Index

65 RESULTS IGSA JULY 2007

John Miller a Seven Habits of Fit and Healthy people seminar

Participant profile

There were 9 participants  4 men and 5 women.

Participants completed three profiles

■  Mind and Body

■  Stress risk

■  Career satisfaction

The results are presented in graphic format, with commentary.

CONTEXT

The WorkHealth, fitness and Wellbeing seminars conducted by Miller Health are based on the premise that the health of key body systems depends on

•      physical fitness

•      diet and

•      an ability to manage the stress of both life and work.

Within the Australian community, there is currently an epidemic of body system dysfunctions which when translated into the workplace are associated with increased absenteeism and workers compensation, and decreased work performance and productivity.

There are three principal categories of dysfunction,

▪ metabolic

▪ musculo-skeletal

▪ psychological.

These dysfunctions are recognised by their symptoms

There are very few organisations that are not affected by this epidemic.

THE PROGRAM

The assessments took an holistic look at health, based on the premise that the major systems of the body maintain healthy function when they are supported by 

HEALTH PROFILES

The Mind and Body profile was used as a way of obtaining a snap shot of people’s health, fitness and stress levels. In the workplace it is also a good measure of the risk of absenteeism, presenteeism and workers’ compensation.

People in poor shape experience

•      headaches

•      poor sleep

•      lack of energy and vitality

•      musculo-skeletal dysfunction

•      frequent colds and flu

•      obesity

•      anxiety ...

The aging population

We believe (barring disability) there is nothing stopping anyone of working age from being in exceptionally good physical condition – except lack of training. It's not so much that we have an aging population but a lazy population. We know this is the case because according to the principle of increased dysfunction, people are getting older younger!

Theoretically, as people get older they should be able to maintain a high level of fitness – they’ve had longer to train!

The Governments of Australia base their medical system data on the fact that as people get older they become more dysfunctional. It's a poorly researched premise. What's actually happening is that people are getting older younger! They're unfit and unhealthy. Junk medicine is not contributing to an improvement in community standards of health, on the contrary.

Whilst we can expect people over the age of 70 to start slowing down, it is not necessarily the case for people of working age. As a general rule, poor health and body system dysfunction is not so much related to age as it is to

▪ low levels of physical activity

▪ junk food diets

▪ over-consumption of alcohol

▪ smoking

▪ an inability to handle the normal stresses of life

▪ a job that does not suit their personality, intelligence strengths or interests

▪ an over-reliance on junk medicine - medicine that is pharmaceutically based and which masks

   symptoms without stimulating the body's own recuperative power.

MIND AND BODY PROFILE

The Mind and Body profile provides people with a very good idea of how well the various systems of the body are functioning, particularly the

•      the mind

•      autonomic nervous system

•      immune system

•      digestive system

•      circulatory system

•      elimination system

•      musculo-skeletal system.

On this profile, the lower the score the better.

To complete the profile, circle the number appropriate to the degree to which you experience the symptoms on the left hand side of the page. The more serious the symptom, the higher the score.

The score of a normal, fit and healthy human being is less than 20     

Higher scores are symptomatic of dysfunction of one or more body systems.

People with high levels of stress usually score well over 100.

For people with a score of more than 80, the ‘background noise’ of their life is becoming louder and louder. It is hard to concentrate on your work when body systems are dysfunctional.

We know a fit and healthy group when we see the majority of scores below 40. This was not the case with this group. By and large higher scores are usually a reflection of

•      low levels of fitness

•      an inability to deal with what life and work are serving up to people.

Remember, it is not what happens, but how we deal with what happens that determines our level of stress. 

Classification of average scores:

Excellent, less than 40:  Good, 41 - 50:  Not bad, 51 - 60: Poor, 61 - 70: Dreadful 70+

This profile is described as 'not bad'. The average score was 58. From my assessment this is a reasonably fit and healthy group. The risk of absenteeism, presenteeism and workers' compensation claims is considered low.

