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Tag Archive for: healthy workplace

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Eating for Energy

Guest blogger:  Susan Culp, Certified Health Coach of Fresh Focus
www.fresh-focus.ca

Do you have an abundance of energy and vitality at work?  If the answer is no, then you are among the vast majority!  Imagine how much more productive and motivated you would be and how this would make you feel.  Unfortunately, most of us have fallen prey to a few very common culprits that drain our energy and leave us wandering through our work week in a tired fog.

One of the main factors contributing to decreased energy is poor food/lifestyle choices — caffeine, sugar, soft drinks, alcohol, processed foods, tobacco, artificial sweeteners, refined starches, etc.  Some of these ingredients (such as caffeine and sugar) give us an initial energy boost; however, they ultimately run us down by depleting us of minerals and nutrients and disrupting our natural rhythms and metabolic processes.  We end up experiencing cravings for these foods — not only for the initial “boost” they give us, but also because they are HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.

Ask yourself: what do you depend on to get through your work day?  As March is National Nutrition Month, we challenge you to identify one of your own “energy suckers” and then make the commitment to cut it out of your life, or reduce it, for at least 2 to 3 weeks.  You’ll be amazed at not only your increased energy, but also the empowering experience of accomplishing a goal and kicking dependency to the curb!

Try these 7 Tips & Tricks to help boost your energy during that mid-afternoon slump:

1.     Take a 5- or 10-minute walk down the hall (or up and down the stairs) — scheduling “walking meetings” (ideally outside in the fresh air) whenever possible is also a great way to get both your energy and creativity flowing.

2.     Chew mint-flavoured, sugar-free gum

3.      “Belt out” the lyrics to your favourite songs — this one may be more appropriate for your commute in the car, but singing really does work

4.     Snack on unsalted, roasted nuts & seeds to stabilize your blood sugar levels

5.     Massage the outer rim of your ear — sounds crazy, but it works!

6.     Drink plenty of water during the day — many people feel tired or lethargic when they’re even slightly dehydrated

7.     Having a plant on your desk can decrease stress and increase productivity

The best way to increase your energy over the long-term is to eat whole foods such as vegetables, whole grains, fresh fruit, and beans.  When foods have not been processed, they keep their natural fibre, vitamins, and minerals.  Try to also work in a couple of superfoods each day for an extra punch of nutrients — start with simple options like berries, greens, and seeds and work your way up!

Many of us already know what we need to eat (and/or what we need to stop doing), but still just can’t seem to break out of our current patterns.  Therefore, we encourage you to find a group of co-workers and do it together — the key is having enough support, not more willpower.  Create a challenge between groups (or across departments) to make it fun and motivating — the bonus is that you’ll also be creating a healthier and happier workplace environment.

Make this month the start of a healthier, more energetic you!

 

 

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Could Your Organization Benefit From A Functional Capacity Evaluation?

Guest Blogger Samantha Langan, Occupational Therapist

In the world of return to work, there are a variety of different assessments that exist. With the many different types and crossover amongst them, it can be very confusing for employees and employers to know which sort of assessments they could benefit from in regards to return to work. This blog can shed some light on one such assessment, known as the Functional Capacity Evaluation or FCE.

Functional Capacity Evaluations have been used since the early 1970s as an objective assessment of an individual’s ability to perform work related activities. In the past, these were frequently performed by Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists and Ergonomists. Today, Occupational Therapists remain optimally suited to conduct FCEs due to their strong task analysis skills. This is helpful considering the different purposes FCEs can have. FCEs can be used to set goals for rehabilitation and readiness for return to work, examine residual work capacity, screen for physical compatibility before hiring a new employee, determine disability status and assist in case closure or settlement. As such, FCEs can vary from all inclusive, such as when looking at case closure, job specific, such as when making a match between an employee’s abilities and the job description, or injury specific, such as evaluation for upper extremity demands after surgery for carpel tunnel.

When completing an FCE, the examiner will often begin by reviewing the client’s medical records and conducting an interview with them. Next, musculoskeletal screening is often completed, and if there are no contraindications, evaluation of the client’s physical performance in relation to static and dynamic tasks will be conducted. A comprehensive report is then compiled, which contains information regarding the client’s overall level of work, tolerance for work over the course of the day, individual task scores, job match information and level of participation (such as self-limited or cooperative). This report often also contains recommendations and interventions for consideration moving forward. It is important to be aware that thorough FCEs include all of the physical demands of work as defined by the National Occupational Classification 2011 proposed by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. Furthermore, a well-designed Functional Capacity Evaluation should not only be comprehensive, but it should also be standardized, practical, objective, reliable and valid.

