Good Company Blog

Avoiding Discrimination in Organizational Wellness Programs

2013-05-13T17:36:36Z

A panel of experts met with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to discuss employer wellness programs in a meeting last week that was open to the public. Panelists urged the Commission to issue official guidance on how to avoid discrimination in organizational health and wellness programs; specifically regarding the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). Guidance from the EEOC on discrimination issues would make it easier for employers with wellness programs to comply with GINA, the ADA, the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Discussion points addressed during the meeting included the urgency to officially define “voluntary” participation in wellness programs and the need for employers to provide reasonable accommodation and adjustment of standards (or waivers) in wellness programs for disabled persons, as well as the consideration of employees protected by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Also discussed was the need for EEOC guidance on whether employees’ spouses should be asked for health information under an employer’s wellness program and how this would be protected under GINA.

As panelist Leslie Silverman, a partner with Proskauer Rose, LLP and former EEOC vice chair put it, “Wellness programs as a component of employer-sponsored health insurance are here and here to stay.” According to recent research by Aon Hewitt, 83 percent of organizations surveyed offer employees incentives for participating in wellness programs. Nevertheless, since employers still have questions about incentives and financial penalties, guidance from the EEOC may help organizational leaders, HR and benefits specialists structure reward systems in a way that ensures equal opportunity for all employees and avoids disparate impact.

Fifty-nine percent of organizations recently surveyed by Towers Watson expressed interest in expanding financial incentives to include employees’ spouses by 2014. Although including spouses in wellness programs can be an effective way to engage employees and family dynamics are an important factor to overall health and sustainable behavior change, organizational leaders and managers still have questions about the legal ramifications of collecting health information from employees’ spouses. Panelists asked the EEOC to weigh in on this.

Jennifer Mathis, deputy legal director for the Bazelon Center for Mental Health highlighted an important take away for organizational leaders – when it comes to wellness programs, ensure that your communications reach all employees, including those with disabilities who may require alternate forms of communication, such as American Sign Language. This key point underscores the tenet of our healthy workplace model – in order to be effective, it’s important to consider the specific needs and preferences of your workforce and tailor communications accordingly.

After testimony and rounds of questioning from the Commission to the panelists, the meeting concluded with Commissioner Chai Feldblum of the EEOC stating that “not having clarity and certainty from the EEOC is not fair to either employees or employers” and that this meeting was the beginning of a process. Feldblum further stated that she believes “it is an obligation on the EEOC as [they] interpret laws to be cognizant of the entire body of law that’s out there, even if that’s not an easy situation.” It is now up to the EEOC to decide whether or not to issue guidance with regard to employer wellness programs and discrimination issues.

Click here to read a Society for Human Resources article about a recent case (Seff vs. Broward County) mentioned by Mathis in the meeting, about an employee who sued their employer over participation in a wellness activity. You can also access more information about the EEOC meeting, including the video recording and panelists’ written testimonies on the EEOC website. Written comments can be submitted to commissionmeetingcomments@eeoc.gov (please note that all comments submitted may be made public, so do not include any personal information you do not want posted on the EEOC website).

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/emzee / CC BY 2.0

Work & Well-Being 2013: Chicago in 140 Characters or Less

2013-05-10T15:12:19Z

Couldn’t make it to our 2013 Work & Well-Being Conference in Chicago last month? Never fear, we’ve aggregated the Twitter postings from the event, below. Here's what people were chirping about...

Work & Well-Being 2013: Chicago kicks off this morning with our session in critical incident response for the workplace #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

Today President @bobvandepol is presenting: “CIR for the Workplace Training” at the @apa_excellence #WWB2013 Conference in Chicago
— Crisis Care Network (@crisis_care) April 25, 2013

“There is power in group interventions for people who experience the same incident” -@bobvandepol @crisis_care #wwb2013 #stress
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

@bobvandepol reminds us: “Leaders are also impacted by traumatic stress” @crisis_care #wwb2013 #leadership #stress
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

RT this memorable quote from @crisis_care’s @bobvandepol: “How you care for people on the worst day of their life matters.” #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

.@drdavidballard presenting speaker @bobvandepol w\ a sweet box of #healthy treats from @fruitguys at #WWB2013 twitter.com/APA_excellence…
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

@medlline are you attending Chicago #wwb2013? bit.ly/14SksIu Great info to support EE well-being and org performance @apaexcellence
— Preventure (@Preventure) April 25, 2013

Starting the main Work & Well-Being conference in Chicago with a "squeeze" from the #stress ball #wwb2013 twitter.com/APA_excellence…
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

Looking forward to the next two days of learning at the @apa_excellence #conference
— Thomas J. Walter (@TomWalter1971) April 25, 2013

Rebecca Kelly, PhD, RD, CDE from the University of Alabama asking audience about their worksite wellness #wwb2013 twitter.com/APA_excellence…
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

"You can't manage what you don't measure," says Rebecca Kelly, PhD on #worksite #wellness #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

Dr. Kevin Kelloway on why we should be dissatisfied with employee satisfaction #wwb2013 twitter.com/DrDavidBallard…
— Dr. David Ballard (@DrDavidBallard) April 25, 2013

Job satisfaction is the most studied variable in #organizational #psychology -Kevin Kelloway, PhD #wwb2013 twitter.com/APA_excellence…
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

Before u get engaged, fall in love…w/ yr job -Dr Kevin Kelloway #ilovemyjob #engagement #wwb2013 twitter.com/DrDavidBallard…
— Dr. David Ballard (@DrDavidBallard) April 25, 2013

"Meaningful relationships at work tie people to organizations" -Dr Kevin Kelloway #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

Find out why @christianacare's Helen F. Graham Cancer Ctr won a 2013 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award #wwb2013 apaexcellence.org/resources/good…
— Dr. David Ballard (@DrDavidBallard) April 25, 2013

