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Archive for category: Healthy Workplace

Back pain
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What a Pain in my Neck!

Guest Blogger:  Samantha Langan, Occupational Therapist MSc. (OT)

Addressing Neck Pain in the Workplace

Text Neck—are you guilty? A recent article in the-two way by Laura Sullivan discusses the posture adopted by many people when leaning over a cellphone while reading and texting. This bad posture can put up to 60 pounds of pressure on the upper spine — sometimes for several hours a day, depending on how often people look at their devices.

And it isn’t just texting. Believe it or not, holding the upper body still and sitting in an upright position, as is required when spending time sitting at a desk for long times such as working at a computer, requires a lot of effort from our muscular systems. There is an invisible but constant battle against gravity to maintain the head in an upright position, at the optimum distance from the screen, combined with maintaining one’s arms in the proper typing position increases the static load on our body, especially the neck and shoulders.

The Institute of Work and Health reported that neck pain related to work is one of the most common complaints of working aged adults and in 2006 it was reported that injuries to the upper extremity account for 30% of lost-time claims in Ontario.

There are often some commonly occurring culprits in the office that lead to poor postures and over time, fatigued bodies and resulting neck pain. Some of these culprits include:

• Non-adjustable workstations

• Workstations that are not properly designed or not well suited to the individual

• Lack of knowledge and experience on how to set up and adjustable workstation properly according to the worker’s needs (being sure to consider the worker’s body and their job tasks)

• Unsuitable job design that requires workers to sit uninterrupted for longer than an hour at a time

The good news is that many of these issues can be addressed through prevention. Some great tips for adjusting work stations to prevent neck pain include:

• Making sure that your monitor is directly in front of you and does not require you to look to the side

• If your monitor is too low, raise it with a book or another solid object

• Use split screen to read two documents at once while reducing neck rotation

For more great suggestions on how you can address neck pain in the workplace, download our E-Book:  “Cost Effective Ergonomic Solutions” and check out past posts on Wellness in the Workplace.

 

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Workplace Ergonomics: Laws for Work

Humans are not made for immobility. Even if you take a healthy joint and put it in a cast for even a few days, when you remove this the movement of the joint will be decreased, pain will appear, and muscles that surround the joint will have started to atrophy. So, how does this translate to jobs that require us to sit all day, being immobile at a computer, in a car, or at a desk?

In the world of rehabilitation we find that insurers assume that “sedentary jobs” are “easy” on people because of the low physical demands required of these positions. While sometimes this can be true, research is starting to highlight that “sedentary” is still not “healthy”. In fact, while it may seem harmless to complete your job duties in a sitting position for 8 hours or more per day, this can actually set the stage for injuries to develop slowly over time. Some of the most common work related factors that lead to the development of injuries include fixed and constrained postures that are awkward and maintained for too long, repetitive movements, and a high pace of work.

So what can be done? One of the most effective way to address injuries in the workplace is to employ workplace ergonomics. While a popular buzzword in the fields of health and safety, it begs the question, what really is ergonomics?

The term ergonomics is derived from the Greek word ergos, meaning “work” and nomos, meaning “laws”- hence the Laws for Work. The idea behind ergonomics is that each worker brings a unique set of skills, patterns of performing the job, and individual factors to the workplace. Many times offices and work environments are designed with space, budgets and esthetics in mind, but less so for the people who will actually be using the work setting to be productive. This often leads to injury, higher employment costs, and inefficiency.

Ergonomics addresses well-being and performance in relation to one’s job, equipment, tools and environment, with an overall goal to improve health, safety and efficiency of the worker and workplace.

The principles of ergonomics help address a variety of work-related issues. Common issues include workplace and work process design, work-related stress, disabled and aging workforces, tool and equipment design, architectural design and accessibility. The great thing about ergonomic intervention is that it can be applied proactively, preventing problems before they occur, or reactively, adjusting the worker-job-context “fit” when problems do occur. Employing ergonomics involves finding a way to match individual employees’ strengths and limitations with the context of activity demands to improve both worker safety and workplace productivity.

Occupational therapist’s holistic vision and training in finding “fit” between people, environments and “occupations” makes us optimal professionals to assess and treat ergonomic issues. An occupational therapist can help minimize risk and maximize worker safety, productivity and efficiency.

We invite you to download our free E-book:  “Cost Effective Ergonomics Solutions” to learn more.

Stay tuned to our Workplace Wednesday blog series for some great tips and strategies to address common workplace complaints using principles of ergonomics and our unique viewpoint on occupation.

 

Resources
Haruko Ha, D., Page, J.J., Wietlisbach, C.M. (2013) Work Evaluations and Work Programs, in Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy Practice Skills for Physical Dysfunction

Canada’s National Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/office/risk_factors.html

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Office Parties 101

The Holiday season is upon us and calendars are quickly filling up with invitations for parties and get-togethers. Many workplaces use the holidays as a way to gather for team-building, networking and celebrating the season. Although office parties take place outside of the regular 9-5 and include great foods and drinks, these aren’t the types of parties where you want to let your hair down and overindulge. The following from the Huffington Post discusses ways to survive your office holiday party and to have fun, while maintaining a professional reputation.