For more resources on workplace wellness check out our Healthy Workplace page.

Resources

Haruko Ha, D., Page, J.J., Wietlisbach, C.M. (2013). Work evaluations and work programs. In H. McHugh Pendleton and W. Schultz-Krohn (Eds.)
Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy Practice Skills for Physical Dysfunction (337-380), St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby.

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Promoting Mental Wellness at Work

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

“There is no health without mental health.” –World Health Organization

This quote from the World Health Organization really drives home the importance of a holistic health approach. When it comes to health and safety in the workplace, we are often quick to think of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and other physical injuries, but just as with health in general, we also need to make mental health in the workplace a priority. Psychological health in relation to work is comprised of the ability to think, feel, and behave in a manner that allows employees to perform effectively in work environments, as well as in their personal lives and society at large. As an employer, here are some starting points to consider to help you promote mental wellness in your work environment.

Learn to recognize potential or existing problems:  Stress is often thought to be a typical part of any job. However, excessive stress can lead to mental health problems. Take a critical look at your work environment. Do your employees face high demands? Excessive pressure? Do they have low control or say in how things are done?  These can create unhealthy work conditions that lead to increased levels of work-related stress, which can lead to increased risk for mental illness.

Talk about mental health: People who experience mental health issues often face stigma, shame and misunderstanding. Often times, employees who are experiencing mental health challenges are fearful to approach their employer and thus keep their issues private. Whether you are already aware of employees dealing with mental illness or not, voicing your support for mental wellness at work helps to foster a trusting and open environment. This can make all employees feel more comfortable to discuss problems, or ask for help. Try posting a sign in the staff room or regularly mention that you support mental wellness. Leading by example sets a strong standard and helps develop a healthy work culture of acceptance.

Know your responsibilities: Do you know the signs and symptoms of common mental health issues such as depression or anxiety? Do you understand how these conditions impact an employee’s performance on the job? Are you aware of your legal responsibilities to your employees dealing with mental illness such as accommodations? Do you know what resources are available to you and your employees to support mental health at work?  You need to be aware of all these factors to be able to promote and support mental wellness.

An ounce of prevention:  Implementing preventative measures in relation to mental wellbeing at work can be achieved in a variety of ways and when done well, these can have a significant impact on improving productivity, reducing absenteeism, presenteeism, and employee turnover and associated costs. Look at creating a workplace wellness program that addresses all aspects of your employees’ well-being, especially mental health. Show your employees that you value their health and make this a standard component of your business decisions. Mental wellness also needs to be reflected in workplace policies and procedures and show that employee wellbeing is a core value of your organization.

Occupational therapists’ knowledge and skill set allows them to help employers and organizations with each of the four areas listed above and more. From providing education and training programs, assessing problem areas, supporting communication and developing policies, occupational therapists can provide essential information and assistance to enable you to support mental wellness at work.

 

Check out more of our healthy workplace posts here.

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Mental Wellness at Work: 3 Facts Employers Should Think About

Each January we participate in the annual Bell Let’s Talk Day, a campaign to raise awareness and funds to reduce the stigma around mental illness and to help promote awareness and understanding. This campaign has been at the forefront of promoting awareness about mental health, and with the majority of Canadian adults spending most of their waking hours at work, it is begs consideration of mental health in the workplace.

Here are some quick facts about mental illness and its impact on Canadian workers:

  • Approximately 21.4 % of the working population in Canada currently experience mental health problems and illnesses (Mental Health Commission of Canada).
  • On any given week, more than 500 000 Canadians will not go to work due to mental illness (Mental Health Commission of Canada)
  • Mental health issues are the number one cause of both short-term and long-term disability leave in Canada (The Conference Board of Canada).

A strong link can be drawn between an unhealthy workplace, work-related stress and unhealthy lifestyles. If left unaddressed, mental health issues can have a significant impact on work outcomes. This can include increases in presenteeism and absenteeism, decreased productivity and a slew of other financial implications. The good news is that evidence suggests investing in effective programs can make a difference to improve mental health problems and illness, and can reduce the associated costs and burdens on people, businesses and the economy.