WorkHealth, Fitness and Wellbeing survey results

Mind and Body profile scores ranked in order of prevalence. When people completed the profile, scores of 7 or indicated a pressing concern.

* Fitness related

* Diet related

* Stress related

This is a  sample of only 9 people so we can't draw too many conclusions from them.

Nevertheless the way the results are presented will provide the Organisation with an appreciation of the quality and usefulness of our reports. A useful comparison is between this report and those numbered 55-and above in the audit reports index.

Usually musculo-skeletal dysfunction comes at the top of this list, followed by a range of fitness related symptoms.

In this case it was elevated blood pressure which could be interpreted as a sign that people are stressed and not doing the things that unstressed people do to keep themselves in good shape. The body doesn't lie!

Perception

Based on people's perception the underlying issues are low levels of fitness.

Fitness

This workplace, like all others has a fitness problem. Of the top 4 items, 4 are directly related to low levels of fitness.

It's interesting that rarely do people have their aerobic fitness levels measured, when this is the key driver of poor health. We measure every thing but; blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and fail to measure the key driver of metabolic health.

It would be good to conduct a measure of aerobic fitness on this group and run a program designed to inspire and motivate them to keep themselves fit and healthy.

Musculo-skeletal dysfunction

Like all organisations, the organisation probably has a musculo-skeletal dysfunction problem but with such a small number of participants it is difficult to quantify. Based on our experience, in excess of 30% of staff will report high rates of musculo-skeletal dysfunction. We believe the whole workforce would experience similar dysfunction to our sample group.

It is recommended that the organisation build a firewall between dysfunctions and injuries.

What this means is requiring staff at risk (and staff experiencing musculo-skeletal pain) to attend musculo-skeletal prehab sessions, in work time, to improve strength and flexibility and to get bones back into alignment - tracksuit therapy not white coat therapy.

Our survey showed that staff will overwhelmingly willing to participate in such a program.

A similar approach needs to be taken with people who've already been tipped into the workers compensation bucket. These people should attend daily rehab sessions, conducted by registered fitness practitioners that involve strength and flexibility exercises.

There is a good case for subsidizing fitness centre memberships, but only for people who go and only for people whose fitness is getting better, or has achieved an acceptable level. A lot of organisations pay by input, not output. They don't get good value for money.

Smoking

Nobody smoked. That's exceptionally good news.

Depression

No one was depressed. This is good.

As the population becomes less physically active, eats diets high in flour and sugar and low in omega 3 fats, selenium and B group vitamins, lacks resilience, drinks too much alcohol and caffeine, has difficulty managing the internal and external conversations going on inside their head and/or live lives devoid of meaning and purpose, we can expect rates of anxiety and depression to increase.

This epidemic will, of course increase at the same rate as the epidemic of all other body system dysfunctions. The mind is just another part of the human ecosystem - an ecosystem under threat from low levels of health, fitness and wellbeing.

There is an epidemic of 'depression' in the community, and whilst not wishing to make light of the true ‘black dog’ of clinical depression, for some people the symptoms of stress, unhappiness, sadness, grief, hopelessness, disappointment, despair, vacuity, anger and anxiety are being treated as if they were the symptoms of clinical depression.

I believe it is appropriate for the Organisation to encourage those people with an unhappiness, anxiety or depression problem to make full use of the counselling services of the EAP and encourage them to do the things that unstressed people do - like keeping themselves fit, having a lunch hour outside, taking their holidays, eating wisely, not working too many hours and ‘getting a life’. There could be a high price of achievement for those who can't keep lives in balance.

It is frequently the case that those people on anti-depressants are not doing the things that unstressed people do to keep their bodies and minds in good shape.

The best book about depression I've read, and what you can do about it, and one that I recommend highly is by psychiatrist, David Servan-Schreiber, Healing Without Freud or Prozac.

Health, fitness and wellbeing

I recommend that all large organisations establish a health, fitness and wellbeing section and employ registered fitness practitioners to give oversight to a systematic health, fitness and wellbeing program. Those at risk need to be given the greatest encouragement to get themselves back into good shape, in their own and company time.

