Fed-up JetBlue flight attendant ... hothead or hero?

We’ve all had horrible days at work that almost sent us over the edge. But we bury the stress and swallow back the urge to yell “I quit” and walk out the door.

Not Steven Slater. For cursing out a customer, grabbing a beer and fleeing the plane via the emergency exit chute, this JetBlue flight attendant has captured America’s attention. In fact, burned-out workers across the country are propping Slater up as a hero after his highly publicized workplace rant.

As two readers shared in an msnbc.com article:

“How many of us can honestly say we haven’t wanted to do the same thing? Steve is a working class hero!”

“Maybe not the best way to quit your job but hey, sometimes enough is enough.”

But the fantasy of telling your boss off could quickly collide with the reality of being jobless. As the article explains:

Some may see Slater as a hero because they know they don’t have the luxury to speak out like that in their own lives. While Slater may have felt great after finally letting loose in such a public way, the fact is that most of us need our jobs more than we need that release. And most of us realize that such a dramatic move can carry heavy consequences, such as the felony charges that Slater is currently facing.

When all is said and done, we need our jobs … and we need to find ways to cope with the frustrations that come with them. We may sympathize with and applaud Slater for his actions, but would we do the same and risk losing our jobs?

Fed-up JetBlue flight attendant ... hothead or hero?

Until there are more hours in a day ...

This Sunday, March 14, Daylight Saving Time begins. Every year, as I’m adjusting the clocks scattered throughout my home (in the hall, by my bed, on the microwave, on my cell phone, on my laptop, etc. etc. etc.), I’m struck at how easily we can manipulate time. Yesterday, it was dark when I was leaving work; today, by the turn of the hour hand, it’s still light!

Which makes me think: On those days when the items on your to-do list are in the double digits, wouldn’t it be nice to just add an hour or two to the daily 24? There, I got all my work done AND I still have time for me, my family and a full night’s rest.

But until we can bend time (or freeze it so we can get “caught up”), we’re left to manage it. Like the clock-adjusting scramble every spring, it requires tweaks and changes that will help you stay one step ahead of your to-do list while keeping your sanity intact.

From an article on workplace productivity in G.Neil’s HR Library here are some tips:

Put it in writing. Write everything down and post it in a highly visible place to help clear your mind and allow more creativity to flow.

Prioritize. Organize your to-do list in order, with the most important tasks at the top of the list and those that can wait toward the bottom.

Just do it. If something on your to-do list can be completed within two minutes, do it right then and there for an immediate sense of accomplishment.

Be aware. Do your best to focus on one task at a time and be fully conscious in whatever you’re working on.

Find your best time to work. Tackle the most important tasks during the time of the day when you are most productive.

Guard yourself. Shut the door to your office, schedule a meeting with yourself or put on headphones to block out any unnecessary distractions.

Take a break. When you start feeling stressed or tired, step away from your desk or workspace and go for a walk.

Work with what you have. Accept the fact that there will always be something left on your to-do list at the end of the day. Go home, relax and deal with that task tomorrow.

Enjoy your time off. Use your days off to regroup and refresh. Time away from work is healthy and will improve your productivity when you return to the office. (See earlier post, Take your vacation days – you need ‘em! )

Until there are more hours in a day ...

So what grates on your last nerve at work?

It’s been one of those mornings. You overslept, raced through your routine, tore a contact lens, spilled orange juice down the front of your shirt and hit every red light on your commute. When you finally DO get to work, you’re no more than 10 minutes in the door when Doom and Gloom Gary corners you and starts unloading about Project XYZ. It’s at that moment, before you’ve even had your first cup of coffee that you hear those words – the words that could possibly push you right over the edge: “Let’s touch base.”

Turns out, it’s office jargon like this (along with a handful of other irritations) that annoys workers the most, according to a survey of more than 1,800 people by London-based Opinium Research.

Not surprisingly, nearly two-thirds of the workers polled said these
day-to-day annoyances are enough to send their stress levels soaring – and one in 10 left a job because of them.