See what HFGCC employees say about their work experience & why they love working there #wwb2013 apaexcellence.org/resources/good…
— Dr. David Ballard (@DrDavidBallard) April 25, 2013

Curious what makes APA’s 2013 PHWA winner @christianacare a healthy workplace? Focusing on patient care & employee "self care" #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 25, 2013

Soaking up knowledge at the Work and Well-being conference #APA @apa_excellence
— Stefanie Mockler (@TheNewHealthy) April 26, 2013

This morning, Amy Owen Nieberding, PhD, Director of Talent Management at @sandc_us will b talking #organizational #effectiveness #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

“A shared understanding of what success looks like is key to succession planning” -Dr. Nieberding #leadership #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

Dr. Robert Bloom is emphasizing the importance of compliance in job analysis #apa #psychology @apa_excellence
— Stefanie Mockler (@TheNewHealthy) April 26, 2013

Excited to hear more speakers today @apa #wwb2013 conference including our own Briana Boehmer! #wellness #technology
— Salus Corp. Wellness (@SalusInc) April 26, 2013

"There is no right way to success - there's your way." -Robert Bloom, PhD #wwb2013 @apa_excellence
— Stefanie Mockler (@TheNewHealthy) April 26, 2013

“Using structured interviews is most effective for hiring, but convincing managers of that value is challenging” Dr Bloom #i/o #hr #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

"In handling succession planning, let the data speak for itself." -Dr. Nieberding #wwb2013@apa_excellence
— Stefanie Mockler (@TheNewHealthy) April 26, 2013

“Most employers report incentives in worksite wellness are working” says David R. Anderson, PhD, LP of @staywelltweets #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

“To change employee #health, build a foundation of supportive #leadership & culture,” advises @staywelltweets’s Dr Anderson #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

Great line up of speakers and topics at today's conference! #wwb2013 #apa #psychology @apa_excellence… instagram.com/p/YkoReQxMGK/
— Stefanie Mockler (@TheNewHealthy) April 26, 2013

Integrate incentives into health plan design to reinforce link b/w personal behavior & plan costs -Dr Anderson @staywelltweets #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

Presenting on #workplace and behavior based safety at #wwb2013 is @drdjmoran twitter.com/APA_excellence…
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

Successful programs require action and commitment - make it personally relevant to you. @apa_excellence @drdjmoran #wwb2013
— Stefanie Mockler (@TheNewHealthy) April 26, 2013

"In order to follow through on promises, make a to do list." Simple, powerful, & measurable. @drdjmoran @apa_excellence #wwb2013
— Stefanie Mockler (@TheNewHealthy) April 26, 2013

"Meditation & mindfulness exercises can serve as a tether line to living in the present" says @drdjmoran #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

President of Spark Inspiration @drcindymorris presenting"Healthy Habits, Healthy Employees" #wwb2013 twitter.com/APA_excellence…
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

Simple tip via @drcindymorris set goals based on what you actually want rather than what you think you should want #wwb2013 @apa_excellence
— Stefanie Mockler (@TheNewHealthy) April 26, 2013

Hold walking meetings with employees instead of being sedentary suggests @drcindymorris #healthy #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

"Employees know when leaders aren't being authentic so are less likely to engage in behavior change" - @drcindymorris #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

Our very own Briana Boehmer is up next presenting about #wellness and #technology @apa @apa_excellence #wwb2013
— Salus Corp. Wellness (@SalusInc) April 26, 2013

Briana from @411fit says that technology can streamline onsite wellness programs. #wwb2013 @apa_excellence #health
— Stefanie Mockler (@TheNewHealthy) April 26, 2013

Real-time feedback is integral to online coaching and wellness - via @salusinc @411fit #wwb2013 @apa_excellence
— Stefanie Mockler (@TheNewHealthy) April 26, 2013

Presenting now is Cali Williams Yost, MBA (@caliyost) CEO and Founder of the Flex+Strategy Group and Work+Life Fit #wwb2013 #worklife
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

work life & flexibility should be a core management strategy, not a "lunch-and-learn" or mom issue @caliyost #worklife #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

This works! RT ?@thenewhealthy Work+Life Fit Tip via @caliyost: Keep work & personal plans on the same calendar #wwb2013 @apa_excellence
— Jessica M. Peterson (@JessicaPeterson) April 26, 2013

“Stop using the b word. There is no balance,” says @caliyost #worklife #balance #wwb2013
— Healthy Workplace(@APA_excellence) April 26, 2013

Enthusiastic agreement at @apa_excellence's #wwb2013 that #worklifefit is the modern skill set we all need...#TWEAKIT!
— Cali Williams Yost (@caliyost) May 3, 2013

Stay tuned for other goodies from the conference, including photos, online sessions and more.

Does Your Organization Have a Psychologist on the Board?

2013-05-09T13:33:42Z

Have you noticed that organizations have some employees who are a drain on the workplace while other employees are very effective at promoting the well-being of the company? Did you ever wonder how to improve motivation or promote resilience in the workplace? Are you clear about how to nurture the relationship with existing customers or attract new customers?

These questions, and many others, are questions about human behavior. Psychologists are dedicated to studying and understanding human behavior. So why don’t more businesses have psychologists on their boards of directors?

The board of directors sets policy, represents the owners of the company and oversees the operations to ensure that the company is working up to its potential. To be successful, organizations need an effective board of directors with a diverse set of skills. It is necessary to understand the financial picture of the organization. The legal and regulatory environment must be understood. Marketing and public relations for the organization are key to its success. It is also necessary to be effective in directing and motivating employees, as well as dealing with customers.

