wellbeing Flashcards
what is the place of work in our lives?
- occupies a central place in most people’s lives in developed economies
- finance
- identity, self-worth, usefulness
BUT - jobs and incomes have become less secure
- encroaching on family and personal lives
what is physical well-being?
“A state of physical well-being is not just the absence of disease. It includes lifestyle behaviour choices to ensure health, avoid preventable diseases and conditions, and to live in a balanced state of body, mind, and spirit”.
American Association of Nurse Anaesthetists website
what is psychological well-being?
“A dynamic state, in which the individual is able to develop their potential, work productively and creatively, build strong and positive relationships with others, and contribute to their community”
UK government Foresight report on mental capital and well-being,
why should employers care about wellbeing?
Costs of ill-health:15.2 million workdays were lost due to stress, anxiety or depression in 2013 (ONS, 2014) costing just over £1,000 per employee. Back pain alone is estimated to cost the UK economy £12.3 billion per year. (http://www.theworkfoundation.com/Reports/372/
War for Talent: High performing people will be attracted and retained partly by good employer policies for well-being.
Compliance and Risk: Health and safety standards are legally enforceable, employers have been sued for causing undue stress, and accreditation like Investors in People require at least some good practices.
Adapted from Pruyne, Powell & Parsons, (2012)
- sustaining high performance and high performers
- creating a well-being culture
- creating and sustaining an engaged workforce
- behaving in an ethical and socially responsible way
what are some indicators of wellbeing?
- low sickness absence (incidence and duration)
- low voluntary turnover
- low incidence of anxiety, depression
- low incidence of chronic health problems such as back pain
- low incidence of workaholism
- high job satisfaction, engagement, vitality
- positive emotions and an absence of negative emotions
- good relationships
- sense of purpose, initiative, development
- sense of work-life balance
what does (Arthur, 2005) say about stress?
the term stress “has so many different meanings that it is confusing, elusive, and heard so often its meaning is frequently distorted and its implications taken for granted”.
what is meant by stress?
demands exceed our perceived ability to cope
- it is not an illness…it is a state
- BUT if it is excessive and prolonged it can have physical and mental consequences
HSE: “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them.”
explain the performance curve
as stress and anxiety levels increase performance increases to a certain point until tipping point when stress and anxiety decrease performance
what are the forms of strain?
- psychological (e.g. general psychological distress, anxiety, depression burnout)
- physical (e.g. tension headaches, musculoskeletal disorders, high blood pressure, tremors)
- behavioural (e.g. absenteeism, alcohol misuse, marital conflict)
what are HSE’s management standards on managing stress in the workplace?
demands
control
support
role
change
relationships
explain the job demands-job control model
high control and high demands - mastery and self-efficacy
low control and high demands - strain
high psychological demands and low decision latitude (skill discretion + decision authority) = stress
what is the work-life balance
work = paid employment + related travel
life = family/domestic/social life beyond work
W-L balance = harmony or equilibrium which allows satisfaction of needs in both domains
‘achieving satisfying experiences in all life domains’
(Lyness & Judiesch 2008, p. 789)
what are the causes of WL balance problems?
- promotion/senior positions & expectations of work prioritisation
- managing ‘dual careers’ within families i.e. both partners desire to pursue career
- long working hours
- technology and expectations of continuous availability
- long working hours
- demands of work and family/domestic commitments
what are the consequences of work life imbalance?
work-related problems
- exhaustion
- stress
- absence
- low commitment & job satisfaction
non-work related problems
- exhaustion
- absence - ‘time poverty’
- stress on non-work relationships
what is the general relationship between work-life balance and dual career couples
in marriages/relationships where both partners work, achieving work-life balance and meeting work/non-work goals for both can be challenging
childcare can negatively impact on work & career - taking children to and from school/nursery