in your team.

RU OK? at Work is the workplace component of RU OK? Day. All workplace posters and guides can be found by going to RU OK? at Work and registering.

R U OK? Day, now in its second year, is the first national initiative of its kind. On R U OK? Day on October 7, all Australians will be encouraged to use the time they take to have their coffee to connect with their friends, loved ones and colleagues by reaching out to anyone doing it tough and having a conversation that could change a life.

Simply ask: “Are you okay?” and help stop little problems from turning into big problems.

Why start a conversation? Because a lack of connection can have a critical impact on someone’s social and emotional well-bring and, at times, this feeling of disconnection can place people at risk of taking their own lives.

That’s why R U OK? Day on October 7^th will bring Australians together in a bid to help prevent risk factors contributing to suicide. It will also promote awareness of help and support services available by raising the profile of existing organisations that provide such services to those who need support.

More information on RUOK? Day  and resources for how to have an effective conversation and where to get help can be found at www.ruokday.com.au.

What are your suggestions, questions, comments about RU OK? at Work? Please reply to this post.

Kind Regards

Graeme

Tags: adversity, anxiety, depression treatments, ruok, work stress, workplace stress

For it’s first year, 2009’s RUOK? Day had many highlights including 650,000 Australian’s reaching out to someone they were concerned about and asking “RUOK?” - but we want your help to make it better.

Just prior to a recent presentation I did regarding mental health in the workplace, I surveyed the HR Managers and CEO’s who attended and asked them, what were the biggest concerns they had about asking someone who appeared to be struggling “Are you OK?”.

These were there top 3 concerns:

·         How do you broach the subject with them?

·         How do you best support people managers who are trying to help them?

·         What do you tell other team members?

If you have at one time struggled in the workplace with depression, stress, or anxiety, I’d like to ask your help in recommending an approach which is good for the employee, the team, and the organisation.

Last year for RUOK? Day we produced a form to help individuals feel  more comfortable approaching  the person they were concerned about.

This is the approach we recommended:

Put yourself in their shoes

The reason most people don’t ask RUOK? to someone they care about, is that they don’t know what to say, or are afraid of “opening a can of worms”.

If you were the one struggling and had lost hope, would you want someone you cared about to ask RUOK? What would you like them to say?

The “Golden Rule” is an ethical code that is shared across most major religions and cultures that states “do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” Many Australians have embraced this idea during tough times; think of the Victorian bushfires, when millions of Australians reached out to help each other. RUOK? is another day where we challenge Australians to treat one another as you’d like to be treated. 

After the event last year we surveyed a sample of employers to ask them how they found effective  they found this resource - 73% rated it effective or very effective, and 27% somewhat effective.

 I would like to ask the experts, the ones who have struggled with a mood disorder in the workplace, is there anything you would suggest to improve this approach – given that it has to be no more that a page long.

Please respond to this blog and answer these 3 questions:

1.       Can you suggest any improvements to this approach?

2.       If you had the opportunity to give your boss advice on how best to handle the situation, what would you suggest?

3.       What are your thoughts about informing other team members that you are working with a mood disorder?

Many thanks for helping us continue to improve our approach.

Regards

Graeme

If you think your organisation (or another) may be interested in having me as a speaker, please refer them to: www.GraemeCowan.com.au or call my office on +61 2 8014 8867.

“Graeme delivered an exceptional presentation to our client group consisting of CEOs and Human Resources Managers on the topic of “Best Practice in managing mental health in the workplace”. Everyone was riveted to Graeme’s personal experience as well as the incredibly powerful suggestions for handling employees (and personal contacts) suffering from stress and depression. The suggestions were practical and simple and relevant to workplace situations. His style is so genuine and open that the majority of client feedback said it is one of the most compelling presentations they had seen in many years. Graeme has done some amazing research, both locally and internationally, on various aspects of mental health. He was also able to effectively demonstrate the corporate savings and the business case for addressing employee mental health and productivity. Given Graeme’s corporate background and his personal experiences I couldn’t recommend him more highly in either a consulting or speaking capacity. He is an inspirational speaker.” June 9, 2010 Diane Humphries, Managing Director Cameron Recruitment

Tags: anxiety, depression at work, depression treatments, mental health speaker, resilience speaker, work stress

Once we get to 5 on the moodometer, I believe that we should start thinking about what we would like our ideal life to look like in 5 years. It is so much more productive to be focussing on what we do want, rather than what we don’t want.

