Leadership Spring 2016

LEADERSHIP Spring 2016

Workplace Goals for the New Year pg. 10 7 Ways to Beat the Burnout Blues pg. 11

Repetitive Stress Injuries Evaluate Your Business FAQ Downtime: Make the Most of Your Breaks

Leadership Spring 2016

MINES & Associates 10367 West Centennial Road Littleton, Colorado 80127 800.873.7138 www.MINESandAssociates.com

A word from your Account Management Team...

Welcome to the Spring 2016 issue of Leadership!

Wait one second. Winter is over? How did that happen? Well I guess there’s no time to waste, 2016 is in full swing and there’s much to do!

While you’re busy making this year the most productive ever, make sure to stay safe and be sure to nurture your wellbeing so you don’t get burned out. To help, we’ve packed this quarter’s issue with resources on avoiding repetitive stress injuries, staying productive on your breaks, evaluating your business FAQ, and more. We hope you find these articles helpful!

If this spring is a little too much lion and not enough lamb, let us help bring out some sunshine. Please call your Employee Assistance Program at 1-800-873-7138.

To your health!

– The MINES Team

. . . . . . . . Credits . . . . . . .

Wellness Library Health Ink and Vitality Communications ©2016 Labor Pains: Reducing Your Desk Job Ailments pg. 4 Workplace Goals for the New Year pg. 10 Krames Staywell Downtime: Make the Most of Your Breaks pg. 5 Seven Ways to Beat the Burnout Blues pg. 11 Nolo Legal Press ©2016 Evaluating Your Business FAQ pp. 6-7 Repetitive Stress Injuries in the Workplace pp. 8-9

2016 2016 is the year to get involved! Don’t worry MINES is here to help you do just that by highlighting important topics throughout the year, along with resources that will help you get involved with the issues that matter most to you, helping to not only enhance your own wellbeing but giving you the tools to get out and make a difference in your community. Total Wellbeing will continue to connect the dots and relate all topics this year to the 8 core dimensions of wellness: Physical, Occupational, Intellectual, Environmental, Financial, Social, Spiritual, and Emotional Wellness to make sure you have a crystal clear picture of how you can achieve your own Total Wellbeing.

Total Wellbeing Get Involved

Physical Spiritual Intellectual Social

Total

Emotional Financial Occupational Environmental

In 2016 MINES & Associates will be talking about the importance of getting involved with the issues that are important with you. MINES will be talking about national events, social issues, awareness months, and more to make sure you know whats going on in the world and how it connects to your wellbeing and what you can do to make a difference!

Enhancing Social Wellness Your Community Matters

The 8 dimensions of wellbeing don’t just apply to one person, they apply to our entire society. Social influence is a huge factor that contributes to each of our levels of wellness, but it all starts with the individual. With this in mind, our challenge to you in 2016 is to see how you can not only enhance your own wellbeing but those around you as well. Get out there, get involved, be well, and see if you can’t inspire your friends and loved ones to do the same. Game on!

Wellness Webinars

Support from the experts

Wellbeing

Join our partner, Brown Richards, for any of their monthly webinars. 2016 will cover great new topics ranging from organizing your life, facts about cancer awareness, productivity, communication, and much more!

Visit our website to learn more, or register for upcoming events at www.minesandassociates.com/webinar.

Is there a topic you’d like to see us explore? We’d love to hear from you.

Shoot us an e-mail at communications@minesandassociates.com and let us know what you’d like to see.

www.MINESandAssociates.com | 800.873.7138

Labor Pains: Reducing Your Desk-Job Ailments Hand and wrist protection

If your job requires you to sit for much of the day, sooner or later you may experience pain in your back, neck, shoulder, hands, or wrists.

You can avoid such problems by practicing the following strategies.

Comfort basics

These tips can help you prevent stiff muscles: • Take a five-minute stretch break every hour. Stand up and stretch your whole body. Gently shake your hands and wrists.

• Occasionally do tasks that you can do while standing, such as filing or returning phone calls.

• Exercise to strengthen your upper back and shoulders.

Ask a fitness professional or physician for specific exercises to strengthen these areas.

