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An NHS report out today advised employers that they need to pay more attention to the levels of stress and anxiety in the workplace.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said that the cost of work related mental illness was £28bn which represents a quarter of the total sick bill for the United Kingdom.

The report suggests that poor managers were the biggest cause of problems.  However it also said that simple measures such as allowing flexible working, providing staff with positive feedback and giving extra days holiday as a thank you could cut the impact by as much as a third.  NICE also urged employers to invest in more training for managers and mentoring for staff to help support their career development.

Counting the cost

Workplace stress is estimated to cost U.K. employers £28.3bn a year largely due to lost productivity, paying staff whilst they are off work and replacing ill employees.

NICE has designed a cost calculator to show the potential savings of better supporting stressed staff in the workplace.  It suggests that for the average firm of 1,000 staff a saving of £250,000 a year could be made.

Professor Cary Cooper, a leading expert in workplace psychology at Lancaster University helped compile the reports recommendations.  He said “You cannot underestimate the importance of saying ‘Well done’ to staff, but so often it does not happen.  Managers will tell you when you are doing something wrong, but not when you are doing it right.”

Recession

However, the problem is not just to do with staff taking time off from work.

“Presenteeism, where people come to work but add no value, is if anything more of a problem, especially during a recession. People are so scared that they go to work when they are not fit to” said Professor Cooper.

A recent survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) revealed that nearly a quarter of workers in the UK describe their own mental health as either moderate or poor, yet nearly all of them continued to work regularly.

The recommendations were welcomed by the government’s national director for health and work, Dame Carol Black who produced a report advising employers to take more of an active role in promoting good health for their employees back in 2008, saying that it provided “clear, practical advice to promote mental well-being”.

Who should take action?

Employers in organisations of all sizes – in larger organisations this might include chief executives and board members, human resources directors and senior managers.

Trade unions and other employee representatives – this will usually be the owner-manager and in medium-sized businesses the business manager.

What action should they take?

Adopt an organisation-wide approach to promoting the mental wellbeing of all employees, working in partnership with them. This approach should integrate the promotion of mental wellbeing into all policies and practices concerned with managing people, including those related to employment rights and working conditions.

Ensure that the approach takes account of the nature of the work, the workforce and the characteristics of the organisation.

Promote a culture of participation, equality and fairness that is based on open communication and inclusion.

Create an awareness and understanding of mental wellbeing and reduce the potential for discrimination and stigma related to mental health problems.

Ensure processes for job design, selection, recruitment, training, development and appraisal promote mental wellbeing and reduce the potential for stigma and discrimination. Employees should have the necessary skills and support to meet the demands of a job that is worthwhile and offers opportunities for development and progression.

Employees should be fully supported throughout organisational change and situations of uncertainty.

Ensure that groups of employees who might be exposed to stress but might be less likely to be included in the various approaches for promoting mental wellbeing have the equity of opportunity to participate. These groups include part-time workers, shift workers and migrant workers.

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Workplace Massage, originally uploaded by 5 Minute Angels.

Charity fund raising event, Canary Wharf – event details below…

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Onsite Massage

More and more companies are using on site massage as a way of improving the working environment for their employees to help improve employee retention and reduce sickness and absenteeism rates.

A report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) suggests that:

· The prevalence of work-related stress is increasing

· Stress has serious implications for organisational performance

· The proportion of sickness absence due to stress is estimated to be 40%

· 19% of employees leaving an organisation cite stress of the job or role as the key reason for leaving the organisation

Five Minute Angels helps organisations to look after the physical and mental well-being of their staff by offering a cost effective solution that demonstrates appreciation and commitment to each employee. On site massage leaves the individual feeling re-energised and over a period of time helps to improve productivity and employee engagement.

To learn more about the benefits on site massage can bring to your organisation call 0800 288 8673 or visit www.5minuteangels.com

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Corporate Massage

Many organisations face the stiff challenge of attracting and retaining good employees, as the most valuable employees can often take their pick of excellent jobs due to their high qualifications. Whether your company uses corporate massage through a regular employee wellness or benefits package, or as part of an incentive program, a chair massage program can be an asset to your human resource department and your company.

The number of organisations that offer corporate massage therapy to lower stress and improve productivity is growing every year. A workplace massage therapy program can help to increase job satisfaction and create a caring environment that employees really appreciate. And a corporate massage program can even help attract skilled workers in the first place!

Corporate massage has quickly become one of the most popular and requested benefits in the workplace today. The physical demands of long hours at the computer and the high stress of the new marketplace have made all forms of work stress reduction increasingly necessary. A good chair massage reduces fatigue and tension for greater productivity and safety.

So just what is corporate massage? Corporate chair massage focuses on the upper body areas that often cause problems for people who sit at a desk or use a computer keyboard. Chair massage can help prevent or relieve carpal tunnel syndrome, tension headaches, neck pain, and back problems. This chair massage technique is performed in your normal work attire and requires no oils. Instead of using a table, the massage takes place in a specially designed portable massage chair provided by the chair massage therapist. Leaning forward in the chair allows you to relax completely with your head resting in a comfy face cradle lined with a soft, disposable cloth cover. The therapist(s) will bring everything that they need, including massage equipment and supplies. All you need to provide is some quiet space and eager participants. Corporate massage typically takes about 10, 15 or 20 minutes, no longer than a coffee break, but is far more effective!

Take a look below and ask yourself if any of these benefits could help you or your company:-

Reduce Stress: The overall corporate massage session is designed to reduce physical as well as mental stress.

Increase Morale: Chair massage is an effective benefit that shows employees that your company cares about their mental and physical health.

Decrease Repetitive Stress Symptoms: Problems like carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis are examples of injuries associated with repetitive actions. This type of work leads to chronic tightness and physical injury. Corporate massage helps to reduce this chronic muscle tightness and help to educate clients on correcting posture, stretches, and self-help.

Increase Range-of-Motion: Range of motion is decreased by chronic tension; corporate massage can reduce tension and tightness, thereby increasing range of motion.

Reduce Muscle Soreness: Poor posture and chronic tension lead to soreness and pain. By reducing the tension through corporate massage and educating your employees on posture, corporate massage can help eliminate pain of this nature.

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