There are probably 4 main components of this:

1. DO - What do I want to be doing?
2. BE - Which of my talents and character qualities do I want to be using?
3. WHO - Who do I want to be doing this with?
4. WHERE – do I want to be?

Over the last 6 months I’ve been doing a lot of reflection on this topic area. In December last year, I met Karynne Courts - www.valuesconnection.com.au - who for the last 10 years has been doing work with leaders to help them understand who their authentic self is, by having them complete a values inventory with them. I have also been doing a lot of work in the Positive Psychology space with the Virtues Inventory, which helps people to understand what their character strengths are. We had both also read very widely around the whole concept of helping people to discover a life of meaning. To cut a long story short, Karynne and I decided to run a pilot course of “Navigating a meaningful life by understanding your whYcode” with 15 people which ran over 8 weeks.

What is a whYcode?

We all have unique values, talents, qualities, and passions. Learning what these are isn’t always easy, and Karynne and I put our experience together to help people understand what is truly important to them. We face decisions every day – big and small – and we believe that when we face this “Y” (fork) in the road, that if you have good personal insight – i.e. understand your whYcode – this will help you make fast decisions that strengthen, rather than weaken you.

Career fulfilment is essential for our wellbeing

Having spent 12 years in recruiting and outplacement, I am aware of how few people work in a career that they would describe as fulfilling. When I did my original research for BACK FROM THE BRINK, I discovered that the 350 people I interviewed rated “fulfilling work” as the number 4 most effective strategy for overcoming depression – where “medication” was rated number 7.

The outcome of the pilot and shorter version I recently conducted in Chicago

Participants in the pilot course found it tremendously helpful to be able to identify their whYcode. For some people it was quite a surprise when they rediscovered what “lights their fire”.

Based on the feedback we received from the pilot course, Karynne and I further simplified the course which I presented at the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance conference in Chicago.

A prominent US mental health blogger, Marcia Purse, attended the conference and she wrote:

“The highest point of all was the last event - keynote speaker Graeme Cowan’s “How to Bounce Back and Thrive in Challenging Times.” In the near future I’ll start challenging all of you with some of the things he challenged the audience to do and think about”.

Understanding your whYcode is absolutely essential to being able to bounce back and thrive in challenging times.

What do you think contributes to meaning in life?

Are work and your community activities important to you? What have you found helpful to find meaning in your life? Please share your experience by commenting on the blog below.

A free overview of the course

On Tuesday May 25 from 6-8pm, I will be running a free overview of this seminar at the City Fringe Meditation Space in East Sydney (see link below).

http://www.meditationspace.com.au/meditation_space/Program_May_2010.html

If this is of interest to you, it is essential you confirm your place immediately online at the link above - as there are only a limited number of seats that can fit in the venue.

Address 99 Crown Street, East Sydney 2010

voice-box 02 8011 4995 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting                  end_of_the_skype_highlighting

email  eastsydney@au.bkwsu.org

Web  www.mediationspace.com.au

We are located at 99 Crown Street in East Sydney, next to the City Gym between Stanley and William Streets.

For those people interstate or overseas – if you would interested in attending a course such as this, or have any questions or comments please respond to the blog.

New corporate site launched

I have just completed a new site – www.GraemeCowan.com.au – which is for organisations that would like to use my services to speak or consult. If you know anyone who may be seeking someone to speak on how to bounce back and thrive from challenging times, please direct them there.

I look forward to your comments.

Kind Regards

Graeme

Tags: meaningful life, meaningful work, overcoming depression, passions, strengths, values

The single largest pool of untapped resource in this world is human good intentions that never translate into action. –Cindy Gallop

For some time now, I have been helping to organise RUOK?Day and RUOK?Arvo. I believe these two events could make a big difference in how people who are struggling with adversity are treated in the workplace and the community. Below is an outline of RUOK?Day and RUOK?Arvo and at the bottom is brief 100 word summary that could be used to describe RUOK?Arvo in a newsletter. If you have any suggestions about helping us to be successful in our quest please respond to the blog below.