Proper posture

Improper posture is a primary cause of back, neck, and shoulder pain. To sit more comfortably: • Sit with your back, head, and neck in a line perpendicular to the floor. Don’t lean or hunch over your desk or keyboard.

• Sit in a chair that supports your back at the spine’s curve.

The seat should incline slightly forward, and the cushion should curve slightly downward to relieve pressure on the thighs.

• Keep your back at right angles to the floor and your thighs and forearms parallel to it when you sit.

• Position your keyboard at the proper height. It should be at a height that keeps your forearms parallel to the floor while you type.

• Keep your shoulders down, not hunched or pulled up toward your head.

• Don’t droop your head forward. Keep it squarely above your neck and shoulders.

• Use a footrest. Raising your feet and legs makes sitting more comfortable, helps relieve pressure on the back and legs, and improves circulation.

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Leadership Spring 2016

These tips can help you prevent pain in your hands and wrists: • Keep your wrists flat and in a straight line with your forearms.

• Use proper typing techniques. Touch the keys lightly and relax your hands when you pause between keystrokes.

• Avoid bending your wrists up and down or stretching your hands from side to side at the wrists. Move your arms to reach for keys at the edge of your keyboard.

• Don’t push or rest your wrists or forearms against hard desk edges; doing so can compress your nerves and cause or aggravate nerve problems.

• Do hand stretches before starting work and during short breaks. These stretches should be “active”: Use the hand’s own muscles to stretch rather than using the other hand to do the stretching.

• Have your keyboard cleaned or fixed if the keys stick.

• Keep your mouse within easy reach of the keyboard. Be gentle; don’t grasp or tap it forcefully.

“Do hand stretches before starting work and during short breaks. These stretches should be “active”: Use the hand’s own muscles to stretch rather than using the other hand to do the stretching.”

Daily stretches Taking a short stretch break every hour or so can relieve muscle tension and increase your productivity and comfort.

You can do all of the following stretches in three to five minutes: • Overall body stretch. Get out of your chair, lift your arms above your head and reach for the sky. Repeat three times.

• Shoulder-blade stretch. Clasp your hands together behind your back and pull your shoulder blades together.

Repeat three times.

• Shoulder rolls. Slowly roll your shoulders five times forward, then five times back.

• Head tilts. Slowly and gently tilt your head to the right, to the left and forward -- stopping when you feel a stretch.

Repeat two more times. M

Downtime: Make the Most of Your Breaks “Don’t think of downtime as goofing off”, says Dr. Troiani. “It’s an investment that helps you get control of your life...”

Find the time

You’re rushed. You’re overbooked. You’re going at top speed.

Yet the more you do, the less you seem to get done. But there’s a way to stop this stressful cycle.

“Pull the plug and give yourself some downtime,” suggests Maryann Troiani, Psy.D., a psychologist in Barrington, Ill., and co-author of “Spontaneous Optimism: Proven Strategies for Health, Prosperity and Happiness.” “Everybody needs some time just for themselves, to refresh and recharge both mentally and physically. When you come back after a break, you feel better and you work better, too.”

Dr. Troiani defines downtime as a “break from the gottas -- as in I gotta do this and I gotta do that.” It’s unstructured and usually unplanned time when you do something you really want to do -- or, even better, nothing at all. She prescribes at least one hour of downtime two or three times per week.

Most Americans don’t get even this small amount of time to themselves. “Even when you’re alone, there are too many ways the world can intrude on you and vice versa -- cell phones, e-mail, voice mail. All those distractions dilute your creativity and energy,” she says.

People also become experts at multitasking. Juggling family, career, and other demands leaves little time for oneself.

Those lucky enough to have leisure time often believe they have to fill it with hobbies or errands. “But that’s not downtime,” says Dr. Troiani.

By the same token, you’re missing the point if you obsessively schedule periods of downtime at the same time each week, whether you’re in the mood or not.

Instead, just go with the flow. Give in to that urge to take a walk or to pick up that book you’ve been wanting to read.

Pour a cup of tea and stop to watch the sunset.

“Don’t think of downtime as goofing off,” says Dr. Troiani.

