When the fish in a stream are dying, biologists don’t attempt to solve the problem by yanking the fish out of the stream, throwing them into a clean fish tank for an hour a day, and then pitching them back into their original ecosystem for the rest of the day.

Instead, they search to discover the cause of the problem and identify real solutions. This includes cleaning up pollution, educating people who use the stream, and securing resources to respond to the challenge. True problem solvers use both common sense and good science.

Because claritin on sale they recognize that the well-being of each fish relates to the health of the total community, they do whatever is necessary to restore the condition of the creek so the fish can thrive.

Regarding workplace negativity, a “no sense, no science” approach is often used. It’s similar to a captain swerving a massive ship just a wee bit after he sights the tip of a giant iceberg straight ahead. A humorous speaker is hired to “lighten up” or motivate jaded and anxious employees. Workers who are openly hostile or disruptive are disciplined or referred to anger management and conflict resolution programs.

Today’s epidemic of negativity at work proves that workplace anger and anxiety are often justifiable responses to unjust workplace conditions. Negativity soars when the surface symptoms of a toxic work environment are attacked but the underlying causes of employee dissatisfaction (e.g., unfair policies and procedures, pay inequities, overwork, and inadequate staffing) continue to fester.

Successful managers are aware that the health, happiness, and prosperity of the entire company is inextricably linked to the well-being of each employee. Because they recognize that success is more likely to result when managers demonstrate high concern for employees as well as productivity, they treat every person with dignity and respect while challenging them to reach their full potential.

The following examples portray the effects of two dramatically different approaches.

AN EXAMPLE THAT MADE EMPLOYEES VOTE “NO” WITH THEIR FEET

Ronald Allen, CEO of Delta Airlines, reacted to financial disaster with a brutal downsizing campaign that chopped about one-third of the airline’s workforce. The deep cuts resulted in a startling decline in customer service ratings that had once been the envy of the industry. Allen was also known for humiliating employees, and a survey revealed that his workers were skeptical, frightened, and hostile. Even though Allen’s actions placed the airline in the black again, a massive exodus of talent occurred as employees resigned, and the board chose not to renew Allen’s contract.

WHAT YOU WANT TO DO NOW

On the other hand, when Gerald Grinstein took the helm of an ailing company (Western Airlines), he spent hundreds of hours in cockpits, behind check-in counters, and in the baggage-handling pits. He got to know his employees and genuinely listened to their concerns. His impressive ability to establish rapport became invaluable. He convinced employees to agree to concessions on work rules and to take pay cuts with the promise that they would eventually have a larger stake in a healthy company. His actions catapulted the airlines into a solvent position after only two years. In fact, Grinstein sold Western Airlines to Delta for $860 million.

Grinstein’s successes were repeated when he became CEO of another ailing transportation company. Burlington Northern was saddled with $3 billion of debt. To gain employee approval of cost-cutting plans, Grinstein flew a selected group of maintenance workers, administrative professionals, and train crews from all over the country to dine with him at the company’s headquarters. He also rode the railroad’s routes, working and talking with crews. Because he asked for and genuinely listened to the advice of employees, they felt respected and empowered, and both the company and individuals reached peak performance.

PREVENTION IS THE BEST CURE

Most of the causes and costs of workplace frustration, anger, and anxiety can be prevented. In an ideal workplace, employees are internally motivated and self-regulating because they are hired with care, placed in jobs that serve them as well as the company, and supported with the resources required to accomplish their jobs.

When companies treat employees with dignity and make efforts to empower them, employee self-confidence and performance grow.

The best employee motivation strategy is to correct dysfunctional aspects of corporate culture while simultaneously working with individual employees who are angry or anxious.

Successful companies understand Employee Motivation 101. They nurture their workers while achieving their missions.

Below are the key components of a training plan I use when I work with managers and organizations.

KEY FACTORS FOR OVERCOMING WORKPLACE NEGATIVITY

__ Understand that negativity is a symptom of the unmet needs of employees.
__ Identify the root causes of problems.
__ Create a respectful environment in which each individual is valued.
__ Recognize employee accomplishments and facilitate healthy social interactions.
__ Encourage the constructive expression of negative emotions.
__ Provide a safe work environment.
__ Shed one-size-fits-all routines and work hours.
__ Empower employees with change and stress reduction skills.
__ Create a workplace filled with humor, joy, and fun.

Visit http://www.FreeJoyOnTheJobEbooks.com and GET YOUR FREE EBOOKS: “Secrets of Happiness at Work,” “Employee Engagement Made Easy,” and “Get the Respect & Appreciation You Deserve Now.” Doris Helge, Ph.D., is an executive coach & a corporate trainer for companies as large as Microsoft.