Most businesses have a board of directors that includes accountants, lawyers and business development experts to help them to address financial, legal and marketing issues that are a part of the day to day functioning of the organization. I believe that a psychologist should also be on every board of directors to address human behavior, something that is critical to business success.

There are a multitude of issues that come up within the workplace that require a good understanding of human behavior. It is essential to focus on goodness of fit, including getting the right people in the right places within the organization. Executives and managers need to understand human motivation. Conflicts arise and need to be resolved. The organization must strive to promote and support excellence in performance. In a stressful business environment, workers must have the ability to be resilient. There are workplace behaviors that will contribute to the bottom line, but others that will interfere with good outcomes. It is important to promote the behaviors associated with positive outcomes while limiting the negative behaviors. Having a psychologist on the board will help ensure that these vital workplace issues are addressed.

There are also ways to promote good connections and retention of customers. Human beings need to connect on both emotional and intellectual levels in the process of making decisions about accepting what an organization has to offer. To gain a usable understanding of this extraordinarily complex human behavior, it is helpful to have a psychologist involved.

Human behavior is difficult to understand. It is often driven by multiple and contradictory factors that result in actions that are sometimes rational and sometimes emotional. Human beings make systematic errors in decision making. They also can be incredibly innovative, hard working and effective. All of this can be confusing. Yet it is critical to the success of any organization. A psychologist is uniquely positioned to work with a business in addressing and maximizing the potential for working with human behavior to improve the bottom line.

Every company should have a psychologist on the board of directors.

Photo Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Jason_V

Opportunities for Student Volunteers at Work & Well-Being 2013: San Francisco

2013-05-06T13:50:11Z

If you are a student interested in healthy workplace issues, consider working with APA’s Center for Organizational Excellence on our 2013 Work & Well-Being conference in San Francisco at the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf Hotel on September 12-13. Students from all disciplines, especially industrial-organizational psychology graduate students, psychology undergraduates, students studying business, HR, nursing, medicine and more will find value in working with us on this engaging conference.

Our Work & Well-Being student volunteers have come away from our conferences with new connections, presented their research in front of future employers, published their writing through our communication channels and more. Below is a list of opportunities for students – see which one is right for you…

STAFF THE CONFERENCE

If you like to network, consider volunteering your time to staff our conference sessions where you will be responsible for conference registration, handing out name tags, distributing handouts, answering questions from participants about the schedule and sitting in on sessions to make sure they run smoothly. We will work with you to find hours that fit your schedule. Each conference is different, but typically our volunteers work 3-6 hours over two days.

PRESENT YOUR RESEARCH

We invite graduate students with research on psychologically healthy workplace topics to submit proposals for presentations at the conference. These will be brief (ten minute) presentations that will be part of a special conference session. Topics can include, but are not limited to: workplace wellness and health promotion, employee involvement, work-life balance and flexibility, employee learning and development, occupational health and safety, job stress, diversity, industrial-organizational psychology, occupational health psychology, management and employee recognition.

Guidelines for Presentation Proposals

Proposal must be submitted via email no later than May 31, 2013
Proposal must be in Microsoft Word, follow APA format and be no longer than 300 words
Please include the presentation title, statement of problem, study design, sample size and composition, measures used, analysis method, results and conclusions
Also include a one-page bio with the presenter’s credentials, academic affiliation, education, research and work experience, statement of career goals, mailing address, email and phone number

Presentations will be selected and students will be notified by June 17, 2013.

WRITE FOR US

If you are an experienced writer and interested in covering the conference, please consider writing a newsletter article or blog post. We will work with you ahead of the conference to go over your topic and discuss interviewing our presenters. In general, our articles and blog posts should follow these guidelines:

500-800 words
Tone and style blend psychology and business writing
Use headings breaks, short paragraphs and clear/concise language
Provide links, bibliographic information, and primary sources for any and all cited content – we need to be able to access exactly what you’re citing

Suggested perspectives and other tips:

Connect presentations to the categories of psychologically healthy workplace practices (employee recognition, employee involvement, health and safety, employee growth and development, and work-life balance)
Discuss sessions as they relate to key issues of employee well-being, productivity, communication, organizational outcomes
Comment on related economic trends and workplace conditions
Read past issues of the Good Company newsletter
Access blog posts

The deadline for submitting articles/blog posts is September 27, 2013.

TWEET ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

For those of you who are active on Twitter and interested in tweeting from the conference, please send us your Twitter handle so we can determine if it would be mutually beneficial for us to work together this way during the conference. You can check out our Chicago 2013 conference tweets by searching the #WWB2013 hashtag. Check us out on Twitter, where we post as @APA_excellence. We are also on LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest and more if you are social media savvy – so pitch us your creative ideas soon so we can formulate a plan ahead of time.

PHOTOGRAPH THE EVENT

If you are an experienced or skilled amateur photographer with your own equipment and interested in taking photos during the conference and would be willing to release the photos to us, we would love to have your help. Send us a link to your portfolio or flickr page so we can take a peek before signing you up!

BENEFITS FOR STUDENT VOLUNTEERS

In exchange for volunteering for our conference, we will waive your conference registration fee ($399) and you will be able to attend the main conference sessions you are not scheduled to work for free. You will be fully responsible for your travel, hotel stay and miscellaneous costs, like parking, cab fare, although some food and beverages will be provided.

NEXT STEPS

If you are a current student and interested in working with us on our San Francisco conference, please review the opportunities listed above and email us with your name, email address, cell phone number, school name, program/degree expected, date of expected graduation and a commitment to the conference time frame (September 12-13, 2013) and clearly state which opportunities you are interested in and why you are qualified. Once we receive this information from you, we will forward a registration form that must be returned to us in order for you to volunteer. If at any time your availability changes, please let us know ASAP so we may offer your spot to those on the waiting list. Please note that you must be a student to volunteer with us.