Occupational Therapists are optimally positioned to help employers develop and implement programs to address mental health at work. Stay tuned for another upcoming blog with more information about strategies for employers to help promote mental health in the workplace.

Resources

Bell Let’s Talk 

Mental Health Commission of Canada

The Conference Board of Canada

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Cancer in the Workplace: Your Role as an Employer

According to statistics Canada, about 2 in 5 Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetime.  In 2014 alone it was estimated that 191,300 Canadians developed cancer (Canadian Cancer Society, 2014). The effects of cancer can be vast and at times, devastating. However, with early detection and new treatments, the five-year relative survival ratio has been found to be up to 63% (Canadian Cancer Society, 2014). Considering that almost half of cancer survivors are diagnosed at working age, as an employer it is important to understand your role and responsibilities should an employee require your support to manage a cancer diagnosis or recovery (Mariotto, Yabroff, Shao et al, 2011).

There are a number of responsibilities employers have regarding employee illness. It is important that employers are familiar with both provincial and federal legislation, such as The Employment Standards Act, the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.   It is also key that employers and human resources professionals have clear policies and guidelines on insurance supports, along with any unique company operations related to health and illness. For example, if your company offers private health, dental or vision insurance, or short and long term disability insurance, can you assist an employee to access these?  Do you know your vacation and sick day policies? Are you familiar with your responsibilities to them regarding their medical leave and a reasonable accommodation process?

Related to this, is also being aware and mindful of where your employee is in their diagnosis or treatment stage. When an employee discloses their diagnosis to you, it is important that you are open, accepting and maintain non-judgemental. Is the diagnosis recent? Or are they in the rehabilitative stage, or are preparing to return to work? It is important to be aware of this so that you can ask the right questions, provide support, and work in collaboration with them to address any issues or needs they may have.

Depending on your employee and their unique situation, it can also be helpful to have a sense of how the type of cancer and the associated symptoms are impacting their ability to complete their job demands. Cancer can lead to physical changes, like changes to muscle strength, impaired mobility and fatigue, cognitive changes like reduced ability to concentrate or forgetfulness as well as emotional changes such as low mood and (understandably) increased levels of stress. However, with certain changes to the environment and/or job demands, your employee can still be a productive member of your team. Recruit the assistance of an Occupational Therapist to work with you, your human resources professionals and your employee to explore and implement ways for them to remain at work as long as their symptoms and course of treatment allows. An OT can help them to be comfortable at work while maximizing productivity and helping to foster a positive work environment.

References and Resources

Mariotto AB, Yabroff KR, Shao Y, Feuer EJ, Brown ML. Projections of the cost of cancer care in the United States: 2010-2020. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011 Jan 19;103(2): 117-28. Epub 2011 Jan 12

Cancer + Careers
http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/at-work

Canadian Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.ca/~/media/cancer.ca/CW/publications/Canadian%20Cancer%20Statistics%202014/Canadian-Cancer-Statistics-2014-EN.pdf

http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-journey/talking-about-cancer/telling-people-at-work/?region=on

http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-journey/life-after-cancer/work-and-finances/?region=on

University Health Network
http://www.uhn.ca/docs/HealthInfo/Shared%20Documents/Returning_to_Work_after_Cancer_Treatment.pdf

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10 New Year’s Resolutions for Employers

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

It’s a new year and with anything new comes a time for change.  What changes will you make to better yourself as an employer, your employees and the overall culture of the business you run?

Here are some reflective personal suggestions from one business owner to another:

1.     Boost your biggest asset – your employees:  It’s better for business, and the bottom line, to retain talent instead of having to replace this with new hires.  Putting a focus on the mental and physical health of your employees will help to ensure lower rates of absenteeism and higher satisfaction, allowing you to retain your talent long term.  How you do this will depend on of course the type of business you run, the nature of your culture, and the size of your organization.  But in the end, remember that people are just that – people – and they have wants, needs, ideas, interests, struggles…take an interest in them and this will help them to shine.

2.       Wellness is key:  The term “wellness” was all over the news in 2014 and seems to be a continuing trend.  However, do you really know how to create “wellness” at your business?  If not, seek the assistance of a professional, like a wellness specialist or occupational therapist, to help you to evaluate your current situation, to put a plan in place to increase employee health (both mental and physical), and to implement this and evaluate its effectiveness over the long term.

