Admit it, there are a lot of facts, stats, and figures out there and even those type-As would have a challenging time keeping track of them all. That’s why we pulled together a few helpful facts and put them into a Fact Sheet that you can view online or download and keep as a reference (no color coding required). The Psychologically Healthy Workplace Fact Sheet: By the Numbers covers topics such as workplace stress and demands, work-life balance and flexibility, employee health and healthcare costs, mental health issues, and employee and organizational outcomes. It’s also fully referenced so you can easily locate the original source – more than half of the references even have embedded Web links.

The plan is to update this document as time goes by and more research comes out. So if you’re ever snooping around for some good reading or are in search of an impressive stat to hit your boss up with to get (fill in the blank), check back and see if anything new catches your eye.

Happy stress-free reading!

And it doesn’t stop there. Organizations offer employees incentives to participate in wellness programs, they offer employee-of-the-month programs, and on and on. These are all designed to motivate employees to perform or to stay with the company. But do they really work?

According to Bob Nelson, who recently appeared in an episode of the Good Company Podcast, the answer is a resounding “NO!” Organizations waste countless amounts of money each year on recognition programs that have almost no effect on employees. If these programs really don’t work, then why do they waste their money? Answer: because they think that’s what employees want.

Though it may sound logical, the problem is that they never asked. Instead of finding out what employees actually value, and what is likely to motivate them, organizations spend an inordinate amount of money on these programs without considering that there might be more unique and innovative ways to get the desired effects. One recent example of an innovative program appeared in Employee Benefit News. Some organizations have begun to recognize that a small bonus or increase in the 401k plan or chintzy coffee mug is not likely to produce the desired effects. So, instead, they are beginning to offer…concierge services. Employees can have the oil changed in their car, have their dry cleaning picked up, and have other errands run, with little or no cost to either them or the organization.
 
Best of all, concierge services offer benefits that employees can use regularly. They don’t just get some coffee mug they’ll never use or a free lunch, but instead they have access to needed services without having to take time off. They provide employees with an increased sense of work-life balance along with the feeling that the organization values them. And, because such a program comes at a lesser cost than expensive bonuses, plaques, and lunches, it is a win-win all the way around. In this age of cutting costs and improving the bottom line, more small- and medium-sized organizations would do well to identify more innovative ways of showing employees that they value their contributions. This can easily be done with the most innovative strategy of all: just ask them!

Unless you live in commuter-friendly areas like DC (lucky me!) or NYC, mass transit isn’t always an option. For example, most Floridians are stuck driving to work, which is why I found research conducted by a Florida State University (FSU) management professor interesting. How are high gas prices affecting employees and what is the resulting dip in productivity doing to businesses?

At the time of the FSU survey, respondents were paying an average of $2.83 for gas, which has increased considerably since then -- in most cases over a dollar more per gallon. The cost of gas not only impinges on personal finances, people everywhere are stressed out about it and distracted at work. This is a problem that spans occupations for the most part. In fact, according to the FSU research, one in three people would trade their job for one closer to home. Considering these findings, maybe if I had to drive my two-hour-plus roundtrip commute, I would feel the same way – but please don’t tell my boss.

In a business world that (generally speaking) is trying to be more sensitive towards everyday “green” practices, the continual rise in costs associated with getting employees to and from work only strengthens the need for flexible work alternatives and better public transportation.

Leave it to South Florida to come up with a well-received arrangement that encourages employees to use public transportation. The city of North Miami now offers its very appreciative employees the opportunity to purchase mass transit passes for $15 a month (down from $75). 

Another way to beat the gas prices is by working from home. If telecommuting is a possible solution that you’re considering for your employees, check out the HR Capitalist’s take on this, as well as points to consider before implementing a company-wide policy. On a smaller scale, employers can encourage employees to carpool – set up a section on your intranet for employees, or post signup flyers in break rooms, and offer incentives if possible. One idea is to reward employees who carpool with coveted parking spots (e.g., inside parking garages and out of the winter snow or summer rain).

Of course, being the loyal Sierra Club member that I am, I feel obligated to pass on this message from a recent Sierra e-newsletter…

Memorial Day Weekend is coming and -- in spite of gas prices -- more Americans than ever are planning to getaway by car http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2007-05-17-travel-aaa-forecast_N.htm. But that doesn't have to cost as much as you think.

