MGMT seminar in Leadership

James Ekwensi

Executive summary: Healthier workplaces and better bottom lines

This article reviews the work practices of several organizations that the APA s Practice Directorate recognized during the annual Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards and Best Practices Honors at its state leadership conference March 6 9 in Washington, D.C. 2010.1 With current cut backs and downsizing by many organizations, employees are left with more work. This has led to more stress and more mistakes at work. The stress leads increase in physical and emotional illness, which ultimately leads to employee dissatisfaction and poor productivity According to the CBS News survey only 45 percent of Americans are satisfied with their work. Organizations can reverse this by improving the welfare of their employees. The top five APA award winners at the APA conference are championing this course. These companies are positioned to excel once the economy turns around since they will retain and attract exceptional talents. According to the article, organizations are already seeing a payoff. APA s five top award-winners reported an average turnover rate of just 9 percent last year, compared with a national average of 41 percent estimated by the U.S. Department of Labor s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only 30 percent of employees surveyed at the winning organizations reported chronic work stress, compared with 41 percent nationally. And only 12 percent said they planned to seek employment elsewhere within the next year versus 31 percent nationally The 2010 top 5 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award winners are: Advanced Solutions, a division of Hewlett-Packard: Provides a scenic healthy environment. It has more than 12 miles of hiking trails and the office surrounded by a bird sanctuary. American Cast Iron Pipe Company: This organization offers employees a 5,000-square-foot wellness center, physical rehabilitation clinic and education programs. Leaders Bank Oak Brook, Ill.: emphasizes openness and transparency as a way to help employees manage stress. And employees also participate in decision making. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare: This organization offers employees access to a fitness center and a wellness menu in its cafeteria and also help with emotional health, financial issues and child care. Toronto Police Service: The organization offers free employee and family assistance programs, a fitness program and on-site gym and nutritional and fatigue management programs. Analysis Organizations spend lots of money to identify, recruit and train talents. To retain and grow these talents requires constant engagement and promotion of practices that ensure safe and healthy working environment. A healthy work force means improved productivity and improved bottom line. An article published in the African journal of business management illustrates how poor working environment affects productivity3. Poor working environment is detrimental to any organization. It leads to sick, 1

MGMT seminar in Leadership

James Ekwensi

unmotivated and disgruntled employees. This ultimately leads to poor productivity and decreased bottom line. In worst case scenario, workers may revolt against management4. Employee s welfare affects company s image and reputation. Organizations with good working environment attract and retain skilled labor where organizations that neglect workers welfare may tarnish their reputation. Apple was embarrassed by the article on New York Times on the poor welfare and human cost of its iPad factory in China5. Medical doctors from developing countries, migrate to western countries solely because of poor working environment in their country and poor remunerations. In Nigeria, government has embarked on improving the working environment of doctors to stall their exodus. This also applies to other skilled work force. United States maintains its competitive edge by attracting the best skilled workers from all over the world. It rewards hard work and promotes good working environment for workers organization. On a personal level, I have experienced what improving staff working condition can do to motivation and productivity. While serving as the acting medical director of a government clinic in Nigeria, I tried implemented a new policy where I encouraged the staff under me to always approach my with whatever concern or suggestion they had about improving the working condition. I was able to make changes according to their wishes. This was in contrast to the style of my predecessor who was unapproachable. The changes I made resulted in better welfare for the staff and improved dedication to work. The working environment was also much friendlier. All this translated to better care for the patient References 1. Healthier workplaces and better bottom lines, APA honors employers that promote employees' well-being. By Rebecca A. Clay May 2010, Vol 41, No. 5Print version: page 52 http://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/05/slc-workplaces.aspx 2. Survey: More Americans Unhappy at Work By CBS News http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/05/national/main6056611.shtml 3. The influence of work environment on workers productivity: A case of selected oil and gas industry in Lagos, Nigeria by Akinyele Samuel Taiwo African Journal of Business Management Vol. 4 (3), pp. 299-307, March 2010 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJBM ISSN 1993-8233 2010 Academic Journals 4. S. China Unrest Signals Time to Improve Welfare of Migrant Workers 2011-06-18 08:55:40 Xinhua writers Bai Xu, Gu Qianjiang, Che Xiaohui and Ye Qian Web Editor: Zhangxuby http://english.cri.cn/6909/2011/06/18/2021s643448.htm 5. In China, Human Costs Are Built Into an iPad By CHARLES DUHIGG and DAVID BARBOZA Published: January 25, 2012 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/business/ieconomy-apples-ipad-and-the-human-costs-forworkers-in-china.html?pagewanted=all 2