November by Colleen Isherwood and Natalie Cajic

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1 Burnout-proofing your employees Employee stress costs Canadian businesses an estimated $12 billion per year in health claims, lost productivity and absenteeism. Solutions range from employeefriendly exercise and day-care facilities, to employee assistance programs, flex-time and even pets in the workplace. But experience shows that education, training and support from the top play key roles in combatting employee burnout. November 1998 by Colleen Isherwood and Natalie Cajic Tuned-in managers don t need a survey to tell them when employees are stressed out. Workers appear overworked, frustrated, unhappy and unproductive. On a company level, there may be too many requests for time off, disability claims and poor performance. Then there s depression, heart attacks, strokes, back and neck pain, alcoholism and drug abuse. On a corporate level, the effects of burnout can also be devastating. Employee burnout costs Canadian businesses an estimated $12 billion per year in health claims, lost productivity and absenteeism, according to the Conference Board of Canada. Stress-related claims can cost up to 10% of a company s earnings - and the average disability payment stretches to $73,000. And with stress-related disabilities, there s less likelihood of rehabilitation than with physical claims. "Companies experiencing transition - through downsizing or mergers - are particularly vulnerable," warns Paul Cappuccio, a therapist with the mood disorders program at Toronto s Humber River Regional Health Centre. He experienced this phenomenon firsthand during a recent amalgamation of three area hospitals into the one regional health centre. "Companies in transition must be prepared to recognize that there will be more stress-related illness - be a little more understanding, and hook up with appropriate services," he advises. But even in stable work environments, employees can be stressed-out. "Our health program results show us that our employees aren t stressed because of work conditions, but more due to issues such as balancing work and family life," says Lori Blandford, health management consultant at Canada Trust s London office. Dr. Lucille Peszat of the Canadian Centre for Stress and Well-Being Stress Management Centre in Toronto says the major reason for a stressed workforce is, "being alive today, living in a fast-paced technological society. A lot of us are running to keep up." Solutions for companies experiencing burnout run the gamut of employee assistance programs, seminars and workshops for management and employees, lunch and learn programs, exercise facilities, and employee social clubs, to a full-scale management commitment to changing salaries, benefits and policies. The people who implement them

2 range from human resource practitioners and company health professionals to union officials. But experts agree that the most important element of any burnout-banishing program is commitment from the top. Commitment from the top down "It s the people at the top who set the tone for any burnout-proofing programs." says Cappuccio. He cites the example of a major Employee Assistance Program provider. The president of this company constantly lectured his clients about realistic workload expectations, balancing family and work life, and compassion towards employees who stay home when their children are sick. At the same time, he came down heavily on his own employees over those same issues - causing burnout, sickness and high turnover. "If executives aren t behind the program it will flounder. It doesn t matter what is said in public; if the administration doesn t buy in, employees get conflicting messages." Donna Scotten, regional manager, program management for health care provider CHC Working Well in Halifax, says it s worse for a company to say it s willing to look at stressors and then not follow through than to do nothing at all. "Employees get their hopes up. Hostility and frustration result if nothing is done." Don t call it stress-busting! Trainers sometimes encounter resistance to the "stress" label, says Dale Wilcox of the Waterloo Management Education Centre. "Organizations still pooh-pooh employees who say they need help. But companies with this attitude are often the ones that are the most stressful. "Sometimes we have to smuggle in stress management training under the headings of communications, assertiveness training, or time management. The decision-maker understands that these courses solve a lot of issues. Assertiveness training can help reduce stress by teaching employees - particularly support staff - to say no without fear of being fired." "Stress is a very personal thing" Causes of stress and burnout in the workplace vary. Research gathered by CHC Working Well found that 53% was caused by poor management communications, 42% by increased workload, 36% due to job insecurity and lack of career path, and 29% organizational change and restructuring. "Control seems to be one of the big issues," says CHC s Scotten. Other surveys say sick buildings, ergonomically-incorrect workplaces, and technological change all play a role. "Stress is a very personal thing," says Wilcox. "Something that gets me going might not stress you at all. While I think nothing of giving a half-day workshop, someone else might find that situation extremely difficult.

