Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/66838
62 • JUNE 2012 • WORLD FENCE NEWS When it comes to judging the level of workplace stress, people are not ac- customed to being asked questions such as what they like and dislike about their jobs in front of their bosses and co-workers, says Dr. Peter Chang. Stressbusters: How to reduce workplace burnout BY PHILLIP M. PERRY So during your meetings with these individuals, the use of a ques- Is your business or association positioned for the changing economy? Do you have the strategy in place to put you and your staff/members in the best position to succeed? If the answer to the above questions is anything other than a solid "YES", then contact us to discuss possible ways we can help you to improve your overall operations and to help put you and your business or association in a better position to succeed. We will contact you promptly to discuss your needs and schedule business, seminar, meeting or MANAGEMENT MOTIVATIONAL ASSOCIATES, INC. 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I'm interested in____________________________________________________ Telephone________________________________ Convenient time________________________ Fax Number _____________________________ E-mail: ________________________________ Name __________________________________________________________________________ Name of Business/Organization_____________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________________ City________________________________ State ______________ Zip _____________________ SKIDRIL The Fencers Solution © tionnaire gives them a chance to figure out what to say. He suggests making the questionnaires anonymous so peo- ple feel free to speak their minds. Each part of the questionnaire has a purpose. By having the staff list the five tasks they perform most often, you simulate them to recall any frustrations they may have when performing those tasks. But what's the advantage of listing the five things people most like about their jobs? "It's smart to include the good part, because you don't want to bias the questionnaire," says Chang. "We all tend to concentrate our minds on the negative aspects of our work and too easily forget the positive. Includ- ing the positive on the questionnaire lends a sense of balance by helping guide people to recognize the favor- able aspects of their jobs." Keep the questionnaire simple. "A big fancy form is more intimi- dating than anything else," says Chang. At the meeting, emphasize the co- operative effort involved by arranging the desks in a circle if possible, or using a conference table. Once the meeting is over, don't let the issues drop. "The real proof in the pudding is to follow up on the employees' re- quests and suggestions," says Chang. "Ideally, you should hold a loosely Nearly 20 years of solutions... 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"Maybe we can't control what happens in our workday, but we can control what goes on in our minds," says David Granirer, a consultant based in Vancouver, Canada. "Studies show that being able to respond to a situation with humor gives people back their cognitive control: that's the ability to focus on their sphere of in- fluence, and to respond creatively to difficult situations." In contrast, people who have dif- ficulty coping with stress tend to focus on what they cannot control. Maybe they keep repeating negative mental thoughts such as "the boss is a jerk" or "the company is treating me bad" or "the client is unreasonable." Humor helps us abandon such self-destructive negative thinking. "When we choose to respond with humor, we respond with a positive at- titude," says Granirer. Barring the hiring of a workplace jester, just how do you stimulate humor? One technique, says Granirer, is to have the staff make ridiculous statements that pretend bad things are good. "Humor often involves an attitude reversal," he says. "You often see a stand up comic take something that's a negative and pretend it's great." For example, you often hear vari- ations of the joke, "It's great going bald because I have less hair to comb." You can do the same in your work- place, says Granirer. Assign people to groups of four or five, then have each group come up with three or four outrageous reasons why they love being overworked, deal- ing with bad clients, and other stres- sors. For example, one attitude reversal might be: "I love dealing with the so- and-so client. I really needed to have my self-esteem beaten down today." "This approach allows people to say the things they are not supposed to say because they are doing it in a hu- morous way," says Granirer. "When continued on page 64 structured initial meeting where every- one says what is on their minds. Then, for efficiency's sake, there ought to be a subsequent meeting that is action fo- cused. This is where you provide re- sponses to specific employee suggestions. List what recommenda- tions seem reasonable and which ones are out of the question." Bonus tip: Hold the meetings often enough to communicate ongoing concern, but not so often that they be- come redundant. A quarterly schedule may be just right.