There are lots of ways to save gas (checked your tires lately?) but the easiest and most effective way is to slow down (just a little bit). When you add up the savings, it's like getting paid to relax.

So before you get behind the wheel for the upcoming holiday, show us what you're made of. Pledge to Drive 55 (or whatever the speed limit is on the roads you're traveling) for Memorial Day Weekend. Poor Sammy Hagar can't do it, but we bet you can. After all, even jets are slowing down to save money http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-05-02-slow-fuel_N.htm!

The Union of Concerned Scientists tells us that dropping from 70 to 60 mph improves fuel efficiency by an average of 17.2 percent. Dropping from 75 to 55 improves fuel efficiency by 30.6 percent http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/04/28/MN9H10BFRS.DTL!

And lastly, it’s important to keep communication flowing in your organization to help employees deal with the frustrations they may be feeling about gas prices and other cost-of-living increases, which most likely are not being offset by any adjustment in pay (but this is one idea to keep in mind!). Let employees know that you understand, that it affects you too, and keep encouraging them to find alternative solutions. As always, the best way to get employees onboard is to serve as an example – your message will resonate more if employees can relate to you, and practicing what you preach will go much further than just the sermon. So the next time you run into one of your employees or co-workers on the train, say “Hi”.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go scope out the best route to the beach based on the gas stations with the lowest prices before leaving for my 3-day weekend…

Aloha.

But it doesn’t stop there. Because most households are dual-earner or single-parent households, parents are responsible for work demands and for getting their kids to where they need to be. Having one child may mean playing chauffeur, but it adds even more demands on parents’ time when they have two, three, or four children’s schedules to juggle. Subsequently, the more after-school and weekend activities that children participate in, the more demands on parents’ time outside of work. Though the culture has shifted from one of single-earner households to one of dual-earner households, the way we structure our family life, in terms of extra-curricular activities, hasn’t changed much. Parents are trying to be everything to everybody. The stress associated with this can increase if parents work non-traditional schedules, which has become more common. No longer is the typical schedule 9-5; down-time may only arise in the form of sleep, and sometimes there’s not even time for that.

So, parents are “stressed out” at work and “stressed out” with non-work demands as well. Because of all of these demands on their time, they tend to cut corners. They eat poorly, fail to get sufficient exercise and sleep, and engage in other unhealthy behaviors (which they model to their children).  Is it any wonder that parents are so stressed out, and that they have modeled this behavior for their children?

Most managers realize that some personal matters must be attended to at work (outside the lunch break). Acknowledging that small chunks of employees’ time will inevitably be spent scanning presidential election news or communicating with a spouse throughout the day saves employees the trouble of coming up with excuses and expending energy navigating away from Kayak or Flickr as quickly as possible every time you walk by. Instead, by working in a supportive environment, employees can channel that extra oomph into their work. A recent article in Self Magazine reviews the trials and tribulations of minimizing the distractions one’s personal life has on work. If employees abuse flexibility to the point that work is not getting done, then it’s time to take a deeper look at what’s going on and how the employee can better budget their time.

Granted, giving employees the freedom to squeeze in personal matters during work hours isn’t appropriate in every situation, but in most circumstances, empowered employees balance their responsibilities and appreciate their employer’s trust. In return, employees might not groan the next time you ask them to postpone their lunch plans for a last minute meeting and you may notice employees arriving refreshed on Monday mornings and already briefed on the week’s upcoming activities because they connected to their work email remotely on Sunday afternoon. Remember, the central idea is that flexibility done right can lead to increased productivity.

Flexibility is especially important with the influx of younger employees who seek it and more experienced employees who know they want independence and aren’t willing to work for a company that won’t provide it. If you’d like to give increased flexibility a try with your employees, keep in mind that your organizational culture must match the underlying premise of the flexibility you are trying to accomplish. For example – should employees be allowed Internet access for personal reasons? If you plan to give employees more freedom but your company has a "no personal email access" policy then you may have a problem. Full Internet access at work opens a different can of worms – visions of employees wasting their days away on Facebook, watching YouTube videos, and instant messaging back and forth with friends may come to mind. On the flip side, employees may be able to work more efficiently if they can scan through an email from their sibling during a break and then shift their complete focus back to work when they’re done.