The Huffington Post:  Business Etiquette: Surviving the Holiday Office Party

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How To Plan For the Retirement You Want? Concentrate on Your Health

What’s the top reason many Canadians are retiring earlier than planned? Unfortunately it’s not because of superior wealth planning, or unexpected windfall through the lotto – it’s because of poor health. A recent survey from Sun Life Financial shows that of the 69 percent of Canadians who retired earlier than planned, 29 percent were forced to retire due to their health. Understandably, this has caused major financial hardship for many.

There has been ample discussion recently relating the way we work to the many health problems we face. From mental health issues to sitting disease, the stressful yet sedentary working lifestyle is definitely taking a toll on the health of the Canadian workforce.

So the question is: how can employers help prevent this?

1. Offer a corporate Wellness Program with incentives for positive healthy behaviours
2. Ensure the benefits you offer employees include comprehensive health benefits
3. Have a workplace assessment conducted to ensure you are creating the healthiest environment for workers
4. Model healthy behaviour and habits from the top down
5. Offer financial planning and retirement planning programs to help employees plan for retirement in addition to the costs unforeseen illness

The Globe and Mail:  Health issues force many into early retirement, new study finds  

Check out more of our feature posts on workplace health.

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Is Your Organization Suffering From Presenteeism?

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

It is hard to solve a problem you don’t know you have. Presenteeism has become a growing problem in organizations, more costly to employers than absenteeism, and yet many don’t know what it is, if it exists, and thus what to do about it.

Presenteeism refers to those employees that are physically or emotionally unwell but continue to work instead of taking vacation, personal or unpaid days. Working when unwell equates to lost productivity and a perpetuating cycle of ongoing illness. It can also impact the productivity of others, especially if the illness is acute and spreads throughout the department or organization. Employees suffering from presenteeism may work more slowly than usual, make more mistakes, misuse equipment, are more prone to work-related accidents, can have lapses in judgement, and have more interpersonal problems and conflict with others (1). Clearly, there is a strong link between presenteeism and absenteeism, but the problems people are facing at home, work, or with their health, are not often identified or managed until there is a (often prolonged) work absence. Proactive solutions are the key to stopping a growing problem.

A recent study by Statistics Canada found that lost productivity from presenteeism was at least 7.5 times greater than productivity loss from absenteeism. Statistics Canada also estimates that 7.5 days per employee per year are lost due to presenteeism, which equates to 3% of salary costs. Therefore, it is estimated that presenteeism costs Canadian businesses 15 to 25 billion dollars per year (2).

While understanding the incidence of presenteeism might prove difficult if people arrive to work, their activities are not monitored, and they don’t disclose an illness, there are ways to analyze if this is happening at your workplace. Several screening tools and questionnaires exist that can help employers understand how this could be impacting them. It is suggested that employers rely on the services of an external consultant to obtain this data, otherwise employees may not report problems accurately.

In addition to gathering information about the problem, there are known ways to reduce this. Flexible work hours and choices (such as lieu time), work-from-home options, and Personal Assistant programs are known to provide direct benefit (1).

Occupational Therapy is another solution. Often, Occupational Therapists are retained by employers to assess and treat workplace productivity problems. In fact, we are great at this. One of our many strategies for intervention includes the set-up of Workplace Health Programs (WHP) to target both absenteeism and presenteeism. According to the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal (2012), such programs that include organizational leadership, health risk screening, individual (versus group) tailored programs, and those that create a supportive workplace culture are especially effective. When employee supervisors and managers are involved and educated on mental health, organization and environmental factors that influence behavior are targeted, and when exercise is promoted during work hours, the resulting reductions in presenteeism are statistically significant (3).

As the world gets more hectic, stress increases, and demands surpass ability, employers need to dial in and analyze, track and measure the wellness of their workforce. Presenteeism is going to be another silent killer – of productivity, bottom lines, and wellness. Consider Occupational Therapy to get to the root of this problem. We do that.

(1) http://www.mentalhealthworks.ca/media/presenteeism
(2) http://rhealth.ca/corporate/2012/11/05/presenteeism-in-canada/
(3) Australian Occupational Therapy Journal (2012) 59, 247-250.

Check out more of our posts on ways to create a healthier workplace.

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Caregiver Friendly Workplaces – Are You There Yet?

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

I enjoy reading Abilities Magazine. I always find useful information, new products, and inspiring stories of people that overcome adversity and disability. In the recent issue I was intrigued, and pleased, to see an award now offered by the Canadian Abilities Foundation to organizations that are Caregiver Friendly.