RUOK?Day and RUOK?Arvo

Chances are that you know someone who is going through divorce, has lost a loved one, has a serious illness, is facing financial hardship, been retrenched, or having trouble with their children. For some people these crises can cause anxiety and a flat mood. For some it can progress into full blown clinical depression or an anxiety disorder.

Most of us would like to help, but we often opt out because we don’t know how to start the discussion, or are a little fearful that we could open a “can of worms”. The government recently announced that Medicare rebates for psychological counselling have increased 54% for 2009 over 2008. This is a problem that won’t go away unless we all take action.

This was the reason that RUOK?Day was created. We believe that a conversation can change a life and invite you to participate on Sunday Nov 29^th, 2009. Expert advice and videos can be found at www.RUOKDay.com.au

Action you could take

1.       Visit www.RUOKDay.com.au and review resources.

2.       Put Sunday Nov 29 in your diary and promise to make contact with one person you think could be struggling.

IF YOU WORK CONSIDER THIS

A 2007 Medicare Private study showed that by far the largest contributor to lost productivity in the Australian economy was caused by depression and anxiety.  Since 2007, Davidson Trahaire, by far Australia’s largest workplace counselling group, has seen client sessions for stress and anxiety increase 76% and 68% respectively.

This is why www.RUOKArvo.com.au has been created on Friday November 27 – the Friday afternoon before RUOK?Day. On this afternoon participating companies will invite all employees to reach out to one person – either a loved one or a work colleague – and ask RUOK?

At www.RUOKArvo.com.au you will find:

1.       Simple instructions on how your team or company can register and participate in RUOK?Arvo

2.       A downloadable  “How to ask RUOK? and support guide” and related video – for those concerned – see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koEjNP6H-sg

3.       A downloadable “I’m not OK and support guide” and related video – for those struggling

4.       A downloadable “Team Leaders Meeting Guide” and related video plus RUOK?Arvo Poster – on how to present RUOK?Arvo and engage the team

The organisations below have between 30 and 25,000 employees and have decided that these issues are so universal, that they will invite all their employees to ask RUOK? on Friday November 27.

FOUNDING SUPPORTERS OF RUOK?ARVO

Alexion, APN  Media, AT Kearney, Australian Human Resources Institute, Black Dog Institute, CareerOne, Cbus Super, Cochlear, Davidson Trahaire Corpsych, DLA Phillips Fox, Freehills, Inspire Foundation, Investment and Financial Services Association, Lifeline, Lundbeck, Mental Health Association of NSW, News Limited, Ramsay Healthcare, Reach Out, SANE Australia, Sex Discrimination Commission, Simon & Schuster, STW Group, Talent2,  The Next Step, Toll Holdings, University of Western Sydney, Zurich Financial Services

Action you could take:

1.       Discuss RUOK?Arvo with 2 work colleagues and your team leader. If you decide you would like to participate as a team why not register at:  www.ruokarvo.com.au

Turn your good intentions into action by asking RUOK? - nothing changes until someone acts.

100 word summary

Do you know someone who is struggling?

RUOK?Arvo  - a conversation could change a life

November 27, 2009

Do you know someone who is struggling with depression or anxiety but don’t know how to open a conversation with them.  Organisations with between 20 and 25000 employees have already agreed to invite everyone to ask RUOK?  to a loved one or work colleague on November 27. For a 3 minute video on how to ask RUOK? see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koEjNP6H-sg

 To register and find full resources and support to help you start a conversation that could change a life, please go to www.ruokarvo.com.au 

 As I mentioned before, please let me know if you have any feedback or suggestions by responding to the blog below.

Kind Regards

Graeme

Tags: anxiety, depression at work, depression treatments, work stress

This is the first of a 2 part article for Lawyers Weekly magazine. Although there are some aspects relating to the legal area, the message is applicable to all workplaces

Feeling like you are treading water in a whirlpool? Are you struggling with continued interruptions that leave your mind always cloudy? Finding it difficult to switch off from work and sleep properly? Wound up like a spring?