The American Psychological Association’s Center for Organizational Excellence works to enhance the functioning of individuals, groups, organizations and communities through the application of psychology to a broad range of workplace issues. To learn more, please visit: apaexcellence.org.

Additional information about the conference is available online here. If you have any questions, please call our office at 202.336.5900 or email us. We look forward to hearing from you!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/footloosiety / CC BY 2.0

The Modern Skill Set Employees Need to Succeed, But Few Have

2013-04-18T10:13:45Z

What modern skills are critical to employee success, on and off the job? Perhaps networking, negotiation and personal financial management come to mind.

But there’s another skill that should be on the top of the list, and probably isn’t.

Helping employees manage the way work fits into their lives, day-to-day and at major life transitions, deliberately and with intention, is a modern skill set everyone needs, but few have.

Twenty years ago, clocks and walls used to tell us when work ended and the other parts of our life began. As technology and globalization expanded, those boundaries disappeared, but the way we talk about, think about and decide where to put our time and energy remain stuck in 1985.

Today, many employers offer more flexibility in how, when and where people can do their jobs. But with that increased work flexibility comes responsibility.

An employee may be able to work from home periodically, but a boss can’t tap them on the shoulder and say, “Why don’t you telecommute one day a week. Avoid the long train ride, get to the gym, and have dinner with your family.” The individual has to make those “tweaks”—small changes with big impact—happen.

The same is true at major life transitions like having a child, caring for an aging adult, going back to school, or wanting to work in what used to be called “retirement.” Your people may have the flexibility to officially reset the way work fits into their life, but they need to initiate that conversation, create the plan, and then collaborate, communicate and coordinate to make it work.

Whether it’s putting up boundaries to make what matters to us happen every day, or creating a plan to formally reset our work+life fit at a major life transition, each person needs to take the lead. But, again, unfortunately most people don’t know how. Until now.

In my session at the upcoming Work & Well-Being Conference in Chicago, “Work+Life Fit Skills for Employee Success, On and Off the Job,” I will share the simple, commonsense solutions found in my books, the just released TWEAK IT: Make What Matters to You Happen Every Day (Center Street/Hachette) and Work+Life: Find the Fit That’s Right for You (Riverhead/Penguin Group). You can catch an even more in-depth session at my pre-conference training at the San Francisco conference this fall.

I’ve developed these field-tested strategies over twenty years in the work+life trenches helping hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals partner for flexible work success. They show your people how to take the lead, capture the work flexibility available, partner with the organization and create a work+life fit that meets their needs and the needs of their job, day-to-day and throughout their career.

It's time to add work+life “fit” to the list of modern skills employees need to succeed, on and off the job.

How do you help your employees flexibly manage the fit between their work and life?

To learn more, go to our site, my blog and our Tweak It Community. You can also connect with me on Twitter and Facebook.

Cali Williams Yost has been pioneering ways to manage work and life in the new economy for nearly two decades. As a consultant, speaker, and CEO and founder of Flex+Strategy Group/Work+Life Fit--and one of Mashable’s Top 14 Career Experts on Twitter--she shows organizations and individuals how to partner for award-winning flexible work success.

Stress is a Problem – And Playing Semantics Doesn’t Change That

2013-04-10T10:30:28Z

I came across an article earlier this week about the Five Myths of Stress. As someone with expertise in the stress domain, I typically enjoy reading articles that serve to bust myths for the general public. However, as I read the article I was dismayed to find that the “myths” are really not myths at all. So, in the spirit of providing accurate information, I have decided to offer my rebuttal.

Myth #1 – Getting enough sleep, exercising and eating right can reduce stress.

Um, well, what the author claims is a myth is actually 100 percent accurate. She tries to argue that sleep, exercise, and nutrition “help us feel good” but that they “won’t come close to mitigating stress.” She then uses the “example of the single mother who has three children, an hour-long commute and an angry boss” as the prototypical individual for whom sleep, exercise and nutrition will not mitigate stress.

Unfortunately, the article completely misses the boat when it comes to actually explaining the stress process. Stress is a complex interaction between our personal resources and environmental demands (or stressors). Every contemporary, reputable, empirically-validated stress theory emphasizes this point, whether we are referring to the Job Demands-Resource Model, the Demands-Control Model, the Personal Resource Allocation Framework or other perspectives. A search of scholarly articles in this domain will reveal a myriad of studies that show that internal (e.g., energy, attention) and external resources (e.g., control, social support) are both key elements that can increase resilience to stressors (i.e., mitigate stress).

Hence, a logical approach for all people is to focus on shoring up their own personal resources (both internal and external) and to focus on ways to minimize the impact of stressors in the environment. For the example the author provides in her piece, a feasible way to go about mitigating the harmful effects of stress would be to (1) leverage any and all forms of social support available (external resources); (2) try to make intelligent decisions regarding sleep, exercise, and nutrition (internal resources) and (3) start looking for a new job, maybe one a little bit closer to home (stressors).

Myth # 2: Stress makes people more vulnerable to illness.

This is where the author starts playing semantics with the issue of stress. She argues that a meta-analysis conducted by Suzanne Segerstrom and Gregory Miller found no evidence that “stress makes otherwise healthy people susceptible to illness.” However, a review of that article clearly points out that “chronic stressors were associated with suppression of both cellular and humoral measures” (in other words, chronic stress does result in immune system suppression). And while the author tries to sweep that under the rug in a later part of her paragraph, that is what researchers, in general, study – chronic stress. Going back to the models and frameworks I mentioned above, empirical research typically assesses people’s general (i.e., chronic) exposure to demands, not moment-by-moment exposure. Even the PBS article she links to in her own article emphasizes the killer nature of “prolonged exposure to stress.” Hence, one stressful event is not likely to cause immune system suppression, but if those stressful events are a common part of daily life, then they will take a toll on over time.

