{"id":4100,"date":"2017-08-07T14:35:00","date_gmt":"2017-08-07T14:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oakwoodtrainin.wpengine.com\/?p=4100"},"modified":"2023-12-06T13:46:40","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T13:46:40","slug":"just-saying-care-doesnt-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oakwoodtraining.co.uk\/just-saying-care-doesnt-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"Just Saying You Care Doesn’t Mean You Do"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span>In this post I want to bring together the worlds of “Wellbeing” and “Conflict Management” by addressing a couple of points. Brace yourself…I’m getting on my soap box again… <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

1: Saying you care doesn\u2019t mean you do\u2026<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome back to work Dave (tick) In this return to work interview I\u2019m going to tick these boxes as evidence that we care.<\/p>\n

I want to find out how you\u2019re doing (tick<\/span>) to make you feel reassured (tic<\/span>k)<\/span> and welcomed back to the family (tick<\/span>). I know that even though you were so stressed out by the workload and having to deal with angry often aggressive customers that it caused you to become ill, your absence has had an impact on everyone else\u2019s workload (tick<\/span>), who have had to do your job whilst you\u2019ve been off laying on the couch.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, (pat him on the shoulder<\/span>) pull yourself together, get back on that horse and let\u2019s provide a fantastic service (BIG Tick)<\/span> My door is always open (BIGGER TICK<\/span>). Is there anything else you want to add (tick<\/span>)?<\/p>\n

“Oh, your next customer has been waiting in reception for twenty minutes with a complaint\u201d<\/p>\n

The manager walks down the corridor past the \u201cInvestors in People Silver Award\u201d Plaque on the wall.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ok, exaggerating a little. But it\u2019s my blog so I can.<\/p>\n

And to be clear, I think \u201cInvestors in People\u201d awards are fantastic for organisations to aspire to. Performance is measured in 3 key areas: Leading, Supporting and Improving,<\/span> and I love this quote from Paul Devoy- Head of Investors in People:<\/p>\n

Put your people at the heart of your vision and they\u2019ll use their talents to achieve it.<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But is it all just window dressing?<\/span><\/h4>\n

I wonder how many organisations really are putting their people at the heart of what they do. Are they really \u201cinvesting\u201d in their people? For example, if an organisation knows or suspects their staff are stressed- what are they doing about it?<\/span><\/p>\n

And I mean REALLY doing about it. Not one-off wellbeing workshops over a lunch break or putting an article about Quinoa and coconut water on latest news.<\/p>\n

Perhaps you\u2019ve seen articles on the intranet at work that preach the wisdom of getting enough sleep, making health choices, making connections with colleagues and cycling to work etc.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook how much we are doing to look after the wellbeing of our staff! We have pages of information and advice right here!\u201d(BIG TICK)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But the left hand is not talking to the right hand\u2026<\/span><\/h5>\n

That same organisation wants Dave to do the job that 4 people used to do; and to work the most ridiculous shift pattern and “Agile working”<\/a> using an ipad or laptop on his own most, if not all, of the time.<\/p>\n

As a result he is never at home to have that \u201cwork life balance\u201d advocated on the wellbeing page, and never sees his wife (who feels like a single parent) and kids. He can\u2019t realistically cycle to work because he is expected to work somewhere different every day. But he shouldn\u2019t grumble really. He\u2019s lucky to have a job at all after the last round of redundancies.<\/p>\n

So, now all the things that we know help people cope and manage the stresses of daily life aren\u2019t there, the perfect storm is brewing.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Dave\u2019s stress level is near breaking point- he\u2019s already been on the sick because of it, and on his return he is confronted by yet another unhappy customer. In a sudden and explosive outburst, that no-one could have predicted (so the report will say) Dave snaps, shouts at the customer and storms out of the building.<\/p>\n

What was he thinking?<\/span><\/h5>\n

The truth is he probably wasn\u2019t thinking at all. Stressed people often react<\/span> (like a child- impulsive and emotional) rather than respond<\/span> (like an adult- considered and logical).<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhen stress arises unexpectedly and is especially overwhelming, rational thinking tends to be replaced by impulsive and often faulty decision making.\u201d <\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Neuroscientist Dr. David Lewis:<\/a><\/p>\n

