Time to beef up that wellness program and up your communications about your health benefit programs and your EAP? That might just be a good idea, according to the results of a recent survey, which found that employee health care choices and behaviors are being affected by the tough economic climate.

Last month, the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) - an organization which represents 300 large employers that provide health care benefits to a combined 55 million workers, dependents, and retirees - reported the results of a survey conducted with 1500 employees between the ages of 22 and 69. The purpose of the survey was "to ascertain how the recession is affecting American workers (PDF) and to provide a snapshot about those areas where businesses should work more closely with their employees to help support them during a very challenging environment."

Among the findings:

• More than one-in-four respondents - 27 percent - report forgoing health care treatment to save money on copayments or coinsurance costs
• One in five respondents - 20 percent - skipped taking their prescription drug medication dosage as prescribed by their doctor; 17 percent split a prescription drug dosage in half to make it last longer
• Many workers, particularly older workers (44 percent of those aged 45-64), report that their mental health has been negatively affected by the economy.

NBGH sees the results of this survey as an opportunity for employers to help their workers cope and thrive. Here are some of their recommendations:

• Use benefit statements to clearly articulate a commitment to wellness
• Consider offering financial incentives to motivate health behavior changes
• Emphasize that managing healthcare costs is not the same as foregoing necessary medical care and prescriptions
• Reinforce that exercise is the best way to control costs, improve physical health, and reduce stress
• Communicate aggressively about availability of financial counseling and mental health services available through stand-alone programs and Employee Assistance Programs(EAPs)
• Help employees understand the link between mental health and the impact on future physical health
• Ask your vendors to screen for depression and other stress-related health problems and behaviors

Posted by Julie Ferguson on June 29, 2009 at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this post

Joanne Wojcik of Benefits Beat discusses a new report on post-layoff survivor syndrome. While the actual report is only available to members, the author suggests that managing survivor syndrome " ... is about taking a strategic approach before, during and after the downsizing so management teams will be able to extract greater employee motivation, engagement and productivity, and foster the performance of the business over the long term."

Once the dust has settled after a layoff, the remaining employees may run through a gamut of emotions. As a manager, you should recognize that the the five stages of grief and loss may be at work. Expect anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and eventually acceptance. It's common for surviving workers to have some or all of the following reactions:

• Sadness at the loss of valued colleagues
• Guilt that friends and colleagues are suffering hardship
• Fear, anxiety, or worry that job loss could happen to them next
• Anger at you or the company; mistrust, erosion of loyalty
• Stress at having to assume a heavier workload or take on new duties
• Lack of motivation or apathy

As a manager, you need to address these common reactions and find a way to move forward in a positive direction.

• Recognize that people need to express their feelings of loss for valued colleagues.
• Expect some venting. If employees express anger at you or the organization, don't take it personally and don't be defensive. Try to steer things in a positive direction.
• Explain the business rationale for the cuts. Try to allay insecurity but don't offer any false promises or misleading statements about their future security.
• Help people adjust to new work roles - offer support and encouragement.
• Work to rebuild trust. Encourage teamwork, set positive goals. It might be a good time for morale boosters like extra training sessions, pizza lunches, and recognition for a job well done.
• Communicate frequently and honestly.
• Watch for signs of continued stress and refer employees to your EAP if signs of stress persist.

See our past guide on Coping with Tough Times where we provide more resources on survivor guilt and helping your employees cope with change. Also see our post on some good ways to deliver bad news.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on June 22, 2009 at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this post

At George's Employment Blawg, attorney Ellen Simon has a great post on stereotyping as discrimination. She notes that there have been numerous gender discrimination cases won by women and turns her sights to a recent, rare example of a successful gender stereotyping case filed by a male in Sassaman v. Gamache.

Fiona Gathwright at Corporate Wellness Insights posts about how Safeway's wellness program cuts costs - while other employers have seen premiums increase by 38% over the past four years, Safeway has held costs level over the same period. Related: HR Daily Advisor featured two recent tips on building effective wellness programs: Effective Wellness Means Branding, Integration and Corporate Wellness—Real World ROI of '4 Plus 5'.

Ah, we've just learned that Evil HR Lady has an alter ego at U.S.News, where she also posts - go catch up on some of her great articles over there.

Visit last weeks' Health Wonk Review over at Managed Care Matters to get a broad sampling of opinions on healthcare reform from the perspective of healthcare policy bloggers.

Ever had that disagreeable person in your group when you are giving a presentation or a training? Thoughts from Training Time offers some good tips on how to deal with disruptive trainees.

Wally Bock's Three Star Leadership Blog is a frequent source of good business links and this week, is no exception - he points us to: Employees linking work, social media, an article about how some employers are dealing with policies related to web-based social media, and a post from an organizing expert with tips for decluttering your life.