Myth #3: Most people exposed to traumatic events develop post-traumatic stress disorder.

First, I’ve never heard any reputable source indicate that “most people” develop post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing a traumatic event. The Mayo Clinic even specifies that “some people” get post-traumatic stress disorder and that predictors of whether one will get PSTD after a traumatic experience include: your inherited mental health risks, such as an increased risk of anxiety and depression; your life experiences, including the amount and severity of trauma you've gone through since early childhood; the inherited aspects of your personality — often called your temperament and the way your brain regulates the chemicals and hormones your body releases in response to stress.

Furthermore, the trauma that triggers PSTD, as defined by the National Institute of Mental Health involves “seeing or living through a dangerous event.” I don’t know what poll reported that 60 percent of U.S. adults “say they have had at least one traumatic experience,” but I would like to know how that poll defined a “traumatic experience.” The loss of a loved one to cancer can be defined as a traumatic experience, but it is not one that would likely result in PSTD, because it does not involve danger to the person who experiences it. Hence, PSTD is a potential negative consequence that results from traumatic events that involve potential danger to oneself. Not everybody is going to get PSTD after such an event, and reputable sources don’t suggest that.

Myth #4: Women and men respond to stress differently because of genetic and hormonal differences.

To prove this myth is common, the author cites John Gray’s Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Really? Are we really going to formulate an entire “myth” around a popular press book that has no real scientific underpinnings? Beyond that particular book, I’m not really aware of any other widespread propagation of this particular myth. Hence, while I guess I will say this would indeed be a myth, it certainly isn’t one rears its head often.

Myth #5: If women learn to cope better with stress, they’ll be able to resolve work-family conflict.

I will grant the author one point here. She argues that “too much of the work-life balance debate is focused on women’s illusory choices.” The work-life interface is not just an issue for working mothers; it’s an issue for everyone, and it’s even broader than just looking at the work-family relationship. It’s about competing role demands and being able to flexibly manage those demands.

But the issue is not about stress causing conflict between work and non-work roles, the issue is about conflict between roles causing stress – and that is not a myth. Hundreds of empirical articles have demonstrated this phenomenon. I’m not aware of anyone suggesting that coping with stress will reduce work-family conflict. Instead, the reverse is much more common – managing work-life conflict will reduce stress. And though the author argues that outdated polices are the problem (I agree they are part of the problem), even with maximal flexibility, workers have to take ownership over managing (or coping with) their workplace flexibility, which involves ensuring that they have the appropriate personal resources at their disposal to do so.

This gets back to the first myth. It is not about the environment alone. It is about how we, as people, transact with our environment. It is about the internal and external resources we bring to our interactions with life demands and how we choose to leverage our resources in managing or responding to those demands. So, our choice is either to:

Whine about stress and blame our employer while doing nothing; or
Learn to better manage our personal resources so we can be as resilient to stress as possible AND be as proactive as possible at reducing the stressors in our lives.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquidnight / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Having a Ball After the Award Ceremony

2013-03-29T13:45:06Z

The award ceremony may have been a formal affair, but the tone of this year’s Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards reception was set by the guy in a giant blue stress ball costume who bounced his way into the party and kept the crowd entertained with free hugs and photo ops. Everyone wanted to know, “Who is this guy?”

As you can see in the video “Putting the Squeeze on Work Stress” which features the stress ball interviewing people on the street about their work experiences, for him, job security is not an issue. “There’s always going to be stress, so I’m always going to be employed,” he says.

The stress ball dispenser was also center stage at the reception and a big hit with the kiddos and the young at heart. Check out photos from the reception by clicking the image, below.

Congratulations to APA's 2013 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award Winners

2013-03-29T12:34:21Z

Values matter. When a team shares values, it generally performs better, with employees who are engaged and committed to the organization’s success and leaders who strive to create a positive work environment where employees can thrive.

The uncertainty of health care reform and its implications for the future of employer-sponsored health insurance, as well as provisions in the Affordable Care Act that allow for increased use of incentives and premium differentials to drive health behavior change, have amplified the volume of employers who are beating the drum of “personal responsibility” when it comes to workplace health and productivity.

While the value of employees who are invested in their own well-being cannot be overstated, expecting them to make significant and sustainable behavior changes without the necessary resources and support is unrealistic and serves as nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt at cost shifting. Just as shared values can help foster performance and success, shared responsibility for creating a psychologically healthy workplace promotes an organizational culture in which employer and employee look out for each other’s best interests. With this approach, individual health improvement efforts get better results, because they are supported by the larger system and organizational-level practices are more effective, because they are consistent with, and driven by, individual behaviors.

To showcase employers who value employee well-being and understand its link to organizational performance, APA recently presented its 2013 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards (PHWAs) and Best Practices Honors. The four PHWA winners described here reported an average turnover rate of just 6 percent in 2012—significantly less than the national average of 38 percent, as estimated by the U.S. Department of Labor.

In surveys completed by the winning organizations, on average, fewer than one in five employees (19 percent) reported experiencing chronic work stress, compared to 35 percent nationally, and 84 percent of employees said they were satisfied with their job, versus 67 percent in the general population. Additionally, 77 percent of employees said they would recommend their organization to others as a good place to work compared to 57 percent, and only 11 percent said they intend to seek employment elsewhere within the next year, compared to almost three times as many (31 percent) nationally.

It will come as no surprise that in our award-winning organizations, an average of 80 percent of employees say their values and those of their employer are very similar, compared to just 50 percent nationally. We congratulate our winners and hope that sharing their stories inspires others to work together for a healthy and prosperous future.

View photos from the 2013 awards event.

Photo Credit: Larry Canner Photography

Full Programming Announced for Work & Well-Being 2013: Chicago

2013-03-15T02:06:58Z

With our Chicago conference just six weeks away, we’re putting the final touches in place for an outstanding learning experience.