Rest assured, you are not alone.

In 2007 Medibank Private commissioned a study by Econtech which found the cost to the Australian economy of absenteeism was $ 7 billion and presenteeism amounted to a staggering $26 billion. The report concluded that by far the biggest contributor to this productivity loss was depression and anxiety disorders.

Stress has ballooned in the last year

Since the GFC, the strain has been building rapidly with the number of people seeking Medicare rebates for psychological services growing by a staggering 54% from March 2008 to March 2009. Australia’s largest workplace counselling provider, Davidson Trahaire Corpsych reported that sessions related to stress, anxiety and depression were up 62% from last year.

What makes this even more concerning is that in research undertaken for my book BACK FROM THE BRINK only 9% of people living with depression and anxiety disorders in Australia felt comfortable discussing it with their work colleagues.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that managers are very reluctant to initiate a discussion with someone who is struggling with depression and anxiety as they fear they “may open a can of worms”. This avoidance strategy couldn’t be more wrong with clinicians unanimously agreeing that the earlier an episode is addressed the better the outcome for the employee and the organisation.

The high rate of depression and substance abuse by lawyers is well documented. In the recent survey conducted for the Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation, 35% of law students recorded High to Very High Kessler-10 Distress, solicitors scored 31%, barristers 17%, versus a general population of 13%.

It is beyond the scope of this article to propose long term solutions to this complex problem, but I would like to contribute some short and medium term strategies that can significantly improve people’s mood and performance in the workplace. Before discussing these recommendations however, I need to discuss levels of distress.

The moodometer

I find people can relate to the concept of a moodometer. A moodometer is marked from 0 - 10 where 10= when you are physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually thriving, 5= is when you are stressed. You probably aren’t sleeping well, are having headaches or digestive problems but are still hopeful of getting better, 0 = suicidal - you are relying on drugs to get through the day and have lost hope of improving. For the purpose of qualifying advice, 0-4 is red zone, 4-6 amber zone, and 6-10 green zone.

What happens when faced with adversity

Most people’s response to adversity is to slide down the moodometer. This is understandable, but our fulfilment and success in life is ultimately determined by how quickly we can bounce back from these challenges. The focus of my recommendations is for individuals in the red and amber zones (63% of solicitors versus 37% for general population).

I have been at the lowest levels of the red zone and it is a place of great despair. What makes it particularly dangerous is that when I was there, I had given up hope of getting better, and couldn’t remember being mentally healthy. My mind was cloudy and I had difficulty in making decisions as quickly as I once did. I mention this for those that may be feeling this way, because after some changes in my lifestyle, I now live my life almost entirely in the green zone. I firmly believe that you can not only bounce back to where you were before, but if you are open to the lessons presented in these challenges, you may come out the other side thriving. You have no choice but to act now – no one deserves to dread each day.

Rarely do things improve by themselves

For those in the amber zone, you may be tempted to keep hanging in there hoping that things will turn around by themselves – they probably won’t. You can’t keep doing the same thing and be hopeful of getting a different result. You are in survival mode and probably can’t see options available that may help improve your life.

No matter what you know intellectually, when you are going through hard times there is a strong tendency to believe that you are the only one going through it. I know I felt this way. Since I have told my story of battling depression in the work place so publicly, I have found that every person I meet has someone close to them with a similar experience. Believe me – you are not alone.

Short term action

If you have been feeling in the red or amber zone every day for two weeks, the first thing you should do is to see your GP, a psychologist, or counsellor from your EAP provider (if you have one). If you are reluctant to do that you should at least consider an anonymous self test for depression at www.BlackDogInstitue.org.au  If the test suggests you need to speak to a mental health professional then organise an appointment immediately.

Exercise is essential

The second thing you should commit to doing is at least 30 minutes exercise each day. This doesn’t have to be a marathon – a 30 minute brisk walk in a park amongst nature at lunch time is enough. When you walk try to be in the moment and observe the plants, birds, animals and insects along the way. If you prefer swimming, cycling, aerobics, or dancing, do that. Research by the Black Dog Institute has shown exercise to be the most effective strategy (with no negative side effects) for improving depressive symptoms.

