Reduce Staff Mental and Physical Stress
Download Article and Coaching Handout
Additional Resources Below
Article Only Download
Coaching Sheet Download
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Over 80% of staff already report work-related musculoskeletal pain! Over 11% experience chronic pain – that is pain that does not go away after rest!
This simple work skill can reduce that rate significantly.
- Sit Back
- Roll your Shoulders
- Deep Breath & Consciously Relax
For every $1 invested in workplace health and wellbeing programs, there is a return of $5.81
That’s over 500% return on investment
Artcile Summary Notes
For every $1 invested in workplace health and wellbeing programs, there is a return of $5.81. That’s over 500% return on investment.
Did you know: When we experience stress, our bodies use up an enormous amount of vitamins and minerals. That is why we get so tired, get irritable and less able to cope with everyday activities.
Finding the right aerobic activity
It’s important to find something you enjoy, of course, but these 4 exercises have additional benefits.
- Dancing is joyful
- Swimming is relaxing, weight supported and releases tense neck and shoulder muscles
- Martial arts and boxing, because sometimes you just want to beat the living bajebes out of something
- A rowing machine is weigh supported, uses muscles equally on both sides of the body (very important) and involves more muscle groups than any of the other exercise.
Application notes
We don’t expect you to take responsibility for the mental and physical health of consultants. But understand … you have an opportunity to play a significant role.
We want you to step in beside your team members by providing a safe working environment and support. In this way, your consultants will have the resources and belief they need to take better care of themselves.
The Importance of Frontline Leaders – On the downloadable PDF above, you will also see a bundle of activities to share or even use as coaching aids to help consultants release the mental and physical effects of stress. It will be entirely up to you how you use these handouts.
- Maybe you just talk to these points to create awareness and start the conversation.
- Maybe you give a copy of this to every team member.
- What would be excellent if you introduce one of these activities at each team meetings and practising it with your team. That would be great.
But the gold standard, the plan that will give you the greatest long-term benefits and positively affect absenteeism, stress, productivity and attrition…The very best course of action is to build these activities into an ongoing routine of practice and reinforcement.
We will be adding a range of additional links and resources to this page over the next 2 weeks.
Bookmark this page to make it easy to revisit!
Body Mind and Flow
Discover workshops on flow and mindfulness, and their application to performance and quality of life.
Beyond Ergo
We help contact centres reduce rates of absenteeism, stress and attrition by training frontline leaders to coach simple changes in ergonomic adjustments and work behaviours that decrease work-related pain, increasing comfort and productivity, and improving operational and labour cost efficiency.
Additional Resources
Health & Wellbeing Qld
Creating Healthier Workplaces
Click here to discover tools and resources to create a healtheir workplace, including
- The Work Health and Wellbeing Toolkit; A practical guide to developing a successful healthy workplace program
- The Work Health and Wellbeing Interventions Tool; Develop interventions to manage work health and wellcing risks
- The Healthy Workplace Audit Tool; A tool to assess workplace systems and environments and identify areas for improvement
- The Work Health and Wellbeing Online Learning Course; An interactive course for creating business systems to improve the health of workers and workplaces
WA Gov Workplace Health Promotion Toolkit
Australians spend about a third of their lives at work, making the workplace an ideal setting for promoting health and wellbeing.
Click here to discover an amazing array of resources and training programs, including
- How to develop a comprehensive workplace health program
- Quick wins to make your workplace healthier
- Healthy tips for workers
- Online training
- Newsletters and updates
U.K. NHS - ACTIVE 10 | May be easier than 10,000 Steps
Get active
"No matter how much you do, physical activity is good for your body and mind. Adults should aim to be active every day. Some is good – more is better still.
A daily brisk walk can boost your energy, lift your mood and make everyday activities easier.
Try these tools, tips and special offers to move more every day".
Web Link Click Here
Aust Gov - Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines
Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines
This page contains Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for adults and older Australian’s and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years; and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Young People including links to brochures and other resources.
- Research-backed guidelines
- Extensive range of resources
- Regardless of how young or old you are, there are physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines available for you.