“It’s an investment that helps you get control of your life -particularly of the stress and tension. It calms down your body and makes your mind more focused so you can deal with things more effectively.”

Even when you give yourself permission, though, it can still be hard to spot opportunities to take a break -- at least at first. The following suggestions can help you find more time for yourself: • Cut the cords. Don’t feel you have to respond to every signal from the outside world. Turn off your computer and leave the cell phone behind.

• Say no to “emotional vampires.” “People who use you as a sounding board for whining and complaints can drain away a lot of your time and energy,” says Dr. Troiani. If someone is constantly coming to you with gripes, set boundaries. Tell the person you have only five minutes, then use the time to focus on solutions.

• Play hooky. Look over your daily routine to see what’s truly important and where you might cut yourself some slack. Can you miss that meeting or put off that trip to the store?

• Brown-bag it. Instead of fighting the crowds at the cafeteria, bring lunch from home and find a quiet, pleasant place to enjoy it. Use the extra time to take a walk.

• Seize the moment. The best downtime opportunities are often unplanned. Open your mind to what’s happening around you and be willing to respond.

• Free your mind. Worries and other negative feelings can keep you from enjoying your downtime. To get rid of the clutter, visualize a vacuum cleaner as it pulls the bad feelings out of your head.

• Relieve the pressure. Don’t expect too much of your downtime. The point isn’t to write the great American novel, it’s just to relax. Keep your expectations simple.

“Listen to your inner voice,” advises Dr. Troiani. “See what your mind and body need at that moment. You don’t need to make a lot of plans -- just do what feels right.” M Spring 2016 Leadership

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Evaluating Your Business Idea FAQ

How do I evaluate and develop a business idea?

• • • • •

Determine if it’s the right type of business.

Use a break-even analysis to determine if your idea can make money.

Investigate business financing.

Contemplate a basic marketing plan.

Write a business plan, including a profit/loss forecast, and a cash flow analysis.

What type of business should I start?

There are so many different kinds of businesses -- and so many different kinds of people -- that it’s impossible to give specific advice on the particular type of business you should start. Only you will be able to answer that question, but to maximize your chances of success, you should: • Choose something you enjoy doing. It’s much more difficult (and a lot less fun) to make a success of a small business that doesn’t interest you -- for instance, running an auto parts store when your heart is really in graphic design.

• Choose a business you know intimately. Trying to learn a new industry or skill at the same time you’re getting your business up and running will add a lot of unnecessary stress to your new venture and lower your chances of success. Sure, it might be fun to run a hair salon, but if you’ve spent the last ten years baking pastries and don’t have any experience cutting hair, you might be better off starting a catering business or opening your own bakery. That’s not to say that you can’t learn a new business -- but you should learn how to run a pizza parlor before you blow Aunt Sadie’s retirement money on a wood-burning pizza oven.

• Choose a business that has a good chance of turning a profit. The best way to determine your business’s potential profitability is to prepare a “break-even analysis,” a financial projection that will estimate how easy or difficult it will be to turn a profit.

Are there any types of businesses I should avoid?

Businesses that use hazardous materials, make edible goods, care for children, sell alcohol, or build or repair structures, vehicles, or other items of value come with inherent risks. Unless you are prepared to start a corporation or limited liability company and can afford adequate liability insurance (which can be pricey), you may be better off working for one of these businesses rather than starting your own.

In addition, there are some types of businesses that are particularly vulnerable to competition, including restaurants, bookstores, video rental stores, movie theaters, grocery stores, and internet and computer service providers. But these businesses sometimes do survive, especially if they can fill a niche market and develop a loyal following.

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Leadership Spring 2016

What are the benefits of starting my own business?

Starting a business can be scary. But great rewards await entrepreneurs lucky enough to create successful small businesses -- benefits you may miss out on if you remain a wage earner for the rest of your life. Although only you can decide if you’re ready to plunge into running your own business, here are some of the rewards of going out on your own: • Independence and flexibility. You’ll have more freedom and independence working for yourself. And once your business is firmly established, you’ll probably have the flexibility to make sure you don’t miss the moments and events that matter most to you in life.