Organizations are looking for ways to position themselves for success in the changing world of work and we want to make sure that attendees come away with practical, concrete tips for helping their employees and organizations thrive.

We’ve assembled a collection of top experts to discuss timely, relevant topics that are designed to help you enhance performance and well-being in the workplace. Check out the program descriptions, below.

Work & Well-Being 2013: Chicago
April 25-26

Presented by the American Psychological Association's
Center for Organizational Excellence

The conference is designed especially for human resource professionals, benefits managers, health and wellness professionals, business consultants, occupational health professionals, health plan executives, corporate medical directors, business owners, managers and psychologists who work with organizations.

Pre-Conference Training Session:

Best Practices in Critical Incident Response for the Workplace
Bob VandePol, Crisis Care Network

When tragedy strikes the workplace, behavioral health professionals play an important role in onsite consultation aimed to facilitate individual and organizational resilience and return-to-productivity. Business leaders increasingly value strategic application of Psychological First Aid principles for their employee groups as a means of mitigating both the human and financial costs associated with critical incidents. This session will address practical strategies for applying evidence-based practices to the delivery of services in a way that empowers leaders, work groups and individual employees. Learn more.

Main Conference:

Growth and Impact of Financial Incentives in Worksite Wellness
David R. Anderson, PhD, LP, StayWell Health Management

Encouraged by health care reform, employers are increasingly integrating wellness incentives into their health plans. While they have potential benefits, incentives can have unintended consequences. They may increase participation but reduce success by attracting participants not ready to change, and incentives intended as “carrots” may be viewed as manipulative “sticks.” However, well-designed incentives may be a useful tactic in a culture-based wellness strategy. This session reviews incentive use in worksite wellness and discusses evidence-based strategies for optimizing their impact on health. Based on worksite experience and research, the session encourages tying rewards to achieving progress-based steps in “outcomes-based” incentive programs.

Blending Technology and Customization for Successful Well-Being Outcomes
Briana Boehmer, Salus Corporate Wellness

In both the corporate and athletic world, success comes through hours of individualized attention to detail. This session will explore successful well-being outcomes seen through individualized and highly interactive programming made possible via blending technology with hands-on and on-site services. The program will include results from programs implemented for both small and mid-sized employers and offer suggestions on how to implement similar programs. Special attention will be given to identifying technologies that can facilitate individualized measures and programming, utilizing real time data to better understand the needs of employees and customizing programming that has the potential to reach each employees on an individual basis.

Love of the Job
E. Kevin Kelloway, PhD, Saint Mary’s University

This presentation will introduce new research that defines "love of the job" and identifies the predictors and health-related outcomes of loving one’s job. The session will include a review of organizational attitude research, present a three-component model of love of the job, describe the four main predictors of loving one's job and discuss the consequences for both employees and organizations.

Healthy Employees, Profitable Bottom Lines: Delivering on the Value of Health Promotion and Worksite Wellness
Rebecca Kelly, PhD, RD, CDE, University of Alabama

Organizations are searching for innovative strategies to control rising health care costs while also providing programs to engage their workforce and members. Employers must identify and adopt strategies that include health improvement and wellness programs to address rising health care costs and productivity losses. As an expert in the field of health promotion and wellness with over 20 years of experience as a practitioner and leader of multiple nationally recognized programs, the presenter will outline a practical and innovative approach to engaging employees in wellness programs that improve health and also yield favorable bottom line results.

Commitment: The Core of Safety, Health and Wellness
D.J. Moran, PhD, BCBA-D, Quality Safety Edge

Commitment is defined as “acting in the direction of what you care about even in the presence of obstacles.” This experiential workshop aims to sharpen your understanding of how you should be actingin order to improve safety and wellness in your organization, as well as helping you clarify what you care about in order to accelerate your motivation to work toward important goals. In addition, you will increase your skills of situational awareness and mindfulness to help you deal with the presence of obstacles that often impede leadership and dedication.

Healthy Habits, Healthy Employees: Strategies for Health Behavior Change
Cindy Wang Morris, PsyD, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Creating a culture of health begins with the practice of healthy habits. Although many employees have the desire to change their health practices, taking steps towards changing these behaviors can feel daunting. Health behavior change happens through a process of mindfulness, skills building and inspired action. Through this practice, employees can develop healthy habits in the workplace that translate into other areas of their lives. In this session, participants will learn about the process of health behavior change and ways employers can support positive change across multiple levels, including individual, organizational and environmental. Special attention will be given to the impact of obesity and tobacco use on employee health and the use of evidence-based health behavior change strategies.

Current Practices in Talent Management
Amy Owen Nieberding, PhD, S and C Electric Company
Robert Bloom, PhD, Performance Management Associates-Human Resources

The goal of integrated talent management is to build human capital capability that will enable the organization to achieve overall business objectives. Helping the organization achieve its goals must begin with the recognition that the most important challenge faced by virtually all organizations is the need to respond quickly to change in a competitive environment. This session will outline the building blocks of a talent management strategy and infrastructure. Some companies get caught in a cycle of implementing a patchwork of "best practices" without good appreciation or understanding of how to link these efforts to organization impact. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the link between a dynamic organization strategy and shifting human capital priorities.

Work-Life Fit Skills for Employee Success On and Off the Job
Cali Williams Yost, MBA, Work+Life Fit, Inc.

Knowing how to take the lead, reach out, and use work-life resources and flexibility to manage the fit between work and life is a modern skill set we all need, but few of us have. This interactive workshop will cover the trends that have converged over the last two decades that radically transformed work and life and why individuals need to partner with their employer and learn to actively manage their work+life fit. Participants will also explore the tools individuals need to manage their fit, how to deliver those tools and skills to employees, and metrics to measure success.