Beyond Ergo - Roll-Reset-Relax
Reduce neck and shoulder discomfort by 50%
Download this flyer with instruction notes.
As we type or swipe, we build up tension in our neck and shoulders. To release the tension that leads to sore muscles and headaches, we need to do a big movement and consciously relax.
Beyond Ergo - Easy Workstation Checklist
Check these common issues that lead to pain
Self-Care Competencies
For a Unique 21st Century Workforce
Download this illustrated PDF showing solutions for common issues causing pain and possible injuries when working with screens
Beyond Ergo - Working From Home - Ergo & Health Checklist
How to support staff working remotely
Download our FREE 17 page guide that goes beyond ergonomics to support staff working remotely.
Health Line - 11 Signs and Symptoms of Too Much Stress
11 Signs and Symptoms of Too Much Stress
Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional strain caused by adverse circumstances.
At one point or another, most people deal with feelings of stress. In fact, one study found that 33% of adults reported experiencing high levels of perceived stress (
The condition is associated with a long list of physical and mental symptoms.
This article will look at 11 common signs and symptoms of stress.
Article Link Here
Aust Gov - Exercise and mental health
Health Direct
Exercise has many benefits, not only for your physical health but also your mental health. In your brain, exercise stimulates chemicals that improve your mood and the parts of the brain responsible for memory and learning.
- Benefits of exercise
- Mental health benefits of exercise
- Exercise and the mind
- How much exercise do you need?
- Where to get support
CANADIAN 24-HOUR MOVEMENT GUIDELINES FOR ADULTS
The CSEP Guidelines information hub features the latest updates and resources for the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep.
Physical activity is a foundation for a healthy lifestyle. Yet increasingly, we are seeing that Canadians of all ages are choosing sedentary activities over active ones. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, with the right balance of physical activity and rest, plays an important role in Canadians’ overall health, well-being, and quality of life, regardless of age.
WorkCover Qld - Creating healthy and safe computer work
4 videos and notes - 1. Chair Set-Up, - 2. Workstation, - 3. Home Office, - 4. Keep Moving
It's important to think about all aspects of how you work on your computer to stay safe and healthy––no matter where you are working. This means thinking about your equipment, the area where you work, your work activities and your own characteristics such as your height and eyesight needs.
Web Link Click Here
Beyond Ergo - 3 Simple Checks to Reduce Headaches
Spending long hours looking down at a screen, especially when bright and fairly close to your face is hard on your eyes, and your neck, upper back and shoulder muscles.
Read our 2 min blog post here
SafeWork Australia - Infographic: Four steps to preventing psychological injury at work
Infographic: Four steps to preventing psychological injury at work
Page link here
Download as PDF or png file
WayAhead - Recognising and Managing Stress
Recognising and Managing Stress
What Is Stress?
We are all familiar with stress. It is a normal response that we may experience to some extent every day. Stress is the mind’s and body’s way of preparing us to face a challenge. A certain level of stress is necessary to not only function, but to motivate us to reach our full potential. Too much stress, however, can be a health hazard. The first important step ...
Read Article Here
Cornell University - Ergonomic Guidelines for arranging a Computer Workstation - 10 steps for users
Arranging a Computer Workstation - 10 steps for users
Find 10 Steps here
Creating a good ergonomic working arrangement is important to protecting your health. The following 10 steps are a brief summary of those things that most Ergonomists agree are important.
Beyond Ergo - Thinking About a Standing Desk?
Should We Rush To Stand?
Professor Alan Hedge at The Cornell University Ergonomics Web released a review on the possible perils of Sitting and Standing at Work Key points include Sitting for “more than 1 hour …leads to the deposit of fats in adipose tissue rather than these being metabolized...
Read blog here
Beyond Ergo - Avoid Headaches, Neck Pain and Eye Strain
Download our FREE illustrated info sheet to avoid common issues that lead to pain!
Swiping or Typing - Screens cause us pain!
