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Issue Number Ten: Oct. 2005

Is a "Stress Epidemic" Infecting Modern Organizations?
American workers first began to hear about stress in the workplace around thirty years ago. When psychologists began noticing that increasing numbers of employees were exhibiting symptoms of on-the-job "burn-out" another new word entered the workplace lexicon.

Since then the subject of workplace stress has taken center stage as the realities of a shrinking global economy, increased competition, and rapid advances in technology have transformed the day-to-day existence of millions of workers.

Is office stress a necessary condition of employment in the 21st century? Is the average worker’s health and productivity doomed to decline? Is there anything managers and leaders can do to reverse these trends?

A VEO Supports High Productivity While Minimizing Stress
Downsizing and scarce resources have created workplaces marked by chronic anxiety and chaos. People are often stretched to the breaking point. Their days are stressful and fragmented. They look busy and seem to be working at almost superhuman speed and intensity. Though this may seem like a good thing to some managers, in reality it’s harmful.

The symptoms of an over-stressed workplace are readily apparent: employees who are always busy, but rarely results-oriented; meetings that seem to go on forever, but where little seems to get accomplished; employees missing deadlines and leaving goals unaccomplished.

Savvy supervisors recognize that "busyness" does not equal productivity. In fact, frantic, disorderly activity is counterproductive to an organization’s goals. Not only does too much stress harm day-to-day productivity, it makes employees sick. Absences increase. Health costs rise. Obviously, chaos and un-managed stress do not contribute to the vibrant, creative, high-energy environment a company needs to stay competitive in today’s intense marketplace.

You Call This Progress?
If you've suspect that you and everyone you know is busier than ever before, you're probably right! A recent cover story in Business Week magazine ("The Real Reasons You're Working So Hard . . . and what you can do about it" - October 3, 2005) pointed out that more than 31% of college-educated workers routinely slog through more than 50 hours of work per week. Significantly, this trend "defies historical precedent and common sense," according to Business Week.

The authors go on to explain that the "information revolution" has generated productivity gains of nearly 70% over the past 25 years. But those gains haven’t translated into time savings and a shorter workweek, as one might suspect. College-educated workers - whose wages have risen by more than 30% since the 1980s – are putting in longer hours than their lower-paid counterparts, who typically clocked most of the overtime hours 25 years ago.

So, while we've made measurable gains in productivity and technology in recent decades, the quality of life enjoyed by most information workers has declined appreciably. Our time-challenged society finds us working back-breaking hours, gobbling lunch at our desks, returning phone calls in our cars, and suffering the effects of stress related illnesses. American workers work longer hours and take less vacation than workers anywhere else in the world.

Why do we do it? As Business Week explains it "Succeeding in today's economy requires lightning-fast reflexes and the ability to communicate and collaborate across the globe. Coming up with innovative ideas, products, and services means getting people across different divisions and different companies to work together." In other words, promoting "high productivity while minimizing stress!"

A Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organization makes sure that employees aren't forced to waste time on low-payoff, unproductive tasks. Goals and standards are clear to everyone and high productivity is a source of satisfaction, not a cause of stress.

Take Our VEO Quiz on Productivity and Stress
Consider your organization's employees. Is their productivity being affected by stressful conditions? Does their behavior betray the effects of low morale or poor health? Take our Quiz below to gain insight into your organization’s productivity and stress factors.

A.) To what extent are your employees focused upon the organization’s most important priorities?
___ Sharply Focused ___ A Little Blurry ___ Out of Focus

B.) On a scale from 1-10 (10 being highest), rate your organization on the ability to provide employees with clear standards for achieving their goals and measuring their productivity.
Productivity Standards Score: _______ out of 10

C.) To what extent do your employees devote excessive time to performing
low priority/low payoff tasks and assorted "administrivia?"
___ Frequently ___ Occasionally ___ Seldom

D.) On a scale from 1-10 (10 being highest), rate your employees on their tendency to exhibit stress related symptoms, such as high absenteeism, high turnover, excessive complaints, and conflict.
Employee Stress Score: _______ out of 10

For more questions and a set of recommendations for action, visit our website.