© 2008 This article was excerpted with permission from “Joy on the Job” by Doris Helge, Ph.D. Permission to reprint this article is granted if the article is in tact, with proper credit given. All reprints must state, “Reprinted with permission by Doris Helge, Ph.D. Originally published in “Joy on the Job,” http://www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com .

HOW TO DECREASE EMPLOYEE RETENTION & PRODUCTIVITY PROBLEMS

The next time you hear managers complain they can’t recruit or retain good workers, tell them to hire people with disabilities. When supervisors moan about employee absenteeism, low productivity, or lack of creativity, ask them, “Do you hire people with disabilities?”

From entry level to professional positions, workers with disabilities have fewer job changes and absences than their peers without disabilities.

Employee retention is more important than ever. Labor shortages of up to 10 million workers have been forecast.

Are you concerned about safety, liability, or performance of a worker with a disability? You can breathe a sigh of relief. Safety records of workers with disabilities equal or surpass the records of non-disabled workers.

BOTTOM-LINE REASONS TO BE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE

Improve customer loyalty

Companies who hire people with disabilities gain customer loyalty. Local communities support visible efforts to support citizens with disabilities. Maybe you’ll reach the end of your life without having difficulty seeing, hearing, or remembering, but most of us won’t.

When you hire people with disabilities, local support for your business grows rapidly. Many of your customers have invisible disabilities — arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart trouble, back injuries, etc.

Boost innovation and creativity

Your organization also gains a significant new source of creativity that affects your profit margin. People with disabilities have become master innovators and problem solvers during their interactions with a world that isn’t always user-friendly. People with disabilities will subtly open your eyes to more effective ways to serve all of your customers. Your product line may become more creative.

ARE ACCOMMODATIONS EXPENSIVE?

Are you worried you can’t afford expensive accommodations needed for people with disabilities? Most modifications cost under $500. The majority carry no price tag. It costs nothing to modify a schedule so your new employee can use public transportation. Most business owners can offer flex time at no additional cost.

If sophisticated accommodations are required, financial resources are often available through your state office of vocational rehabilitation.

SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU

How to find qualified people

Now that you’re enthusiastic about the benefits you’ll gain and less concerned about potential problems, how can you find qualified people who have disabilities?

If you don’t know where to find local resources, contact the National Business and Disability Council (NBDC) at (516) 465-1519. They have many information services, including the NBDC Yellow Pages. NBDC also provides a National Resume Database so you can identify job applicants with disabilities who have at least two years of college or more or equivalent technical training, verified by an independent source.

Staff training and supervision

NBDC services don’t end with applicant referral. They can help you create a win-win work environment in which all of your staff — including you — feel comfortable and supported. They have the experience you cialis online cyalis need to ensure adequate staff training and accountability.

DO IT FOR YOU

Hire people with disabilities . . . but don’t do it for “them.” Do it because you want to learn more about life from people who have used their challenges to develop their character in ways most of us haven’t yet imagined.

I once directed the American Council on Rural Special Education and co-founded the National Rural Independent Living Network. Because I conducted national research, I was frequently asked to testify to the U.S. Congress. Each time, I struggled to adequately represent a constituency that awed me with their capabilities, no matter what disability label they’d been branded with.

People with disabilities inspire us to achieve our true potential. Christopher Reeve inspired us with his optimism and his determination to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Hire people with disabilities and enjoy more smiles from your employees and customers.

This strategy for joy on the job was identified as part of the “Happiness at Work Factor Studies” that led to the publication of “Joy on the Job.”

Go to http://MoreJoyOnTheJob.com to download free articles so you can boost employee retention and motivation and enjoy more happiness at work. Download free chapters from Dr. Helge’s books and hear “Joy on the Job” podcasts at http://www.JoyOnTheJob.info

Doris Helge, Ph.D. is an executive coach, award-winning speaker, and corporate trainer. She is author of “Joy on the Job,” “Transforming Pain Into Power,” and other books published in many foreign languages.

You may reprint the above article as long as it remains intact and proper attribution is given to Doris Helge, Ph.D. (c) 2008.

Guest Heather Renhard, massage therapist, describes an easy, enjoyable way companies can boost employee morale and loyalty while reducing injuries, disabilities, and worker’s comp costs. Employees and managers enjoy more happiness at work.