3 "When people are stressed, often what they are missing is balance in their lives - and they have a choice of either doing something or waiting until they get that first heart attack. "There is no one solution to preventing burnout. Programs should be voluntary, include various options and be presented in a positive light." Making burnout a mainstream topic One of the first stages in any burnout reduction program is awareness building - helping individuals and organizations understand and recognize the signs and symptoms of stress. You could include a one-hour seminar teaching management and employees to understand the signs of burnout - and that it s best to deal with it early to avoid problems later on. You could conduct research through surveys or a company health profile, as Canada Trust did (see sidebar article). The next level of commitment involves teaching how to manage stress and incorporating practical strategies so it doesn t become overwhelming. This step could include discussions with managers or a written policy to publicize the company s procedures. Include practical programs such as employee assistance programs, and consider fitness activities, lunch and learn seminars for employees, and ergonomic solutions. The third level of commitment involves actually changing the workplace - prevent excessive levels of stress by helping employees apply the learning. Reinforce changes and further explore strategies that deal with the systemic sources of stress. This could involve another look at flex-time to help employees balance work and home lives, elder care and day-care advisory services, and a review of wage structures, overtime policies, benefits and vacation time. "Studies have shown that good pay, good vacation packages, and benefits such as flextime help make a better workplace," says Cappuccio. "Comparisons of companies in similar industries have shown that the employees were happier, there was less absenteeism and that ultimately productivity did not suffer. There are extra costs of implementing such programs, but they typically pay for themselves in one to four years as employees put out more effort and the whole workplace benefits." Employee Assistance Programs Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), where the company provides confidential internal or external counselling expertise for employees, can cost about $30 per employee per year flat fee - though EAP pricing structures vary, and some programs are based on usage. For information on EAPs, contact the Employee Assistance Program Association in your area. "On average the utilization rate is five to seven per cent of employees per year, with four to six counselling sessions each," says Cappuccio. "That can rise to eight, 10 or even 20% during times of transition."

4 "External EAPs are preferable to internal ones," he adds. "And it s important that the program be completely confidential. A few years back there were cases where companies planning downsizing put an EAP in place to soften the blow to employees. Employees got the message that an EAP heralded a transition for the company. And there have been other cases where the EAP fed too much information to the employer," leading employees to doubt the service s confidentiality. Seminars, Lunch & Learn Even if your company can t afford the full-time services of an EAP provider, you might want to invest in stress management workshops once or twice a year. Many other companies offer group and individual stress management seminars under names such as "Burnout Proofing", "Success without Burnout", "Making Stress Work for You" and other related topics. Company recreational programs Company recreational programs can bust stress, "because they help people feel comfortable with their co-workers by relating to them outside of work," says Cappuccio. "It works even better if the company financially sponsors the event - giving employees a t-shirt or a trophy. Little things like that are important." Both Canadian Standards Association and Canada Trust have had employee recreation programs in place for years. CHC s Scotten has seen a recent decline in the use of company recreation programs. "Ten years ago, almost every company had them. That has changed and I think it s because people are so consumed by work and family pressures that they don t have time for recreational activities with co-workers. The thought of taking Friday night and going bowling with their co-workers just adds more pressure." Ergonomics and lounges that overlook the sea The configuration of the workplace itself can help de-stress your employees. CSA s Richmond facility, which was actually designed by employees, includes a fitness facility (see sidebar article). The cost? Approximately $30,000 for exercise equipment when the facility was built in On the other side of the country, Maritime Life, based in a quiet, residential Halifax neighbourhood, has an on-site daycare, a fitness centre, and a staff lounge that looks out over the ocean, a view some companies reserve for their executive suites. The company also has career development programs, flex-time and free parking. Both CSA Toronto and Canada Trust have ergonomics programs in place. At CSA, trained staff respond to complaints, evaluating workplaces and recommending ergonomic changes to reduce stresses that cause back problems and repetitive strain injuries. A variety of preventive measures Commitment from management, and a variety of preventive measures are the keys to effective burnout-busting programs. "Companies can t just get an EAP and do nothing else," says Dr. Peszat. "There has to be training, education, coaching, helping people

5 work within a changing workplace and giving them new skills. There has to be a proactive as opposed to a reactive view of change and recognition that in today s workplace emotional pressures are the norm." Copyright 2000, Crownhill Publishing. This article may not be reproduced without former written consent from the publisher.