Jay Shepherd of Gruntled Employees offers a swine flu prescription for employers: eliminate sick days.

The tough economy is forcing employers to make tough choices when it comes to benefits. Jeffrey Hirsch of Workplace Prof Blog posts about what some might arguably see as the unkindest cut of all.

Resources for your wellness program: Healthy Eats - a blog by a team of team of culinary and nutrition professionals offering healthy tips, nutrition news, low-calorie recipes and more, and Balanced Health & Nutrition - a blog by a registered dietitian offering food, nutrition and exercise information.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on June 15, 2009 at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | E-mail this post

From time to time, we like to freshen up the blogroll by adding a few promising new blog finds and weeding out some blogs that are no longer active. Please check out some of these great new additions to our blogroll:

Benefits Beat - a new blog from Business Insurance editor Joanne Wojcik. See her recent post on the cost of depression in the workplace.

Minding the Workplace - blog by David Yamada, a law professor at Suffolk University Law School in Boston and founder of the New Workplace Institute, a research and education center promoting healthy, productive, and socially responsible workplaces. Common blogging themes: dignity at work, workplace bullying, and psychologically healthy work environments.

World of Work - insight and commentary on labor and employment law from attorney Dennis Westlind.

Sloan Work and Family Research Network Blog - blog by Boston College's Alfred P. Sloan Work and Family Research Network, dedicated to providing resources and building knowledge for academics and researchers, workplace practitioners, state public policy makers, and interested individuals.

Minding Our Elders - blog by author Carol Bradley Bursack which focuses on support for caregivers and seniors.

Comp Time - another blog from Business Insurance, this one by Roberto Ceniceros, focusing on issues related to workers' compensation.

Prevention Matters - blog by Partnership for Prevention, an organization of businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies dedicated to improving the health of the nation through policies and programs that prevent disease and promote health.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on June 13, 2009 at 1:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this post

Most of us are aware that the the winter months can trigger a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It is estimated that this condition affects about 5 percent of the population. But did you know that a smaller percentage of the population - estimated at about 1 percent - suffer from what is often referred to as reverse seasonal affective disorder, or RSAD? This is a condition which begins in the spring months and may continue throughout the summer.

The Mayo Clinic reports that in rare cases, people who suffer from RSAD can experience symptoms of mania or hypomania, a less intense form of mania, rather than the depressive symptoms that plague those suffering from winter SAD.

Because this condition is not as prevalent as winter SAD, there is less information on causes and treatment. Sara Ivry wrote an excellent article about Summer SAD a few years ago in The New York Times. She notes that:

As with depression generally, more women than men appear to suffer from this condition, at a ratio some estimates put as high as two to one. It is most common among women in their reproductive years, but its onset sometimes comes as early as childhood. Researchers think it may also have a genetic component; more than two-thirds of patients with SAD have a relative with a major mood disorder.

The symptoms of the two forms of the disorder often vary, heightening the confusion. People with the more common variety typically feel lethargic in the colder months, crave carbohydrates, gain weight and sleep excessively. Those afflicted during the summer often experience agitation, loss of appetite, insomnia and, in extreme cases, increased suicidal fantasies.

While winter SAD seems to be linked to low light levels and the body's melatonin level, the cause of summer SAD is less clear. As near as research can pinpoint, it seems to be linked to heat and tends to be more prevalent in hotter regions. "Epidemiological data in the United States have shown a higher proportion of people in the South depressed in the summer. The proportion rises as the latitude diminishes."

From an employer view, it is important to note any mood or behavioral changes in workers that affect performance, but diagnosing the reason for that change is not something that an employer should undertake. It's helpful if supervisors can be trained to be alert for common symptoms of depression and changes in work performance that might signify a problem, but leave the diagnosing and treatment to your organization's EAP or medical professionals.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on June 11, 2009 at 9:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this post

Your HR Guy has a great post on exit interviews, calling them "band aids on broken legs." Well written, and we couldn't agree more.

"Let's not fool ourselves: the best case scenario is your exit interview actually provides new information because your company management is inept at figuring out what should already be known. That’s the best case scenario!"

He makes the case that exit interviews are more of a feel-good device than a strategy that will yield fresh insight or actionable information to curtail turnover. This is partly because because many departing employees aren't open - they often don't want to say anything negative that will get back to the manager and burn a bridge. Also, he sees that because management training will rarely be cited as a problem, it will rarely become part of the solution.

The real solution?

"You need real managers. Ones that know their employees well, that have open lines of communication, that have some basic investigation and analytical skills, and don’t need an exit interview to be told why people are leaving."