Interviewer: Doris Helge, Ph.D., Joy on the Job Radio Show host, http://www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com

Love at Work? Listen in. Guest Rebecca White is now host of “Heal Yourself Talk Radio” at http://www.HealYourselfTalk.com. White and the “Joy on the Job Coach,” Doris Helge, http://www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com explore the benefits of following your heart in business and heart-based management.

If you’re contagious, how will it serve anyone for you to share your illness? Can you stay at home today and span the gap with the Internet or a cell phone?

If you feel compelled to drag yourself to the office when you’re feverish and sniffling, take responsibility for what you bring with you. Tell people you aren’t choosing to shake hands because you care about their health. Stay at your own desk when you can, use your own pen or pencil, and distance yourself from others during meetings. Wash your hands often so you don’t subject others to second-hand germs when you touch doorknobs, elevator buttons, and community phones and computers.

Think long term. Your performance is compromised when you’re ill. It usually takes longer to clean up mistakes than to do a job well the first time. Illness usually fades over time, but mistakes can leave a lasting impression.

Whenever possible, avoid going back to work until you’ve had a good night’s rest because it’s much harder for your body to fight a virus when you’re exhausted.

GERMS THAT GO AROUND, COME AROUND

Prevention is always the best cure for illness. We have total control over how often we wash our hands with soap. Lather the soap and scrub under your nails and between your fingers for 15 seconds before rinsing with water.

Use your own pen or pencil so viruses aren’t transmitted to your fingers and then to your face, eyes, or nose. Clean your work area with the intention to eliminate germs. Since a rhinovirus can survive up to three hours, the National Institutes of Health advises cleaning desk surfaces with a disinfectant regularly. Is it a hassle? Not if it means avoiding days sick in bed.

There are many non-toxic cleaning chemicals available now that will keep Mother Earth happy. If you don’t have a health food store near you that carries non-toxic cleaning supplies, you can search the Internet for “green cleaning products.”

PREVENTION, PREVENTION, PREVENTION

Exercise boosts your immune system. Even short stints of exercise will enhance immunity because exercise stimulates antibodies that probe the cells of your body to discover and zap nasty germs. Even a few minutes of exercise will help you gain new energy for the rest of the day.

Don’t postpone exercise just because you can’t find 45 minutes a day for an ideal exercise session. You can spike healthy human growth hormone with as little as 30 seconds of high-intensity exercise. You’ll also create a boost in your metabolism that will last several hours.

Many studies have touted the benefits of drinking green tea to boost your immune system. Scientists have also confirmed the value of homemade chicken soup to reduce inflammation and inhibit mucus production.

If you’re a smoker, ask yourself why. If you don’t smoke, limit your exposure to secondhand smoke.

Remind yourself that you do have time for breakfast because studies have consistently indicated that people who eat a good breakfast are healthier and have more energy.

Love your body. It’s where you live, no matter how far you roam.

(c) 2008

Visit http://www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com and get more free tips, podcasts, and special reports. Sign up for the free “Joy On the Job Ezine.”

Doris Helge, Ph.D., is an executive coach, corporate trainer, and speaker. She is author of “Joy on the Job,” “Transforming Pain Into Power,” and other books published in many foreign languages. Dr. Helge hosts the “Joy on the Job” radio show and www.JoyOnTheJob.info. Discover how to create more fun and fulfillment at work and boost employee retention.

You may reprint the above article as long as it remains intact and credit is given to Doris Helge, Ph.D.

Negotiation and persuasion skills are essential to your happiness at work. Michelle Ulrich, Founder of The Virtual Nation, has arranged an opportunity to help you gain more joy on the job by boosting your negotiation and persuasion skills.

Discover an easy solution to the #1 reason most people don’t feel 100 percent comfortable when negotiating. Learn the fastest way to overcome anxiety when you’re trying to influence another person to take a certain action. Discover a secret formula that can cut your learning curve in half as you elevate your negotiation and persuasion skills.

All of this will help you get paid what you deserve and . . . allow other people to gain rich rewards by helping you achieve your goals.

All of us spend a great deal of time every day negotiating. We need certain resources to meet our needs and do our best work.

We’re all sometimes frustrated when people don’t see things “our way” or implement our ideas.

To hear proven tips regarding negotiation & persuasion, take advantage of an opportunity on Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. EST. You’ll receive ideas you can immediately use to make your work easier and more fun.

You can still register to attend by going to www.TheVirtualNation.com

After you register, they will send you the “Learning Guide” for the session.

Here’s an excerpt from the teleseminar description:

There are three objectives for the teleseminar provided by Doris Helge, Ph.D., titled, “Overcome Anxiety — The Power of Negotiation to Achieve More Joy on the Job.”