However you decide to provide employees with increased autonomy, ensure it matches the culture of your organization, that you have full support from management, and the flexibility is clearly communicated to employees. Give a little to your employees and get a little more in return – isn’t that the way it should be? Now get back to work!

In a recent survey by Financial Executives International and the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, two-thirds of the CFOs surveyed identified layoffs and reduced hiring as areas for cutbacks. A Hay Group study, as cited by the Society for Human Resource Management found that along with freezing salaries and cutting staff, employers are making changes to healthcare and retirement benefits, as well as to training and development programs.

Here's where we get into dangerous territory. While there's no denying that the current economic downturn may necessitate some belt tightening, employers should be careful not to secure this quarter's financial results at the expense of the organization's long-term success.

Charles T. Scott, in Workforce Management, cautions employers not to overreact and advises them to keep both business and human capital goals in mind when coping with the "inevitable cycles" that occur in the economy. He points out that for more than half a century, downturns have lasted an average of only 11 to 18 months, and comments that when things heat back up again, the "ongoing war for talent" will still exist.

In today's business world, attracting and retaining the very best employees can provide a competitive advantage. Turnover is expensive, the costs associated with recruiting and training new employees are high and unanticipated side-effects of cutbacks may wind up hurting the organization in the long run. A Perth Leadership Institute white paper indicates that this type of cost cutting can lower employee morale, hamper innovation, create additional turnover, prevent potentially successful programs from being proposed and negatively affect the longer-term competitiveness of the organization. 

In the featured interview for our March podcast, Dr. Rebecca Kelly talked about organizational values and asked whether employers truly value their human capital. One comment she made really stuck with me. She said, "When you purchase a $2 million piece of equipment, you call that valuable. We have to take care of that," and then pointed out that we don't always take the same care with our employees.

When finances get tough, do you stop changing the oil in your car to save $39.99 every three months? Do you stop doing preventive maintenance on your high-tech manufacturing equipment? Do you cancel your subscription to the firewall and antivirus services on your PC or stop downloading critical software updates? Of course not - the costs of expensive repairs, fuel inefficiencies, shortened lifespans, performance decrements, security failures and hard drive crashes would far outweigh the short-term savings realized through these poorly conceived "solutions."

Organizational leaders give plenty of lip service to employees being their "most valuable assets," but actions speak louder than words. Whether in good economic times or bad, it would be ill-advised to cut the health and wellness benefits, stifle the opportunities for growth and development, eliminate the flexibility, reduce the level of employee involvement or give short shrift to the recognition programs that keep employees and organizations performing at their best.

Surely human beings deserve to be treated at least as well as machines.

• Work-life imbalance results from over-work
• Work-life balance programs should be primarily directed toward those with childcare or eldercare duties
• Women provide all of the support for their families
• Employees don’t identify with their work roles and need a means of escape

Last year, Career Builder conducted its annual Father’s Day Survey and found that a staggering 37% of working dads would leave their jobs if their spouse or partner made enough money to support the family, while another 38% would take a pay cut to spend more time at home. It could be because they are over-worked, or it could be because they get little support for trying to manage a full-time career and being a good parent. It is clear, though, that the need for men to strike some sort of equitable relationship between work and non-work demands has not really caught on. Why might this be?

Well, a Monster survey  revealed that only 29% of human resource professionals viewed their company’s work-life balance programs favorably. So, maybe working dads want to leave or cut back because less than 3 out of 10 companies have a work-life balance program that actually meets their needs. Why is it so difficult to believe that fathers want to spend time with their spouses, partners, and children, too? We also want to be able to spend time with other members of our family, spend time with our friends, and participate in other activities. I recently came back from a 6-day trip to Washington DC. The next night my wife and I were sitting down talking, and she told me how hard it was being a parent to three children all by herself for 6 days. She commented “It made me realize just how much slack you pick up around here.” It would be nice if working fathers everywhere could get that same recognition…especially from their employers.