Employer Experiences: Lessons from Award-Winning Organizations
Helen F. Graham Cancer Center

Any type of organization, large or small, for-profit or not-for-profit, can create a workplace that fosters employee well-being while enhancing organizational performance. This session will use a case example from the Cancer Care Management Department at Christiana Care Health System's Helen F. Graham Cancer Center to demonstrate the application of psychologically healthy workplace principles in a real-world setting. Special attention will be given to the importance of custom tailoring workplace practices to meet the unique needs of an organization and its workforce, employee and organizational outcomes, practical considerations for employers and practitioners and lessons learned.

Register Early and Save

Pre-Conference Training - $150
Main Conference - $399

When

Pre-Conference Training
Thursday, April 25, 2013, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

Main Conference
Thursday, April 25, 2013, 1:30 pm - Friday, April 26, 2013, 5:30 pm

Hotel Information and Reservations

The Westin O'Hare
6100 North River Road
Rosemont, IL 60018
Phone: (847) 698-6000

Group rate of $169 + tax (for single, double, triple or quad occupancy) available until April 3, 2013

Click here to make your hotel reservations

Can't make it to our Chicago event?

Join us in San Francisco in September for our fall conference, with a different line-up of speakers and sessions.

Special thanks to the following organizations for their support:

Health Enhancement Research Organization
Illinois Psychological Association
International Association for Worksite Health Promotion
Midwest Business Group on Health
Sodexo

Also:

For questions about the Work & Well-Being 2013 conferences, including sponsorship opportunities, please email us or call (202) 336-5900.

Putting the Squeeze on Work Stress

2013-03-14T09:48:22Z

With 65 percent of U.S. employees citing work as a significant source of stress and more than one-third reporting that they typically feel tense or stressed out during the work day, work stress can affect both individual well-being and organizational performance. To hear more about people's experiences at work and how they cope with the stressors they face on the job, we hit the streets for a continuation of the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program's interview series. This time, we took a friend with us.

To learn more about work stress, visit www.apaexcellence.org/workstress.

Three Leadership Lessons of Sequestration

2013-03-06T19:49:36Z

The Washington Business Journal recently ran an article titled Bruised and battered: Five business lessons of sequestration. Since I'm stuck at home due to Winter Storm Saturn and taking a beating from deadlines, school closings and technology challenges, I thought I'd offer a few of my own business tips from the sequester.

Before I do, if you'll indulge me, I have a little rant I need to get out of my system. "Winter Storm Saturn"? When exactly did we start naming snowstorms? Take a look at the 2012-2013 list. Euclid? I was battered by the elements back in geometry class, so don't need any more proof of his destructiveness (look it up, non-math geeks). Khan? Well, I guess Ricardo Montalbán was in Neptune's Daughter, and that planet is only separated from Saturn by the source of this whole storm-naming idea. I know...sophomoric humor, but that brings us full circle to 10th grade geometry and sources of unnecessary pain.

So, what have we learned from the latest political stalemate, other than there is no royal road to bipartisanship? Here are my "Three Leadership Lessons of Sequestration."

Negotiation is about compromise. That's Business 101. While you obviously want to achieve a favorable outcome for yourself, you shouldn't expect to dig in your heels and demand that the other side bend over backwards while you refuse to give an inch. Negotiation is built on a foundation of trust. If you enter into it in bad faith, you're derailing the process before it even has a chance.
It's okay to disagree, but you still have to get the job done. Productive conflict can improve your results, but if you don't look for common ground, you'll leave everyone adrift. Just because another person or organization doesn't agree with every one of your positions, don't make the mistake of assuming that there are no common interests you could pursue more effectively through collaboration.
Small changes at the top disproportionately affect the rest of the organization. Have pay and benefits been frozen or slashed for your workforce over the past few years? How many employees could have gotten that cost of living increase if you hadn't fought so hard to retain those bonuses for your senior management team? Shaving a little bit off for top earners may be just a few percentage points, but for employees at a lower pay grade, many of whom say they aren't adequately compensated to begin with, that money can make a big difference.

As Jill Aitoro points out in the WBJ article that inspired this post, "Lessons typically come in retrospect." So, in closing, here's a bonus one for you. Don't chase the latest fad or buzzword. "Snowquester"? I'm a big fan of word play and even I think that's trying too hard.

Pre-Conference Training: Best Practices in Critical Incident Response for the Workplace

2013-03-06T16:15:33Z

Join Crisis Care Network President Bob VandePol for the pre-conference training session at our 2013 Work & Well-Being Conference in Chicago.

Thursday, April 25, 2013
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The Westin O'Hare
Chicago, IL

This session will cover:

The prevalence of critical incidents
Individual and organizational impacts
The history of Critical Incident Response
Introduction to Psychological First Aid principles
Small- and large-group training and exercises
Mass disaster response
Promoting personal resilience
Providing consultation to organizations that request critical incident response services
Delivering services that are consistent with corporate culture and business objectives

For more information about the conference, or to register online, click here.

About the Presenter

Bob VandePol, MSW serves as President of Crisis Care Network, the largest provider of Critical Incident Response Services to the workplace. Crisis Care Network responds 1,000 times per month following workplace tragedies to facilitate employee/organizational return to productivity. He consults with corporations, insurers, EAPs and behavioral health professionals regarding how to manage the behavioral risks inherent in workplace tragedies. Active as a keynote speaker, Mr. VandePol has published and been quoted in business and clinical journals, co-authored book chapters addressing workplace response to tragedy and has been featured in video training series. He managed CCN’s Command Center in Manhattan after the 2001 terrorist attacks and has led numerous leadership summits/consultations following Hurricane Katrina, the Virginia Tech tragedy and other large-scale events regarding how employers could lead organizational recovery during crises. Mr. VandePol is a board member for the National Behavioral Consortium and co-chairs the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Workplace Taskforce.