__ Three ethical ways to escalate the other person’s enthusiasm about helping you achieve your goals.
__ Quickly alleviate anxiety about asking for what you need.
__ Use well-tested “magical questions and phrases” that can ensure your needs are met.

You’re part of the dawning of a joyful new era in the world of work.

Congratulations on being a progressive thinker!

Also, take advantage of new “Happiness at Work” podcasts at www.JoyOnTheJob.info

Michelle Ulrich will interview Doris Helge, Ph.D. Her clients call her, “The Joy On The Job Coach.” She is Executive Director, New Paradigm Seminars, author of “Joy on the Job” www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com cialis generic purchase and other books published in many foreign languages, such as, “Transforming Pain Into Power” www.TransformingPainIntoPower.com

Managers, employees, and team leaders should all take steps to ensure employee well-being during winter months. Curing seasonal affective syndrome (S.A.D.) or other depression and lethargy tied to a lack of natural light and winter cialis generic overnight conditions has many benefits. Studies show that employee motivation and productivity escalate and healthcare costs decrease. Employee retention also increases.

This is clearly a very win-win approach. Organizations and employees benefit.

Employees, if you are in a position at work where you have to solve SAD without support or awareness of management, you have at least four options. One alternative is home treatment. This means using a light box that delivers 10,000 lux at eye level (with your eyes open and unshielded but not directly staring at the light) for 30-60 minutes. An alternative is to purchase a device like Sphere One Daylight 10,000 to take to work. Light visors are also available for employees who cannot sit for 30 minutes straight and still do their jobs. People who use a Dawn Simulator and program the device to come on before they arise in the morning enjoy a gentle awakening somewhat like sleeping outside and viewing a sunrise.

If you have a stationary work area, you can get permission to have full-spectrum bulbs placed above your space. A third option is to plug in a lamp with a full-spectrum bulb. Full-spectrum bulbs are easy to find on the Internet. (I purchased my own lighting the first time I worked in an inadequately-lit work place and noticed negative effects on my productivity and mood.) I was a little uneasy at first, but soon other employees did the same thing and management realized the benefits were worth the minimal expense.

This brings up option four. Arm yourself with data about the productivity and profit advantages of directly addressing SAD. Present facts to management or the occupational health department where you work because you deserve to be happy at work. The references at the bottom of this article will help you prepare your proposal.

Studies show you can also blast winter blahs by using essential oils.

Quality essential oils can produce profound positive effects. Researchers at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virginia discovered that specific fragrances can ward off fatigue and reduce anxiety while increasing alertness. Some Japanese companies routinely waft certain scents, such as lemon, through air vents to increase motivation and productivity.

Peppermint and cinnamon enhance mental ability and performance. Peppermint can even mend a bad mood, especially if the emotional state is related to fatigue. Bergamot and rose also lift gloomy spirits.

Cautions:
• Nurturing fragrances are no substitute for deep sleep.
• The results you gain from using essential oils will be related to the quality of the product you use.

Take charge of your own well-being. The side benefits of happiness at work are enormous. Studies show that your productivity, income, and health will be improved. Reports also show that your relationships, both on the joy and at home, will also improve.

In addition to this article, the following will help you get started.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder
* Rosenthal, Norman (1993). Winter Blues, New York: Guilford Press.
* Rosenthal, N. & Blehar, Mary (1989). Seasonal Affective Disorders and Phototherapy. New York: Guilford Press.
* “Seasonal affective disorder,” National Alliance on Mental Illness, reviewed by Michael Terman, Ph.D., Director, Winter Depression Program, New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, February, 2004.
* Arnot, Robert, M.D., (2000). The Biology of Success. New York: Little, Brown & Co., pp 134-135.
* Barker S. & Raudenbush B., et al., “Improved performance on clerical tasks associated with administration of peppermint odor,” Perceptual Motor Skills, (2003) Dec; 97(3 Pt 1):1007-10.
* Helge, Doris, (2007). Joy on the Job. Bellingham: Shimoda Publishing.

© 2008

Doris Helge, Ph.D. is an executive coach, award-winning speaker, and corporate trainer. She is author of “Joy on the Job,” “Transforming Pain Into Power,” and other books published in many foreign languages. Go to www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com to download free articles so you boost employee retention and motivation. Download sample chapters from Dr. Helge’s books and hear “Joy on the Job” podcasts that will help you elevate your happiness at work at www.JoyOnTheJob.info

You can reprint the above article as long as it remains intact and proper attribution is given to Doris Helge, Ph.D. (c) 2008.