A Top Ten List You Don’t Want to Be On!
Do you think you may have one of the most stressful jobs in America? You’re not alone! Men's Journal conducted a study several years ago to determine which jobs were the most stressful. Surprisingly, obviously stressful occupations such as Air Traffic Control and Law Enforcement didn't make the list of Top Ten Most Stressful Jobs!

To develop the list Men’s Journal used information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to look at which jobs had the highest average number of sick days as a result of employees that were recovering from physical reactions to the stress of their jobs. Also included were jobs in which the employees have high job demands and enjoy little control over what they do every day.
The Top Ten Most Stressful Jobs were:

1. Office Clerk
2. Lawyer
3. Restaurant or Hotel Manager
4. Ticket Agent
5. Secretary
6. Claims investigator
7. Messenger
8. Bookkeeper
9. Truck driver
10. Cashier

By the way, if you were wondering how solid the evidence is that stress can affect health, new research has further confirmed the link between stress and heart attacks. A recent article entitled "Job Stress May Raise Heart Disease Risk" (WebMD – September 30, 2005) suggested that Stress on the job may take its toll on your heart.

Researchers found that workers who felt they had little or no control in their jobs had elevated levels of a blood-clotting factor called fibrinogen. Previous studies have shown elevated levels of fibrinogen and other markers of inflammation in the body are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, such as a heart attack.

Cartoon Reprinted by permission of Phil Frank

Managing Productivity to Minimize Stress
"The Keys to Unlocking Your Potential" by Dr. Joanne Sujansky presents numerous strategies for maximizing productivity, a major factor in preventing stress from affecting worker’s performance:

"Get focused on what you are trying to accomplish. Imagine yourself having achieved success. Conjure a picture in your mind’s eye of yourself as if you have made the accomplishment. Go slow to go fast. After taking time to determine what you need to do, share your plans with others who can help you. This will help you build a foundation and a support system. Then you can move ahead full speed."

Dr. Joanne G. Sujansky, CSP
The Keys to Unlocking Your Potential

Order your copy of The Keys to Unlocking Your Potential by Dr. Joanne G. Sujansky, CSP. Gain specific practical techniques for unlocking your full potential and achieving your dreams. Learn ways to get focused on priorities, discover your giftedness and become more physically and mentally fit to enjoy your life more!

To place your order from the KEYGroup website Click Here.

Joanne on the Air (and in print)!
KEYGroup’s founder Joanne G. Sujansky, Ph.D., CSP will be featured in a video segment on the Channel 11 WPXI-TV show "Our Region's Business" on Sunday, October 30, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. Local residents will be able to view the show as it is aired. Following the broadcast we will be posting a link or streaming video so others may view the show, as well.

"Our Region's Business" is an exciting and informative new program that focuses on jobs and money, along with successful strategies to grow more of both. Hosted by experienced business and personal finance reporter/writer, Bill Flanagan, the show provides local business news, information and commentary in a lively and entertaining format.

Speaking of media, Joanne is also featured this month in an article in Investors Business Daily, one of the nation’s leading financial newspapers. The article is devoted to the topic "The Renter in the Cubicle" and will appear soon. More information to come!

How Can You Create a VEO?
In a fiercely competitive economy, the companies that will survive and thrive are those in which every employee thinks and acts like an owner. By nurturing the right type of culture today's organizations can create the necessary conditions to inspire their employees to reach new levels of achievement. These cultural elements are the source of your profitability in a global economy whose mantra is cheaper, faster, better. And after all, your culture is the one thing the competition can't replicate.

If you have a company full of passionate, dedicated people, you have an endless source of brilliant ideas. Your employees have a stake in your company that goes beyond grabbing the next paycheck. They're committed to growing the business. They engage customers. They enthusiastically showcase your brand. Everyone wants to be a part of what you have. You have an entire organization full of vibrant entrepreneurs-and that's the key to thriving in the global economy.

To learn more about creating a VEO visit our website

All contents copyright 2005 by KEYGroup® Contents may not be reproduced without permission.

To learn more about how you can create a Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organization contact KEYGroup® at 724-942-7900 or visitour websites www.keygroupconsulting.com and www.joannesujansky.com.