3.       Model the behaviours you want to see:  How do you implement change?  Your employees won’t create the positive changes you want themselves!  Modelling the behaviours and activities you wish to see from the top down will help employees to take part themselves.  Practice what you preach and lead by example.  If you are grumpy, miserable, unapproachable and difficult to talk to, your employees will be the same.  Yet, if you are enthusiastic, engaging, caring and productive, their behavior too should follow.

4.       Cultivate a better culture:  For anything to become commonplace in the long term, it needs to be fully integrated into your corporate culture.  Think strategically about how the changes you seek can be part of your long term business plan and can become ingrained in your daily work life.

5.       Show gratitude:  Don’t take anything for granted.  If an employee is going above and beyond take time to sincerely thank them for all they’ve done. The same is especially true for clients, suppliers and referral sources — make sure you know you are thankful for their support and business!

6.       Focus on flexibility:  Offering flexible arrangements for workers, such as telecommuting and flex hours can increase employee satisfaction, reduce stress, help you attract top talent and to retain your staff long term!

7.       Listen Carefully (to your staff):  Do you take the time to actually listen to what your staff has to say?  Setting aside time to check in, hold brainstorming sessions and solicit suggestions from your employees will help them to feel more empowered and could lead to your next big product or service!

8.       Plan for the future:  When running a successful business it’s important to ensure you think both in the short and long term when looking to make change.  Take time to regularly plan, evaluate and revisit goals to ensure your short term actions will lead to long term success.

9.       Take time for team-building:  How well do you know your staff and how well do they know each other?  Studies show that employees who feel they belong to a team are more loyal and dedicated to their work.  It’s important to schedule regular team building activities, both inside and outside of work hours and that you get involved in these yourself.

10.   Make time for yourself:  Running a business is no easy task and it’s definitely not a 9-5 job!  I often find myself working in the evenings, on weekends and checking email during time when I should be focused on myself or my family.  Resolve to give yourself some daily “me time” so you too can enjoy life outside of work.  Taking time for yourself will help keep you focused, reduce stress and actually increase your productivity, patience and is another way to lead by example.  No one wants to come into the office at 8:30am to 10 emails from the boss that were sent the night before.  Discipline yourself to not add to the chaos by structuring your own time accordingly.

Creating change is not easy.  Remember to start small and build overtime for success!  Whatever your choice of resolution I wish you the best of luck for success in 2015!

Back pain
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Sloppy Shoulder Syndrome? Straighten Up!

In one of the previous blogs we spoke about how to conquer “sitting disease” since so many people are required to sit for long periods for part of their job. Today we want to talk about something related:

Sloppy shoulders – are you guilty? Take a second to freeze at your desk and notice how your body is positioned. If you are like most people, your shoulders are slumped or rounded and you are bending over your desk. Many people’s work stations consist of their computer or laptop, keyboards, phone and mobile devices, requiring them to switch back and forth between devices while still spending extended periods of time in a seated, slumped position.

Being in this position for an extended period causes strain to the upper body, particularly the shoulders and upper back. At first, you may feel achy or tired in these areas, but this goes away at night or during days off work so it doesn’t impact your work performance. However, over time you may start to notice that your aches and pains begin earlier in the day, your muscles feel tight, and this starts to hamper you even when you aren’t at work. This impacts your productivity, quality of life and can lead to more serious and long-lasting injuries.

Here are some great tips to help address these issues before they start to impact your daily function, or if they do exist, to stop them from worsening:

• Lower your keyboard so your shoulders are not elevated when typing.

• Adjust your posture so you are sitting up straight in your chair, with your shoulders pulled away from your ears and your feet are flat on the floor with your knees directly over them.

• Alter your position so that you are not reaching forward to your keyboard or mouse.

• Adjust your chair so that your arms reach your desk at a 90 degree angle.

• Take regular breaks to stretch or stand up to relieve tension in your upper body.

• Stick out your chest to bring your shoulders back and down. Do this several times per day and hold this position.

Want more strategies to address pain at work? Check out our free e-book “Cost Effective Ergonomic Solutions” to learn additional strategies for addressing shoulder and upper back pain, among others, while you are sitting at your desk.

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