We'd file exit interviews under the category of "retrospective management" and this just isn't a management style that cuts it. We sometimes see a similar dynamic with referrals to our EAP. Astute managers who make an EAP referral early on - either when they first observe a pattern of problematic work behaviors or when they see the manager-employee relationship breaking down - can often salvage the relationship with a strategic referral. More often than not, we are able to help the employee identify the root cause of the problem and develop coping strategies or problem resolutions - sometimes the underlying problem isn't even work-related, but simply spilling over into the workplace.

Unfortunately, all too often, the troubled employee isn't referred to us until the problem behavior has festered unaddressed for a period of time, frustration on all sides is high, and the situation is not salvageable. The good managers that we see have open communication with their employees, they spot problems early, they address problems frankly, and they know when to look for outside help. The less-than-ideal managers are the ones who are frequently trying to close the barn door after the horse has escaped ... problems aren't addressed until they are huge, often reaching a level of toxicity that makes it difficult or impossible to resolve. Cue up the exit interview.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on June 5, 2009 at 9:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this post

Planning a summer vacation this year? According to a recent survey by CareerBuilder, 35 percent of workers aren’t planning to take a vacation this year. About 71% of those who don't plan to take a vacation say that they can't afford it, and almost 20% said they feared job loss if they are away, or just felt guilty being away from the office. But too much work without a break is not a good thing - it can lead to burnout and stress. Managers should encourage employees to take that vacation. Suggest long weekends or the increasingly popular staycation - sticking close to home but spending time relaxing with family and taking lower cost field trips. Here are some resources for staycation activities:

• Find a local park with the State Parks Map Locator and the National Park Service
• Explore more than 15,000 museums
• Locate a US Children's Museum
• Find a Zoo or Aquarium
• Search the USA Beach Guide

Summer work perils
Summer is also a time that many of your employees face different job hazards - particularly if they spend any time working outdoors or in settings where heat can be an issue. Here are resources to ensure your employees stay safe this summer:

• Summer Hazards for Workers
• Summer Occupational Hazards
• Working Outdoors: Skin Cancer and Workers Comp
• Summer Safety Training for Working Teens
• Heat Stress Resources for Workers
• Beath the Heat (and Avoid Any OSHA Citations)
• Summer Driving Safety Tips

Wellness: Eye exams can save money - June 27 to July 5 is Eye Safety Awareness Week and July is Eye Injury Prevention Month. Besides addressing your work exposures, another way to commemorate might be to encourage employees to have their eyes checked. HR World reports on a study showing that regular eye exams can save healthcare dollars because eye exams can often detect chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. Here's another wellness resource for eye safety: Protecting Your Eyes: At Home, At Work, At Play

Posted by Julie Ferguson on May 31, 2009 at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | E-mail this post

Susan M. Heathfield, About.com tackles the topic of casual dress codes, an issue that is important all year but that takes on even greater significance in the summer when outfits can sometimes be a little more casual and skimpy. She offers a variety of articles on dress codes for various setting and sample dress code policies. She also includes some helpful photo galleries casual dress code and business formal, which is a great idea for supplementing a policy - you might want to compile your own to reflect your organization.

Often, it comes down to the type of business and the role the employee plays. Tech employees who spend their days away from the public working on computers might have a little more leeway than customer service reps who meet and greet the public. A manufacturing plant might have different standards than the financial sector. But it's hard to make generalizations - the NBA Player Dress Code is stricter than many might associate with a sports team.

Communication is the key to avoiding misunderstandings. What might be considered appropriate casual wear to one generation may cross the line to another. Stephanie Armour of USA TODAY talked about how various employers are handling this issue in an article about business casual trends in recent years. To avoid confusion, it helps to be specific. Are flipflops allowed? tank tops? jeans? mini-skirts? t-shirts with slogans? Armour also reminds employers to be careful not to discriminate against women in dress code policies and to be cautious about policies that might exclude religious dress, such as headscarves. In addition to offering specific guidelines, make sure you are clear about any associated disciplinary actions that might be taken for violation of the dress code, such as warnings or sending employees home to change. Having this outlined in a policy can help to keep any such actions from seeming arbitrary or personal.

For casual dress guidelines, here are some resources that may be helpful to employees and employers alike:

• Phyllis Korkki of the New York Times Career Couch also addressed this topic last week in her column Please, No Board Shorts in the Boardroom, where she offers advice to new job seekers and first-time employees.
• From LegalWorkplace.com, an article on Impelemting and Enforcing a Business Casual Dress Code Policy.
• Image consultant Jill Bremer suggests that there are three levels of business casual: Basic, standard, and executive. She offers guidelines to distinguish each style, along with items that should be avoided at all costs.
• Viviana Ruenda of Brazen Careerist offers job holders her take on The Top 10 Business Casual Mistakes, And How To Avoid Them.
• Sample Dress Code Policy
• Dress Code Legal Issues
• Handling Dress Code Violations

Posted by Julie Ferguson on May 29, 2009 at 7:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this post