• Personal fulfillment. Owning and running your own business can be more satisfying and fulfilling than working for someone else. Many successful small business owners find they enjoy the respect they earn from their peers for having the courage to go out on their own.

• Power. Don’t be surprised if power is one of your goals. When it’s your business, you can have your employees do it your way. If power is important to you, think about how to use it in a constructive way.

• Money. The risks of forgoing a steady paycheck can pay off when you own your own business. You can get rich in a small business, or at least do very well financially. Although most entrepreneurs don’t get wealthy, some do.

“Starting a business can be scary. But great rewards await entrepreneurs lucky enough to create successful small businesses -- benefits you may miss out on if you remain a wage earner for the rest of your life.”

What are the risks of starting my own business?

Although you can reap many benefits by starting your own business, there are definitely some risks. The most common include: • Losing money. You’re going to need money to get your small business started. Whether you raid your savings account, hit up friends and relatives, or borrow from a bank, there’s a very real possibility that your business won’t succeed and that you, your friends, or the bank will never see that money again. If your business idea is risky, ask yourself whether you’re willing to gamble your retirement, your friendships, and even your good credit on your business idea.

• Personal sacrifice. Business success can come at a high personal cost. Getting your business up and running may consume most of your time and energy, including your precious evenings and weekends. You may not have much time for family or friends or the extra cash to take a second honeymoon with your spouse. Before you quit your job, decide whether you (and your family) are ready to make some of the personal sacrifices necessary for you to create a successful small business.

How can I tell if my business will make money?

Even a good business idea might not be financially workable. To learn how your idea will fare, you should prepare what’s called a “break-even analysis.” In a break-even analysis, you project income and expense estimates for a year to determine whether, in theory at least, your business will make enough sales revenue to pay its expenses.

A break-even forecast includes the following: • • • •

How much your business will earn over a specified period of time (your projected sales revenue); Your fixed costs, such as rent and insurance; Your profit after deducting the direct cost of the product or service you provide (your gross profit); and, The sales revenue you will need just to keep your business running (your “break-even point” or “break-even revenue”).

If you find your break-even revenue represents an amount of work your business can handle -- that is, if you can easily bring in more than the amount of sales revenue you’ll need to meet your expenses -- then your business stands a good chance of making money. M Spring 2016 Leadership 7

Repetitive Stress Injuries in the Workplace

The number of workers suffering from a repetitive stress injury or disorder (RSD) is on the rise -- mostly because of the increased use of computers in the workplace.

RSDs (also called cumulative trauma disorders) now account for about 60% of all job-related injuries, and one in eight American workers has been diagnosed with an RSD at one time or another. If you own a business, you probably know that workplace injuries fall under your workers’ compensation insurance coverage, so it’s important to understand RSDs and how to prevent them.

What Kinds of Work Can Lead to RSDs?

Computer and keyboard use by office workers. The most common job-related RSDs involve injury to the upper extremities (wrists, elbows, and hands) due to repetitive keyboard activities. This is no surprise, considering the growing reliance on computers in the workplace. Office employees often spend hours at a time inputting or manipulating computer data, and if this is done without regard to proper ergonomics -- or for too many hours without sufficient breaks -- a nerve entrapment syndrome such as carpal tunnel syndrome may develop.

Bar code scanning by grocery checkers. Another occupation that has a higher-than-normal incidence of RSDs is that of the grocery checker. With the advent of scanners that read bar codes on grocery products, grocery checkers are required to pull or slide products across a scanner -- hundreds or even thousands of times a shift. This repetitive activity often leads to the development of cumulative trauma injury to the upper extremities. The repetitive turning of the neck from side to side may also cause a RSD to the neck or shoulders.

In addition, constant lifting activities may cause injury to the back.

Fixed-position activities. Occupations that require workers to stay in a fixed position for a long stretch of time (called “static posturing”) can also lead to RSDs. Some examples of static posturing include prolonged sitting or standing, prolonged gripping or grasping, and holding a particular position for long periods. For example, an operator or front desk clerk who holds a telephone receiver between the head

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Leadership Spring 2016

and shoulder or an airline mechanic who has to crawl and work in a twisted position may develop cumulative trauma disorders.

