Do Zebras get ulcers?
Agenda Defining resilience The business case Resilience is the new skill Stress and impact on health Why some people feel more stressed than others? Case study helping build resilience Reflections Do zebras get ulcers? - answer Useful resources Worksheet 2
Resilience what it is, why we need it and the business case 3
Change is the new norm and Resilience is the new skill Harvard Business Review how you work through peak performance, busy, stressful and high-pressure moments in life - it is not something you are born with or not - it can develop and grow with experience and is found in a variety of behaviours, thoughts, actions and choices that give you the ability to bounce back, adapt to change, re-balance and learn from the experience to improve personal effectiveness 4
I don t get affected by stress Really? 5
What drives us? 6
Bounce-back 7
Is there an off button? 8
No one ever wrote a plan to be stressed? Maintaining a fast pace at home and at work Looking tired and/or reduced ability to relax Loss of clear thinking and ability to focus Isolating self, edgy and shut off from others Expressing negative emotions Making unhealthy lifestyle choices Loss of confidence Struggling to motivate self and others Struggling for perfection Withdrawing from colleagues Team conflict 9
Stress Resilience, our stories and owning our No s 10
Moving on from why to how The Challenge External pull: Wellbeing scorecards 2020 depression could be biggest cause of disability (WHO) The Solution Lets make a start! Wellbeing Network Lunch and Learns/ Bite Sized learning UK falling behind Europe for wellbeing (PWC) Mental Health First Aid and Line Manager Training Stress is the biggest occupational health problem in the UK More integration with Learning and Development & Wellbeing Internal push: Talk to your PMI providers 1 in 3 workers in danger of burnout (Towers Watson) 1 in 4 people in any one year will be experiencing stress that is compromising their mental health (25% of your workforce) Role models & Exec Sponsor Technology Leadership agenda The Outcome It has given me the confidence to handle life s challenges It provided tactics and tools to enable me to overcome my stress I have already been asked to take on a more senior role! Critical success factors: Practical Relevant Realistic Personal responsibility Holistic 11
Is your organisation resilient or resistant to employee wellbeing? 12
Rejoice in the bad times as they will be followed by good 13
Defining Stress and Work Related Stress (WRS)? Stress is our cognitive, emotional and physical response to pressure It occurs when "when there is a mismatch between perceived threat and perceived ability to cope" (Lazarus & Folkman) When the demands of work exceed the individual s ability to cope (Health & Safety Executive, HSE) Results in psychological and physical symptoms that can cause sickness absence, poor productivity and human error Associated with poorly designed jobs, workflow issues, poor management and their interaction with different individuals 15
Why some people feel more stressed than others? Type A personality Coping styles Life Stressors Job strain Locus of control Social support Caring for others Resilience Optimism 16
Why is stress not good for your health? Direct Indirect Undermines immune system (catching more colds? ) Life style route release of glucocorticoids impacts cognitive function, ability to learn, problem solve, memory Coping styles (unhealthy behaviours) Risk of cardiovascular disease Risk of cardiovascular disease Obesity Obesity 17
Vicious cycle of stress More demands on me & my time Tense, headache, forgetful, start lots but can't finish "I can't cope" "I haven't got enough time" Stress Source: www.getselfhelp.co.uk 18
Work place implications Job demand control model (Karasek, 1979) Middle management: high responsibility minimal control Effort Reward Imbalance Model (Siegrist, 1996) Grievances Job dissatisfaction Overtime work +11hrs a day (Virtanem et al 2012) 19
Interventions What reduces stress and promotes resilience? General advice Connecting with others Work place interventions Increase control (how to ) and predictability Fairness Physical activity laughter reward (not just monetary) Wellness programmes (Mindfulness meditation) Mediation Giving - charity Resilience workshops 20
Case Study: Helping policy holders regain their resilience 21
Sickness Absence Industry trends Claims Watch 2014 cause of new claims (decisions), Cancer 12% Cardiac 3% Individual Claims Watch 2012 cause of new claims Claims Watch 2012, cause of new GIP claims Group Other 37% 25% Musculoskeletal 22% Mental health 19% Cancer 7% Neurological 5% Cardiac 23% Other 29% Mental health 21% Cancer 16% Musculoskeletal 6% Neurological 6% Cardiac 23% Other Neuro 6% Mental Health 18% Musculoskeletal 24% Claims Watch 2014, cause of new claims (decisions) Cancer 12% Cardiac 4% Other 31% Neurological 5% Musculoskeletal 14% Mental health 34%
Claims interventions for stress and mental health conditions - Proactive holistic claims management approach - Early Intervention - Telephone skills understanding the individual circumstances - Use of work focused interventions 23
Swiss Re Case Study Employer Expectations Headcount Workplace Demands Employee Fears SelfConfidence Embarrass ment Stigma
Reflections Stress is the number 1 cause of sickness absence in the UK Individual, work and social factors are all important determinants of whether someone will develop work stress or not Stress can have a negative impact on the physical, psychological and social aspects of one s life - self-awareness is key to prevent the build-up of chronic stress. Prolonged exposure to a stressful work environment can cause a sickness absence episode to anyone Resilience, like many other life skills, can be learned. 25
Do zebras get ulcers? Apparently not 26
Some useful resources http://www.actionforhappiness.org Stress, portrait of a killer documentary. R Sapolsky (2008) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =eyg0zutv5rs Why Zebras don't get ulcers book. R Sapolsky. Mind http://www.mind.org.uk/ Health Safety Executive http://www.hse.gov.uk/ 27
You don t start sewing the parachute as you jump out of the plane! Physical Mental Emotional Values 28
Questions Monica Garcia BSc Psych. MSc Health Psych. Claims Medical Specialist E-mail: Monica_Garcia@swissre.com 29
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