The survey uncovered these top 10, ‘nails-on-a-chalkboard’ irritants:

1. Grumpy or moody colleagues (37%)
2. Slow computers (36%)
3. Small talk/gossip in the office (19%)
4. The use of office jargon or management-speak (18%)
5. People speaking loudly on the phone (18%)
6. Too much health and safety in the work place (16%)
7. Poor toilet etiquette (16%)
8. People not turning up for meetings on time or at all (16%)
9. People not tidying up after themselves in the kitchen (15%)
10. Air conditioning too cold (15%)

And like a scene from “Office Space,” there’s the office jargon that creeps its way into the conversation of grown, otherwise rational adults. The top offenders:

Thinking outside the box (21%)
Let's touch base (20%)
Blue sky thinking (19%)
Blamestorming (16%)
Drill down to a more granular level (15%)
Let's not throw pies in the dark (15%) ** Now there’s one I’ve never heard before!**
I've got that on my radar (13%)
Push the envelope (12%)
Bring your A-game (11%)
Get all your ducks in a row (11%)

What about you? What gets your scruff up at work? What are your pet peeves? How would you complete the statement, “I’d love my job if it weren’t for …”?

As for my answer, I’ll have to get all my ducks in a row and get back with you.

So what grates on your last nerve at work?

8 most stressful jobs on the planet

"What, me - stressed? Nah, I'm just a little amped up about the brain surgery I have to perform in an hour."

If you have a pulse and a job, chances are you feel some amount of tension in the average workday. But does it compare to the stress of being a surgeon or commercial airline pilot?

A recent msnbc article shares the most stressful jobs, as compiled by CareerCast.com, a job search website. More than 20 stress factors were considered, the biggest being deadlines, life or death situations and physical demands.

Here are the top 8 high-pressure positions:

1) Surgeon - Sure, the average salary is high ($309,118) but with the hefty paycheck comes extreme physical demands, critical deadlines and almost daily life or death situations. Plus, surgeons work on their feet for long hours and have a wide circle of people depending upon them.

2) Commercial airline pilot - Think back to Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger safely landing a 162,000-pound plane loaded with passengers into the Hudson River and you get a pretty good idea of why this position comes in second. Pilots have only one chance to properly take off and land each flight, and the lives of often more than 100 passengers hang in the balance.

3) Photojournalist - Whether they're covering wars, riots, four-alarm fires or soccer matches, photojournalists must get to the scene of an event quickly and make the perfect shot - often times risking their lives to do so.

4) Advertising account executive - Ad execs made the list largely due to the tough economy right now. With the media industry going through such upheaval - and execs depending on selling ad space to make sales commissions - you have a situation fraught with anxiety.

5) Real estate agent - The housing boom has gone bust, leaving agents scrambling for business. If they haven't joined the record number of agents abandoning the profession, many agents are feeling the crunch of the housing crisis.

6) General practice physician - Like their peers that topped the list, these medical practitioners face life or death decisions on a regular basis and put in long, demanding hours. And declining insurance reimbursements have left many physicians financially broken, even bankrupt.

7) Newspaper reporter - First, there's the massive layoffs in the newspaper industry. Then, there are the constant pressures of working under deadline and competing for stories. Put it all together and you have a work setting that would rattle even the most seasoned professional.

8) Physician's assistant - As general practice physicians sign up more patients, physician assistants are seeing their workload (and stress levels) mount. And without the higher salary that physicians command.

So if your profession made the list, you haven't learned anything new here. Hopefully, the job's perks outweigh the sweaty palms, racing heart and pit in your stomach you endure on a daily basis. After all, when it comes to stress in the workplace, one person's anxiety is another person's adrenaline rush.

And if your job didn't make the cut, aren't you thankful you've chosen such a serene, satisfying, stress-free livelihood?

8 most stressful jobs on the planet

Keeping workplace tensions from turning deadly

While many of us consider the workplace a safe haven in a sometimes uncertain world, the reality is that violence can strike at any time, anywhere. Consider the recent tragic death of Yale graduate student Annie Le by an animal lab technician at a medical research building where they both worked. A senseless crime possibly motivated by an earlier dispute between the colleagues.

From the msnbc article:

“Since 2008 there has been a rise in workplace violence due to increasing pressure in the workplace,” said Sara Begley with Reed Smith, a law firm representing employers. “Drastic reductions in force, fewer people to perform same workload, no bonuses, economic downturn, lost 401(k) accounts. While workplace homicides have declined, assault, threats, bullying, cyberbullying and sexual harassment and stalking have increased.”

Combine these pressures with certain high-risk occupations and you have a recipe for disaster. Especially vulnerable are occupations that involve exchanging money with the public, delivering goods and passengers (like taxi drivers), or working alone or late at night (like nurses).