The magazine reports: “in recent years, forward-thinking businesses and organizations have begun to recognize the value of supporting employees who are caregivers…the Caregiver-Friendly Workplace Award, presented in partnership with Canada Cares, is provided to organizations who are leaders in this area”.

Would your organization be in the running?

Working as an occupational therapist I am reminded daily that life can change in an instant. Often, amidst the trauma of an accident or illness, families are thrust into a new role. Sometimes the role is advocate and acting power of attorney at a hospital 24/7. Or, it is providing direct care to someone now using a wheelchair who can’t independently toilet and bathe. Maybe it is emotional support via conversations and sleeplessness nights to help someone lower their anxiety or deal with depression. An ailing parent might need rides to the doctor, specialists and pharmacy. A loved one with cancer might need help with instrumental activities like groceries, shopping and banking while they recover from surgery or treatment. The bottom line here is that in the course of our working lifetime, we will all likely be in a caregiving role. From parents with young kids, to the sandwich generation and baby boomers, taking care of others is inherent to being human.

Employers need to recognize that at times employees will need to be awarded some empathy, compassion and flexibility if they are required to care for others. While in Ontario people can apply for a 30-day Compassion Care Benefit through Employment Insurance, this may not be enough. Often caregiving responsibilities extend far beyond a month into years and decades.

Caregiving requires a lifestyle change – a shift in priorities, a new schedule, and emotional resilience. Thus when an employee is thrust into an often challenging life change involving caregiving responsibilities, employers need to find a way to bridge the gap, offer alternative work arrangements, provide a supportive ear, and patiently await the development of routines that will hopefully include the one-day return of the employee to regular work hours and duties.

If you are an employer that offers compassion, support, and flexibility to your caregiving employees, let the Canadian Abilities Foundation hear your story. Be recognized for the culture you are creating at your workplace and know that you are setting an example for other organizations that still need to rise to the challenge.

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Pump It Up For Optimal Performance!

It is well known that there are both physical and mental health benefits to regular fitness and exercise. But is your employer recognizing this as a way to improve on-the-job performance? Studies show that regular exercise can boost brain power and make you more productive. There are easy ways to integrate this into a regular day without the need for an onsite gym or class, including:

  • Walking meetings
  • Encourage movement in the office throughout the day
  • Assessing workstations to ensure employees who must sit throughout the day are doing so properly, and have sit / stand options.
  • Encourage exercise with the use of wearable devices that monitor activity
  • Provide incentives for employees to get fit
  • Make sure those in leadership positons model healthy behaviours

While many workplaces have integrated wellness and fitness programs into their workplace culture, there is always room to improve. Check out the following article from the Harvard Business Review on how exercise should be a regular part of every job!

The Harvard Business Review:  Regular Exercise Is Part of Your Job

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Test The Psychological Health of Your Company

It’s Healthy Workplace Month in Canada and our focus this month is on improving health and wellness in the workplace. The following article from Psychology Today discusses the top questions to ask when assessing the psychological health of your workplace. However, in addition to these, we feel a few others are also pertinent:

1. Does my workplace offer programs or benefits that show me that they value my physical and mental health?

2. Do I have opportunities to move around during the day, to be active, or to modify my workstation to allow me to be physically healthy at work?

3. Do my supervisors model a healthy lifestyle and healthy work behaviors?

4. Do I have people at my work I can go to who will listen to my physical or emotional concerns and who will help me to get the help I need?

What would you add to this list of questions to test the psychological wellness of your place of work?

Psychology Today:  How Psychologically Healthy Is Your Workplace?

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Working Shifts? Don’t Forget To Shift Your Diet

A 2005 survey by Statistics Canada showed that approximately 12% of Canadians work in an environment that requires rotating shifts. It is well known that working shifts is difficult on the body`s natural rhythms including both sleep cycles and nutrition balance. This can have long term negative health impacts if not managed properly. In keeping in line with Healthy Workplace Month in Canada, the following resource from the Dietitians of Canada provides the top 10 nutrition tips to help you stay healthy if your job includes shift work.

Dietitians of Canada:  10 Nutrition Tips For Shift Workers

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How Will You Create Change This Healthy Workplace Month?

Workplace health is becoming an increasing concern among companies large and small across the globe. With absenteeism and presenteeism on the rise and costing the economy billions each year, it is time to focus on change. October is Healthy Workplace Month in Canada and across the country companies are making a commitment to create a healthier place to work. It is a great time to come together as a team to discuss, share ideas, and plan for how your company can make a difference in the lives of its employees. The following from Vancouver 24 Hours shares ways to celebrate Healthy Workplace Month as a team to create a better culture and inspire healthier lifestyles at work.

Vancouver 24 Hours:  Workplace Health Needs Team Effort

Check out more of our articles on creating a healthier workplace and tell us:  how is your company taking part this Healthy Workplace Month?