In short\u2026 stressed people often make bad decisions and are quicker to anger.<\/h5>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

There will be a review ofcourse, Dave will have to be disciplined, and \u201clessons will be learned\u201d.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson will say: \u201cDave should have known better. We tell our staff to be professional at all times, and use their communication skills.\u201d<\/p>\n

News flash\u2026 not everyone has those communication skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

If we are expecting Dave to deal stressful situations, foreseeable hostility or aggression, often aggravated by language barriers; learning difficulties; alcohol; drugs; mental ill health etc, what has the organisation done to lead, support and improve<\/span> Dave\u2019s ability to do it?<\/p>\n

Sadly, and all too often, the answer is not a lot.<\/p>\n

Managing conflict, or behaviour that challenges and staff \u201cwellbeing\u201d often exist in separate silos. The truth is that they are well and truly connected. And there are statistics to back it up.<\/p>\n

<\/span>488000<\/span><\/span>Cases of work related stress<\/span><\/span>45<\/span>%<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Absence due to Stress, Anxiety and Depression<\/p>\n

Changes (100)Violence\/threats\/abuse (190)Lack of Support (210)Workload (600)<\/p>\n

Rate per 100,000<\/p>\n

Work related Stress Anxiety Depression Statistics in Great Britain 2016-HSE<\/a><\/p>\n

In 2016 the biggest causes of stress related absence from work were workload pressures (a wellbeing issue), a lack of management support (a wellbeing issue) and threats\/abuse at work (a wellbeing and health and safety issue).<\/span><\/p>\n

Too much work, not enough support and being threatened or abused. Which leads me nicely to point number 2\u2026<\/p>\n

2. Just because I can speak, doesn\u2019t mean I can deal with conflict<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Boss: \u201cI want you to fix the engine on that boeing 747\u2019<\/p>\n

Staff: \u201cBut, I\u2019m a car mechanic, I wouldn\u2019t know where to start.\u201d<\/p>\n

Boss: \u201cYeh but you know how to use tools, and it\u2019s just a big engine. You\u2019ll be alright, just use your common sense\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Seriously?<\/p>\n

It wouldn\u2019t happen in other fields so why does it happen so routinely in customer service or front facing roles?<\/p>\n

And those most at risk include: healthcare workers; teachers; business, media and public service professionals.<\/p>\n

Some staff have the power to restrict people\u2019s liberty and use force. And when they do, their decisions are scrutinized over weeks, months and sometimes even years. These are good people, who were likely drawn to their role out of a desire to help and make a difference.<\/p>\n

How often are working conditions and stress taken into account? All too often the focus is on the actions of the individual, with the wider factors that contribute being ignored.<\/p>\n

Does the organisation not share some of that responsibility?<\/p>\n

Summing this all up then…<\/span><\/h5>\n

<\/span><\/span>Good employee wellbeing should be at the very heart of everything an organisation does, from the very top to the frontline. It is very much a journey, not an event or a workshop. The best companies in the world understand that by creating a culture of engagement and involving their people, especially in difficult times, they get the best from them. It\u2019s a Win-Win.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Achieving awards that say you care is one thing… actually meaning and showing it is another.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Customers will never love a company unless the employees love it first.<\/em> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Simon Sinek April 2016<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this post I want to bring together the worlds of “Wellbeing” and “Conflict Management” by addressing a couple of points. Brace yourself…I’m getting on my soap box again…  1: Saying you care doesn\u2019t mean you do\u2026 \u201cWelcome back to work Dave (tick) In this return to work interview I\u2019m going to tick these boxes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4125,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"yoast_head":"\nJust Saying You Care Doesn’t Mean You Do - Oakwood Training<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oakwoodtraining.co.uk\/just-saying-care-doesnt-mean\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Just Sating You Care Doesn't Mean You Do\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Are "wellbeing" initiatives just a way to paper over the cracks or get accreditation through international bodies? 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