But regardless of occupation, the bottom line is that any workplace can become the scene of violence at the hands of a disgruntled or unstable employee. That’s why every employer needs to be proactive and train employees on how to spot early warning signs and report potential problems. The importance of prevention through proper education and training cannot be overemphasized! The Workplace Violence Kit provides comprehensive training and helpful support materials (like reinforcement quizzes and posters) to keep your workplace safe and out of the headlines.

Keeping workplace tensions from turning deadly

Economy shrinking workers’ paychecks

More than one in three U.S. workers (39%) said that they had not received a raise or that their compensation had decreased as a result of the economic downturn, according to a new survey.

As part of their Tell It Now poll, ComPsych asked workers: “Has the economic downturn impacted your work? If so, in which area have you experienced the greatest impact?”

The highest number of workers (39%) said they haven’t received a raise or their compensation had actually decreased this year as a direct result of the economic downturn.

One in five workers (20%) reported increased conflict and stress among coworkers since the economic recession began.

Another 11% of workers said they’ve had to take on more work due to company layoffs. The added work has about 10% more workers reporting that they’re working more hours and unable to take as much vacation time as they usually do.

Just 20% of respondents said the economic downturn had no impact on their work.


We’d also like to know – Has the recession impacted your work? If so, which area has been impacted the most?

Economy shrinking workers’ paychecks

Wellness programs stay strong despite recession

Despite the recession, companies continue to add wellness and health-management programs to reduce costs while encouraging employees to improve their physical health.

The latest Watson Wyatt/National Business Group on Health survey discovered that companies are still adopting employee wellness programs. The survey results also revealed that many companies improved employee participation rates by offering workers financial incentives.

Survey results show how companies increased the availability of various wellness programs:

• 58% of companies offer lifestyle improvement programs, up from 43% in 2007
• 56% offer health coaches, up from 44% in 2007
• 52% offer weight-management programs, up from 42% in 2007
• 80% offer health-risk appraisals, up from 72% in 2007

Companies that encouraged employees to participate in wellness programs by offering financial incentives reported significantly higher participation rates, according to survey results. Only 40% of companies reported that less than 5% of their workforce participated in weight-management programs.

"Employers continue to see gains from promoting wellness and health management initiatives," said Scott Keyes, senior group and health-care consultant at Watson Wyatt. "Effective financial incentives are one of the keys to encouraging worker participation in these programs — an effort that not only improves the health of workers but also helps reduce costs."

The survey also found that motivating employees with financial incentives significantly increased participation rates. Currently, 61% of employers offer incentives for health-risk appraisals and many employers are also offering incentives for smoking cessation and weight management programs.

Using financial incentives between $51 and $100 have been successful in encouraging employees to participate in smoking cessation programs, weight-management programs, and encourage employees to receive biometric screenings, according to the results.

"The relationship between the amount of the incentive and the level of program participation among employees is strong," said Sherri Potter, senior group and health-care consultant at Watson Wyatt. "A properly structured incentive program does much more than protect investments in health management; it creates a healthier and more productive workforce."

For more information on employee wellness programs and employee health, read these past posts:

Obesity linked to more expensive workers’ comp claims

HR survey reveals top green business practices

New research suggests exercise makes you smarter

Economic stress impacts employee health, productivity

How to beat stress in the workplace

Wellness programs stay strong despite recession

Economic stress impacts employee health, productivity

According to recent reports, you can now add employee health to the list of victims of the recession. Studies show that financial stress due to the current economic recession is having a dangerous impact on employee health and productivity.

Results from the AARP survey, Impact of Economy on Health Behaviors, reveal that one in five adults ages 45 and older are suffering health problems due to financial stress and many are delaying medical treatment because they can’t afford it.

"Right now people are increasingly concerned about their jobs, retirement savings and simply being able to provide for their families and it's taking a major toll on their health," said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois Senior State Director. "It's a harsh irony that worrying about being able to afford health care is actually causing health problems."

Key findings of the AARP survey include:

• 20% of people 45 and older reported health problems due to financial stress
• 22% have delayed seeing a doctor due to cost
• 16% had to use retirement savings or other savings to pay for medical care
• 21% have cut back on other expenses to afford their medical care
• 16% are not confident they will be able to afford health care in 2009

A poll by AXA PPP healthcare of 200 HR professionals found that a quarter of firms believed the majority of their employees were showing symptoms of stress as a result of money worries.

More than 75% felt that employees would be more productive if they were less concerned about financial issues. Unfortunately, more than 40% of HR professionals admitted they would wait until a worker asked for help before offering advice or support.