The Office Is Buzzing…

2013-03-04T22:19:28Z

It’s still cold and rainy here in DC, but there’s a buzz in the air. It’s a caffeinated buzz of excitement about an updated lunch pantry at the American Psychological Association.

Unveiled just last week, the pantry and eating area where employees congregate for lunch and breaks were given a facelift. Complete with new coffee machines from the eco-friendly, local Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company, a shiny new fridge, high-tech filtered water and ice dispenser, as well as a vending machine stocked with natural, healthy, organic treats. Rumor is that fresh fruits and yogurt will be added to the vending options soon! Oh, and did I mention a flat-screen TV?

The availability of healthy food, a cozy atmosphere and an occasional glance at CNBC during downtime at work are just some of the benefits of this update for employees. Focusing on what employees value is just one aspect of a healthy workplace, but one with a positive impact and high returns. Plus, helping employees make healthier decisions when it comes to food can have a larger impact on their overall health.

Although it may seem counterintuitive to the current trend of budget restrictions to offer employees perks, when employees feel valued, they perform better and creative ideas percolate. And with an office building full of psychologists and employees who work with psychologists, the sense of feeling valued by your employer is important.

Healthy options that appeal to all, what’s not to like? At the unveiling of the updated pantry, one colleague (who shall remain nameless!) inquired where to find soda among all the healthy offerings. The answer? Soda pops are now located on the next floor up, the stairs are right around the corner. This particular space was designed with health and wellness in mind with the goal of helping to make it easier for employees to make healthier decisions and shape their behavior. So it’s not that employees won’t be able to find soda if they want it, it’s that they’ll need to take an extra step to get to it, thus hopefully getting some exercise in the process, or opting for water instead.

And with a coffee maker so high tech that it grinds the beans to make a true espresso shot for each delicious cup and has a button for a super frothy cappuccino, I may never leave the office for a coffee run again.

Photo Credit: Jessica Peterson

Work Life Merge: Running Your Family Like a Business

2013-02-13T05:05:00Z

We’ve all heard about bringing your work home with you, and have probably done it at some point. Even family-friendly workplaces that allow employees to bring their kids to work aren’t that uncommon anymore, like some of our winning organizations (see “Babies at Work”). But bringing home productivity tools and team development methods used at the office to run your household? Now that’s not something we hear everyday.

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal titled "Family Inc." describes how families are using productivity and teamwork solutions that are successful in the workplace and adapting them to their home lives. As an effort to improve work-life balance and family functioning, approaches such as agile development (described as “a system of group dynamics in which workers are organized into small teams, hold daily progress sessions and weekly reviews) can be effective for some families. But could it work for you?

One point discussed in the WSJ article is that agile development can be used to empower family members and help them feel included as part of the team (family). Children set their own goals, with help. This way all team members contribute and feel invested in the larger mission.

Another aspect that could help in successful application of agile development to home life is that flexibility is built in. It’s not all about schedules and rigidity – you set goals, you meet to discuss your progress and then adjust course accordingly. Dana Rousmaniere summarizes the main points of agile development in this Harvard Business Review post – "Morning Advantage: Take Your Work Solutions Home" and also points out that accountability (a central tenet of agile development) is key. Team members that feel accountable for not only their actions, but their team members as well will perform better and potentially be less stressed.

In a time when people, especially younger generations are stressed out about work and balancing their work and personal lives, streamlining your household can have positive effects that actually spill over into your work life, too. Personally I’m a proponent of taking whatever makes life (or work) run smoother and applying it to any aspect of your life if it fits well. If it fits. And then of course, adapting it until it really works for you.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairegren / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Polly LaBarre to Keynote 2013 Workplace Awards

2013-02-12T23:48:10Z

Polly LaBarre, business thought leader and former senior editor of Fast Company, will deliver the keynote address at APA's 2013 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards, which will be presented on Saturday, March 9th in Washington, DC.

LaBarre is a best-selling author, speaker, television correspondent and strategist who addresses the big ideas and important questions that will shape the future of organizations, work and success. As a co-founder and editorial director of the MIX (Management Innovation eXchange), LaBarre looks for alternatives to the bureaucratic and disempowering management practices that still rule most organizations. The MIX is a pioneering open innovation project dedicated to reinventing management for the 21st century by gathering celebrated thought leaders, in-the-trenches innovators and maverick entrepreneurs from around the world to share breakthrough practices and advance important ideas about the future of organizations, work and strategy.

LaBarre is co-author of the bestselling book Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win, which The Economist named a Book of the Year and called “a pivotal work in the tradition of In Search of Excellence and Good to Great.” The book has since been published in 16 countries around the world.

A member of the original team of Fast Company magazine, where she was senior editor for the better part of a decade, LaBarre was recently a business and innovation correspondent for CNN where she produced regular segments on big ideas and best practices from the world of business and beyond.

LaBarre has delivered hundreds of keynote addresses around the world and her writing has appeared in a variety of publications, including Fast Company, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Fortune.com, the McKinsey Quarterly and The Huffington Post. Her widely syndicated blog, Fresh MIX, convenes important thinkers, progressive practitioners and agenda-setting ideas about 21st-century organizations. LaBarre has presented her ideas in forums ranging from a regular commentary on PBS’s Nightly Business Report to CNBC’s “The Business of Innovation” series to frequent segments on ABC’s World News This Morning and Good Morning America.

LaBarre is at work on a book about the future of organizations, social innovation and sustainable capitalism—a provocative and inspiring point of view about what it means to win when good is the new measure of great. She serves on the board of advisors of TakingITGlobal, the leading online community for connecting and empowering young people to make a difference in the world.