So, what does “work-life balance” really mean? The term seems to connote spending an equal time working and not working. Some terms, such as “Family Support” or “Work-Family Balance” even imply that only those with families (usually defined as children or elderly parents) need balance, along with the general assumption that only care-giving women need work-life balance. Most of the published research seems to indicate that giving people more ways of getting away from work (e.g., vacation time, personal time off, paid leave) or providing alternative work arrangements (e.g., flextime, telecommuting) will solve the problem. However, this research is ultimately flawed because there is no accepted definition of work-life balance.

Yet, at the end of 2007, a survey of 5,000 respondents concluded that 57% of professionals considered work-life balance the most important goal for the New Year. The problem for employers is that work-life balance is an empty buzzword; nobody truly knows what it means! It could mean spending more time away from the office…or increasing the amount of time spent at the office working on personal demands…or spending the same amount of time working, but with a different schedule…and so on. As an employer, your first order of business should be to work out a shared definition of work-life balance between you and to your employees. Rather than overextending your financial resources to offer a cafeteria-style set of work-life balance programs, you should first identify a few high-leverage options that would work for your organization (meaning that you have the resources, culture, and values to support them). Be sure to get your employees involved in developing, implementing, and evaluating the programs you create! By partnering with your employees on this, you can ensure that any programs developed will be valued and utilized. And remember, the goal is not to benefit just your employees; the goal is to create a win-win scenario between you and your employees.

Of course, once we get to the end of the year 2008, we’ll see whether any progress has been made in our resolutions for creating more flexible work and work environments!  

I recently ran across a podcast on employee engagement on the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) Web site -- also covered in the January 2008 issue of T+D, p. 44. I found the topic of the stay interview to be interesting, as employee engagement is a key component of a solid retention strategy. The stay interview can serve as a temperature gauge to assess what’s working, what’s not, and what would make the employee happier.

There is no either/or argument between the exit interview and stay interview – both serve a purpose. The exit interview is intended to collect information about the organization and uncover what’s driving turnover. At that point it’s too late to ask employees what could have made them stay, let alone provide employees with incentives. Alternatively, the stay interview is proactive and should be both personal and specific to each individual.

The stay interview shifts the focus from HR (leave the exit interviews to them) and places the responsibility of employee engagement on managers. Chances are some of your top managers may already be informally conducting their own versions of the stay interview with the employees they manage. The interview process need not be formal – just consistent. Allow managers to decide the style and schedule of the interviews, as they are likely to better understand each employee’s needs and decide whether once a month or once every three months is right for their employees.

During the interview, remember to be receptive to suggestions and listen actively. By doing so, you will increase the chances of reaching a collaborative solution, for instance, the ability to work from home once a week might be more appealing than a raise to some employees. Keep in mind that your reactions will influence the effectiveness of the interview – interrupting or shutting down is unlikely to produce the results the interview was intended to foster. Organizations simply can’t afford not to do this. If your employees can be honest and tell you what they need to stay, there’s a chance you can deliver. As a result, you won’t have to incur the high costs of hiring and training an employee to replace them.

Take away: Encourage managers to take their employees out to coffee or sit down with them every month (or every few months) and ask employees questions such as whether they have the necessary tools and resources to do their job or what projects/opportunities they would like to pursue.
For more ideas on questions to ask during a stay interview, ASTD recommended the book: Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em

For all its intrusion into our every waking moment, I have to admit, technology really does have its advantages. Over the past few years, we’ve been working diligently to build an infrastructure for the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program that would reduce administrative burden, automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks, broaden our reach, provide a variety of communication mechanisms to fit the needs and preferences of a diverse audience, and allow us to continue to develop the program.

I’ve been pleased to see our ideas come to fruition. In addition to now being able to accept online applications for the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards, we have a host of resources available to help organizations and their employees thrive:

• A database of more than 1,300 article summaries related to employee health and well-being and organizational performance 
• A calendar of Upcoming Events, including conferences and other learning opportunities from a variety of disciplines 
• Our Good Company e-newsletter 

and now, our most recent additions:

• The Good Company Blog 
• The Good Company Podcast 

We hope that you’ll explore these resources, let us know what issues are important to your organization and share your own experience.