Instead of waiting for employees to come to them, HR can take proactive steps to help make a positive impact on employee stress. Helping employees deal with mounting financial stress can lead to lower health care costs, higher morale and a healthy bottom line.

According to the wellness professionals at Wellness Corporate Insights, HR can help employees by:

“Establishing comprehensive corporate wellness programs to increase employees' awareness of their own behavior, to show them that the company knows and cares, and to head off problems of increased health care costs and diminished health and efficiency that will remain after the recession is over."

"It's an important time to focus on employee wellness--not only for the good of employees, but for the health of the company too.”

Economic stress impacts employee health, productivity

When domestic violence enters the workplace

From faltering stocks on Wall Street to dwindling housing markets, the economy has been the latest major distraction for American workers. More serious than just lost productivity, a rise in domestic violence has been one of the most unsettling effects of a bad economy on the workplace.

“A correlation between the economy and domestic violence makes complete sense to most counselors and professionals who work with troubled people: when they economy falters, domestic violence rises. Money is one of the most disputed family issues in the best of times, but when pressures mount - job loss, home foreclosures, increased costs of living - frayed tempers often give way to violence,” according to Julie Ferguson at HR Web Cafe.

Domestic abuse is to blame for close to 8 million lost workdays, an amount equal to 32,000 full-time jobs, according to CDC studies.

Employers should be especially concerned with the rise in domestic violence. Beyond the effect it may have on worker productivity, employers may be held liable for dismissing the signs of domestic violence in the workplace.

In 1994 the case of La Rose vs. State Mutual Life Assurance Co., Francesia La Rose’s family members filed a wrongful-death suit against her employer after she was murdered by a former boyfriend at work. The family claimed her employer failed to protect La Rose after knowing about the threat. State Mutual Life Insurance settled for $350,000.

Laws regarding employers’ responsibilities in cases of domestic abuse differ from state to state, so seek the advice of legal professionals in your area for laws specific to your state.

Employers should be trained to be aware of the warning signs in potential domestic abuse victims and have a policy that allows abused employees to take paid time off, according to Denise Curran, a psychotherapist at ComPsych on Human Resource Executive Online.

As part of the company policy, Curran also recommends that abuse victims be connected with an employee assistance program that provides counseling and victim resources.

“For many victims, however, admitting their abuse to co-workers or managers may not feel natural. Curran says companies can gain the trust needed to achieve such a confession by running a training program on the topic and showing that anyone who steps forward will be treated with support, not scrutiny. Oftentimes, once employees take part in the training program, they may go to their EAP counselor on their own to admit they are being abused, [Curran] says.”

When domestic violence enters the workplace

How to beat stress in the workplace

Stress in the workplace can have a more dangerous impact on employee heath than employers realize, according to research presented yesterday at the annual conference of the American Psychological Association.

Ohio State University researchers found that stress negatively affects immune responses and the time it takes the body to heal itself. Long-term stress can increase the risk of obesity, insomnia, digestive problems, heart disease, depression, memory impairment and physical illness.

Stress on the job is one of the top reasons why workers are unhealthy, according to a new poll by work/life experts at LifeCare. The poll revealed that the top factors having the most negative impact on employee health are:

• Lack of exercise (24%)
• Stress about finances (22%)
• Stress in personal/family life (20%)
• Stress on the job (14%)
• Lack of sleep (8%)

Not only is stress harmful to employee health, it hurts business in the form of increased job turnover. The top reason why people quit is because of excessive stress, according to a Watson Wyatt study.

Promote employee wellness and reduce job turnover with the following stress-beating tips:

• Make to-do lists. Along with day-to-day tasks, write down your long-term career goals and the small steps you can take to reach them. Thinking long-term will help you get through mundane, daily tasks by knowing you’re going somewhere.
• Take a break. Stretch, go for a walk or grab a coffee whenever you start to feel stressed out. Taking short breaks throughout the day can help reduce stress and improve productivity.
• Get organized. A cluttered desk is a stressful desk. An organized desk will help you find things faster, feel less stressed and be more efficient.
• Have a laugh. Laughter is a known stress reliever, so lighten up and smile more. Talk to a friendly coworker or call a family member to make you day more enjoyable.
• Sleep better. Make a conscious effort to get more sleep at night. Along with reducing stress at work, a good night’s sleep will give you more energy and increase your concentration.
• Squeeze something. Keep a fun squeeze toy, like Dilbert below, on your desk for those times you need a little stress relief. Reduce built-up tension and squeeze the stress away.

How to beat stress in the workplace