These fitness practitioners would also supervise musculo-skeletal prehab and rehab programs.

STRESS RISK

Participants completed a simple stress and relaxation profile designed to assist them in making an assessment of how they were affected by stress. It is based on the habits of unstressed people.

If you do what unstressed people do you are less at risk of becoming stressed. I’m yet to see someone who said they were highly stressed or depressed who got a high score on this profile. A good score is over 70.

•      How would you rate your current stress level

•      Do you get a good night’s sleep?

•      Do you take your holidays?

•      Are you keeping yourself fit and healthy?

•      Is there balance in your life?

•      Do you take time off at lunch time?

•      How many hours a week do you work?

•      Are you good at giving back to your Self?

•      Do you meditate?

•      Are you happy with your family (and romantic) life?

The matter of stress always needs to be addressed by organisations as part of a personal development thrust, and aimed at all staff. If stress management type programs are to be conducted, all staff need to be involved, otherwise those at most risk and those who are currently most stressed (and too wrapped up in their own busyness) will not attend.

For those who spend long hours at work, I often wonder whether the behaviour is externally or internally driven. I suspect the latter. No body on their death bed ever said 'I wish I'd spent more time at the office.'

A few people are struggling with their family life. This is another fertile  area for personal development and counseling programs. It's hard to concentrate at work when your home life is in turmoil

SCORING GUIDELINES

Excellent, scoring 8 or more

Good, scoring 7 or more

Fair, scoring 5 or 6           

Poor, scoring less than 5

‘Pass mark’ on all parameters 7/10. 

As a group this is a good profile. Most people are managing stress well.		This is a very good result. With 2 exceptions people are sleeping well.
Another good score. Most people taking reasonable holidays. The 21 day (10/10) holiday is the best!		A patchy score. Keeping fit and healthy is the foundation of stress management.
With 2 exceptions this group has it's life in balance.		A poor result. Get outside in the fresh air!
A very pleasing result.		A fair result
Very few people meditate.		Family life satisfaction is good.
Average score: 65. This is a good score. Compared with other groups we have surveyed this group is dealing with the stress of life and career well.

CAREER SATISFACTION

The parameters in the profile relate to a mix of factors influences by the participant, management and their colleagues.

•      How close are you to doing the job you’d really like to be doing?

•      Are you in the right job for now?

•      Is work giving you life or sucking life out of you?

•      Are you focused on your career options?

•      Do you get good feedback from your manager?

•      Do you receive an appropriate financial reward?

•      Do you feel you and your work are valued and appreciated?

•      Do you work for an organisation that cares about people?

•      Do you enjoy the company of the people you work with?

•      What’s the level of morale like in your work group?

Normally, when results on the overall career profile are less than 70/100, people agree that they’re not in the right job. Certainly those scoring less than 60 have sufficient issues relating to career management as to seriously consider going somewhere else.

SCORING GUIDELINES

Excellent, scoring 8 or more

Good, scoring 7 or more

Fair, scoring 5 or 6           

Poor, scoring less than 5

‘Pass mark’ on all parameters 7/10. 

This is quite a good score.		This is a good set of numbers. With one exception people are in the right job for now.
3 people are finding work somewhat stressful.		All but 2 people are reasonably well focused.
This is usually the worst answered of questions. I tell staff to get on the front foot and manage up. I tell managers to get on the front foot and manage down! The people who scored 4 certainly need to get on the front foot - so should their managers		These people are highly satisfied with what they sell themselves for.
A pleasing result. Work is valued and appreciated.		A good result. Compared with other organisations, people think they work for a caring organisation.
This is a good score. People like working with each other.		This is a pretty good morale score. 'Our' morale is usually good when 'my' morale is good!
Average score: 73. Compared with other groups, this is a very good score. We we don't see many organisations get an average score over 70. People who score less than 60 are probably in the wrong job.

RECOMMENDATION

See the generic list of recommendations.