As a side effect to the troubled economy, we're noticing more stories about an increase in employee theft. We haven't seen enough to know if this reputed increase is statistically true or anecdotal, but theft by employees is a massive problem that occurs in good financial times and bad. It stands to reason that there might be a spike when times are tough. It's a good time for employers to dust off and tighten up their loss prevention practices and policies - here's a checklist for preventing employee theft excerpted from the Small Business Fraud Prevention Manual issued by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

If indeed we are seeing a spike in employee theft, there may be other reasons to account for the increase than the economy and there may be other solutions to loss prevention than the traditional ones. For another perspective on employee theft, see Bob Sutton's recent post on an innovative employer approach to stopping employee theft . While there are various root causes of theft and need may certainly be one of them, Bob notes that, "The most extensive and impressive stream of research on employee theft has been conducted by Jerald Greenberg, who has done a host of laboratory and field studies (e.g, in manufacturing plants and retails stores) that show stealing is driven, in large part, by employees' desires to "get even" with companies and managers who treat them in cold and unfair ways."

While "the economy" and "getting even" may well be motives for theft, Bob goes on to cite a fascinating case of employee theft at a sawmill in which the underlying motive was largely "for the thrill of it." At this particular plant, organizational consultant and researcher Gary Latham worked with management to institute some creative measures to stop theft. The company introduced a "library system" where employees could borrow the type of equipment that was being stolen. Management also launched an amnesty campaign, during which employees could return any stolen goods under a no-fault, no-questions-asked system. The results of both measures were dramatic, with theft being virtually stopped in its tracks. This approach reminded me of a similar measure I witnessed a number of years ago when working at a manufacturing plant that assembled popular household goods and toys for large corporate clients. To mitigate employee theft, the employer sponsored a "company store" where employees could purchase the goods they produced at wholesale prices. This served the dual purpose of being a great new low-cost benefit and reducing theft significantly.

While we haven't witnessed too much in the way of for-the-thrill-of-it theft, revenge against perceived unfairness is certainly something we're familiar with - it surfaces as a motive for many work behavioral problems that our counselors deal with daily. And beyond specific grudges against specific employers, there is a more generalized sense of anger and outrage brewing, stoked by the daily barrage of headlines about corporate malfeasance and greed at the highest "leadership" levels of large corporations. It's pretty difficult to imbue high ethical standards when the people at the top are widely disrespected or engage in criminal behavior themselves.

Whether it be employee theft, runaway workers' comp costs or some other costly work problem, all too often we find that the problem is a symptom of a toxic work environment where mutual respect and trust have broken down. Prudent employers can and should enact preventive measures, but as we've previously stated, that may not be enough.

Our experience shows time and again that employers who communicate often and well with their employees and who work diligently to maintain a healthy work culture experience fewer workplace behavioral problems than their mistrusting, suspicious counterparts. Keep things in perspective. Dishonest employees are in the minority so don't cast a pall of suspicion over everyone. Set the policy and the expectation, ensure that risk control measures are in place, and be fair and consistent in the way policies are enforced.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on May 19, 2009 at 9:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this post

Change is in the air - Michael at Human Race Horses tells HR managers that, "Your world is going to change one way or the other. Get ready!" Check out his must-read post about 7 People Who Will Change Human Resources in 2009.

To tweet or not to tweet? - Melanie Holmes of Contemporary Working has some interesting statistics about the prevalence of social networking tools. But should we be concerned about the ubiquity and 24/7 nature of work communication that these new tools afford? Are social networking tools addictive? Jeffrey Hirsch of Workplace Prof Blog raises the issue of whether employers could have any liability for technology addiction. Related: Charlotte Huff has an excellent article that discusses Staying Afloat in a Digital Flood at Workforce.

Wellness incentives - Fiona Gathright of Corporate Wellness Insights looks at a recent study on the use of incentives in wellness programs. She also reports that there is some political support for incenting employers to enact wellness programs, but notes that it will be important to set the right tone for such programs. David Williams of Health Benefits Blog talks about the flip side of the coin in his post on the ethical considerations of financial penalties for unhealthy behaviors.

Gender identity - Michael Fox of Jottings by an Employers Lawyer posts about transgendered workers in the mainstream press, citing a statistic that 322 major companies have added gender identity to their diversity programs.

Work-life balance - Thoughts from Training Time reports that a fear of layoffs is affecting employee vacation plans - many are deferring because they fear a temporary absence from the workplace could lead to a permanent one. The post suggests several tips for managers to help their employees allay their anxiety and avoid burning out. Related: Freek Vermeulen makes the case for work-life programs in Harvard Business.

Longevity - There are about 250,000 centenarians alive today, including several hundred "supercentarians" aged 110+ years. Find out your chances of reaching 100.

Posted by Julie Ferguson on May 15, 2009 at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | E-mail this post