Emotional support 

Your third strategy should be to share you situation with someone you trust. This could be your spouse or partner, family member, or a friend. If your low mood is impacting your productivity at work, I would also strongly recommend talking to your manager. They have mostly likely already noticed the changes and it is better that they are aware of the real issue and don’t dismiss it as just a performance problem. Besides, you will need their support and approval if you are required to take time off to see doctors and to exercise.

Follow guidance

It is important in the next 4 weeks that you follow your doctors advice, exercise 30 minutes per day 6 days per week, and plan to meet with loved ones at least 2-3 times per week. I found it helpful to sit down on a Sunday and plan when I was going to schedule these activities in my diary for the week ahead. If you don’t plan for it in advance – it won’t happen. You need to do these things even if you don’t FEEL like it. The opposite of resilience is rigidity.

Next week

In the next issue I will be covering the remaining 4 essential strategies for bouncing back from adversity and specifically focusing on medium term action plans. I will also be outlining what managers, team mates and organisations can do to assist someone who is struggling.

WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE

If you have any comments or questions about what has been outlined above please reply to the blog below. You only need to put your first name and email address (which isn’t made public) to register.

I look forward to your input.

Kind Regards

Graeme

Tags: adversity, anxiety, depression treatments, work stress, workplace stress

I was recently asked to be one of the judges for the Black Dog Institutes writing competetion entitled “Tackling Mood Disorders in the Workplace”. The winners were announced yesterday by the Minister for Mental Health The Hon Barbara Perry.

PRIZES

1. Maree Matic - Sydney
2. Daniel Taylor - Adelaide
3. Rowena Harris - Tasmania

In addition to these 3 there were 10 “Highly Commended”

JUDGES SUMMARY

The judges were very impressed with the standard of the 200+ submissions to this years contest. Entries came from those living with mood disorders, their work colleagues, and managers. When assessing each contribution we decided to place equal weight on relevant ideas raised, writing style, and practical suggestions to improve the current situation.

The vast majority of entrants still feel very reluctant to disclose their illness for fear that it will have an adverse effect on their career prospects. It seems that a “work mask” is still very much the norm. Comments such as “the act is taking its toll” and “hiding in the toilet is not a long term solution” reflected the quiet despair.

The occupations most frequently represented in the submissions were teachers, lawyers, and recruitment consultants.

It was very difficult to narrow the final field down to the 3 winners and 10 “Highly Commended”, but they provided some clear messages.

Organisations need to be much more proactive in educating employees and managers, in how to recognise and support those with a mood disorder. Whilst the importance of appropriate policies was highlighted, contributors stressed that the most crucial element was a compassionate manager who reached out to address the issue quickly. Many lamented that “values on the wall were not lived on the floor”.

Whilst diversity in gender, ethnicity, and physical disability, is actively encouraged in many organisations, it is sadly lacking for those with mood disorders. In addition to supportive work colleagues, the other critical organisational requirement is flexible hours to allow for doctors/therapist visits, and low mood in the morning, when required.

Those working with mood disorders stressed that they also have an obligation to balance their lifestyle and manage their mental health – “Ironically it was only when I started working on my wellness that my work performance improved.” Many also explained that their mental health was made worse by pursuing the wrong career. Despite the challenges of work, the vast majority stressed how important it was to their self esteem.

It was extremely difficult to pick a final winner, but we felt that the contribution chosen, could well act as a summary for all 200+ entries.

Graeme Cowan, Judges Chairperson May 28, 2009

I couldn’t help but think that this competition was so important as it raised so many ideas regarding how things could be improved in the this area of where we all spend so much time, yet as I have highlighted previously, only 9% of those with depression feel comfortable discussing their condition with work colleagues - how absurd is that.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING

If a genie suddenly granted you one wish about how you would change the workplace to be a better place for those who live with depression and anxiety, what would it be. I would love you to respond to reply to this blog with your thoughts.

Kind Regards

Graeme

Tags: anxiety, burnt out, depression, depression cure, depression help, depression treatments, work stress

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Tags: depression anxiety, depression at work, depression cure, depression help, depression treatments