A simple practical suggestion to build the new 21st Century skills we all need to -
Reduce Pain and Chance of Injury
These are easy-to-implement no-cost changes for your
- Work Environment
- Tool placement Ergonomics and
- New wellness behaviours
Download here
WorkCover Qld - Mentally Healthy Workplaces
People as Work
People at Work provides organisations with access to:
- a reliable and valid psychosocial risk assessment tool
- resources to support organisations implementing a psychosocial risk management approach and evaluating the effectiveness of chosen interventions.
People at Work is a psychosocial risk assessment process. It aims to help organisations identify and manage workplace risks to the psychological health of all the people who work in the organisation.
Link to Pager Here
Workplace Health Savings Calculator
How much could your business save?
See the potential savings you can expect from a successful workplace health program by measuring absenteeism and staff turnover.
Link to Web Page Here
The return on investment (ROI) calculator is a tool that assists organisations to estimate an indicative return on their investments in work health and safety (WHS). It provides an indication of whether a particular investment (e.g. a new piece of equipment or an employee wellbeing program) will improve an organisation's bottom line.
ROI is a measure of the dollars returned in benefits from a work health and safety initiative for each dollar invested. For example, a recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers1 of mental wellbeing interventions found that they returned $2.30 for every dollar invested.
Mental Health Commission of NSW - Evidence Guide PDF
Australian Gov - Head to Health
“Managing my physical health is closely tied up with looking after my mental health.”
- Home
- Welcome
- Meaningful Life
- Mental Health Difficulties
- Supporting Yourself
- Supporting someone else
- Service providers
Regular exercise, a balanced diet, proper sleep, and cutting down smoking, alcohol, and drug use are vital to physical health and mental wellbeing.
Safe Work Australia - National RTW Strategy
The National Return to Work Strategy took effect on 1 January 2020 following its launch in September 2019 and our presentation at the Actuaries Institute Injury and Disability Schemes Seminar in November 2019.
US Gov - Office Ergonomics: Computer Workstation & Mobile Computing
Office Ergonomics: Computer Workstation & Mobile Computing
Page link here
Description:
- An interactive guide for adjusting your computer workstation and mobile computing.
- Increase your workstation and mobile computing comfort and productivity
- Computer Workstation - Covers Chair Adjustment, Workstation Layout, Keyboard & Mouse Placement, and Monitor & Document Placement.
- Mobile Computing – Covers using laptops and other portable devices in the office, at home, and while travelling.
A properly set-up computer workstation can eliminate discomfort and even prevent it from occurring in the first place.
These self-help courses can help you set-up a safe and comfortable computer workstation:
Office Lighting and Computer Use for Eye Comfort
Sit-Stand Workstations, Help for Workers
Sit-Stand Workstations, Help for Employers
Working from Home Offices? Here's some information to help stay comfortable and productive:
Don't bend, don't break: Setting up a safe and healthy workspace for teleworking (F417-289-000)
New mental injury resources from WorkCover to help employers support workers
New mental injury resources from WorkCover to help employers support workers
Page link here
Description:
-
Mental injuries in the workplace are on the rise, and they can sometimes be challenging for employers to navigate.
Research shows employers play a crucial role in an injured worker’s recovery. In fact, workers who feel supported by their employer are up to five times more likely to return to work after an injury and have positive outcomes.
That's why WorkCover Queensland has launched new resources to help employers better manage work-related mental injuries.
The first four videos and factsheets are now available on our Mental injury essentials webpage. These guides answer important questions such as ‘What is a workplace mental injury?’ and ‘How does offering suitable duties benefit my business?’
Over the next few months WorkCover will be sharing more resources so that employers have the tools needed to better support workers and get them back to work safely.
The Power of Mindfulness:
What You Practice Grows Stronger | Shauna Shapiro | TEDxWashingtonSquare
Small Changes Project
Be Mindful – Take time to reset your work posture!
Watch this short video to discover some of the common postures that lead to pain while working with screens.
Roll-Reset-Relax
This Simple Habit will Help Avoid Neck and Shoulder Pain
Download our FREE illustrated poster with notes.
