Index

73 RESULTS TC SEPTEMBER 2007

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NEWSLETTER

FACT SHEETS

John Miller conducted an introductory health management seminar for The Group in September 2007.

9 men participants completed the following profiles: -

■ Health, fitness and wellbeing

■ Stress risk

■ Career satisfaction

The results are presented in graphic format, with commentary.

BODY SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION

Within the Australian community, there is currently an epidemic of body system dysfunction 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 people and even fewer organisations that are not affected by this epidemic.

Click here to read more about the assessments.  

HEALTH, FITNESS AND WELLBEING 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.

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. Reasonable 51-60. Poor - over 60.

This profile is described as reasonable. The average score was 55. Anyone scoring more than 80 is putting up with a lot of 'background noise'.

HEALTH CLIMATE SURVEY

Based on scores received in the health, fitness and wellbeing profile we've compiled a Health Climate Survey. Scores on each item have ranked - the higher the score the worse the problem. We added the scores for each item. The results appear in the table below.

* Fitness related

* Diet related

* Stress related

The small sample means that it is not right to make organisation-wide comments about the survey.

Our recommendation is that the organisation focus on improving scores on the 3 items highlighted.

Perception

Based on people's perception (where they gave a particular symptom a score of 7 or more, and backed up by objective scores) the 3 key issues are low levels of fitness, obesity and alcohol intake.

Fitness

This workplace, like most others has a fitness problem.

It's interesting that rarely do people have their aerobic fitness levels measured, when aerobic fitness 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 actually measure the aerobic fitness of people in this workplace.

Obesity

A third of people surveyed were 20 or more kilograms overweight. It's symptomatic of high energy diets and low energy lifestyles.

Musculo-skeletal dysfunction

Although it didn't show up on the health, fitness and wellbeing profile a number of participants suffered from musculo-skeletal dysfunction.

The main driver of body system dysfunction is lack of physical fitness. In the case of musculo-skeletal dysfunction it's a strength and flexibility problem. For the other items marked with a red asterisk it's an aerobic fitness problem.

Like all organisations, this organisation has a musculo-skeletal dysfunction problem. Sooner or later these self-generated dysfunctions become labeled as 'injuries', at great cost to the organisation's workers compensation arrangements.

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 surveys showed that staff will willingly 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 probably a case for the organisation to establish its own health and fitness centre where prehab and rehab sessions can take place, where there is a good hydrotherapy pool.

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.

Health, fitness and wellbeing

It is recommended that the organisation 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.

Smoking

The good news is that only one person smoked, and not excessively enough to get on this scale.

Depression

There is an epidemic of depression in our community and we encourage all organisations to target depression. No-one was on anti-depressant medication. Whilst this is good news, it behoves people to keep themselves in exceptionally good shape. There is a significant core of depression that relates to poor health generally. All body systems are connected. Should we only expect the heart or the pancreas to pack it in when we're in bad shape? I think not.

STRESS RISK PROFILE

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.'

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 a pleasing result.		This is a good result. The first casualty of anxiety and low levels of fitness is sleep.
	Patchy. Paul Pearsal in his book Superimmunity' said you need a 21 day away from home holiday every year.		Not particularly good. Some people were in exceptionally good shape. Others are not keeping themselves in good shape at all.
	FAQ. But two thirds of people scoring over 7 is good.		A patchy result. Some people don't take time off to switch off and get outside in the fresh air. This is a reflection of poor management - personal and organisational
	This is a mixed result. No one on their death bed ever said 'I wish I'd spent more time at the office.'		Patchy. Are you too busy to look after and nurture your Self?
	Very few people meditate. The reasons to do so are compelling, particularly for people in this industry.		Family life satisfaction is good for most people, but not for some. The tail suggests the organisation could move heaven and earth to encourage staff with family problems to go to the employee assistance program for advice and support.
Average score: 65. This is indeed an average looking score.  The people scoring less than 60 could do more to look after their Self. I recommend that people scoring less that 50 spend time with a counselor or life coach, or go to a personal development weekend to get themselves centred and grounded on looking after their Self.

CAREER SATISFACTION PROFILE

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. 

	On the whole, a good score.		This is a good result.
	With one exception this is a good score. Work is probably about as stressful as you want it to be. Walk away. Each morning when you get to work, set an alarm clock for 30 minutes before you want to leave. Make appointments for your Self that allow you to get on with your work unhindered by interruptions.		In general a good result. People are focused.
	Of all our profile questions, this one is usually the worst answered. In this organisation, with two exceptions it's pretty good. For staff our recommendation is always to manage up. A lot of managers are too busy getting on with their work to spend time managing down. So, take your manager out for morning tea once a month and talk about yourself and your work. Get some regular feedback. Don't wait for the big one at the end of the year. If you manager doesn't have time for you, get another one!		Your financial reward is what you sell yourself for. If you're not happy, you're selling yourself short. Log onto Seek and get your safari suit dry cleaned!
	This is a very good result. Generally speaking work is valued and appreciated.		Not bad. There's a bit of work for the organisation to do here.
	With a couple of exceptions this is a good score. People like working with each other.		This is a good morale score. It's generally the case that our morale is good when my morale is good.
Average score: 67. Compared with other groups, this is a reasonable score.  Organisations that are fired up score around 75. People who score less than 70 maybe in the wrong job, but certainly redeemable. When people score less than 60 it's highly likely they're in the wrong job. As LS Amery said to Neville Chamberlain ...

RECOMMENDATION

See the generic list of recommendations that cover all our profiles.