Other work-related activities that lend themselves to repetitive stress injuries include: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Assembly line work Polishing, sanding, and painting Pipe setting Jackhammering Any overhead work Butchering or meat packing Sawing and cutting Writing Driving Stocking shelves and packing Massaging clients Playing musical instruments Working as a mechanic

“Occupations that require workers to stay in a fixed position for a long stretch of time (called “static posturing”) can also lead to RSDs.”

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Other Forms of RSD A familiar form of RSD is carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes swelling inside the tunnel that’s created by bone and ligament in the wrist. This swelling can put pressure on nerves passing through the tunnel -- leading to pain, tingling, and numbness.

Other types of RSDs include:

• Tendinitis - tears in tissue connecting bones to muscles • Myofascial damage - tenderness and swelling from overworking muscles • Tenosynovitis - irritation of the boundary between the tendon and surrounding sheath • Cervical radiculopathy - compression of disks in the neck (common in workers who hold a phone on their shoulders while using computers)

Prevent RSDs with Proper Ergonomics Improper ergonomics is the primary cause of RSDs across many kinds of jobs. Ergonomics is the study of how people interact with their physical environment. It uses scientific knowledge about objects, systems, and environments (like work stations) to maximize productivity and minimize injuries. So ergonomics plays an important role in the cause and prevention of work-related cumulative trauma injuries.

As an employer, what can you do? Take steps to protect employees from carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive stress disorders. You may, for example, upgrade the equipment that employees use, train employees in improving work techniques, and modify the layout of work stations.

Train employees to avoid RSDs. The proper ergonomic model for the prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome (an RSD injury to the wrist) would include keeping the wrists in a neutral position (straight), elbows down by the sides, and the shoulders back, while sitting up straight. Employees can be shown how to follow this model and can be encouraged to reduce the frequency of repetitive activity where possible.

Larger employers might consider hiring an ergonomics consultant to help them figure out what changes to make.

OSHA guidelines and enforcement. OSHA provides voluntary ergonomic guidelines for specific industries such as grocery stores, nursing homes, and poultry processing plants.

In addition, the agency occasionally issues ergonomicsrelated citations. These citations are issued under general provisions of the OSHA law requiring employers to maintain safe workplaces.

Warning Signs of RSD

There are no clear ways to alert a worker that they’re headed for an RSD. Often, by the time an employee realizes that something is wrong, damage has already been done. For this reason, mindful employers should encourage workers to pay attention to the following warning signs: • Pain. Workers may feel a sharp or dull and aching pain in their limbs, which may increase in intensity over time.

Some employees feel this pain after working on the

computer or cash register for a few hours, while others start to notice it only when they make certain movements outside of work -- such as twisting a doorknob to open a door or raising their arms to wash their hair.

• Tingling or numbness. Sometimes a worker’s hand or arm may have a tingling sensation, or the employee may experience numbness or tingling in certain fingers. This is a sign that nerve damage may have already occurred, so these symptoms should be taken seriously.

• Fatigue. A worker who is experiencing pain may tire easily or may be unable to perform the same amount of work they have gotten done in the past.

• Weakness or clumsiness. A loss of strength, dropping items, or having difficulty picking things up can be a sign of a possible RSD.

“Sometimes a worker’s hand or arm may have a tingling sensation, or the employee may experience numbness or tingling in certain fingers. This is a sign that nerve damage may have already occurred, so these symptoms should be taken seriously.”

What the Future May Bring To combat the growing number of workplace RSDs, several states are considering regulations for businesses that use video display terminals -- better known as computer workstations. Rules adopted in New Mexico for state employees who use computers can serve as a model for your business: • Maintain room lighting at a level that reduces eyestrain and glare.

• Control glare by indirect lighting and non-reflective furnishings.

• Use acoustic pads to control noise levels.

• Locate workstations at a reasonable distance from heating and cooling vents.

• Provide chairs that are flexible and easily adjusted.

• Allow frequent work breaks. M Spring 2016 Leadership 9

Workplace Goals for the New Year

The new year brings hopes and dreams for the future. You’ve made your resolutions -- to lose weight, exercise, plan a dream vacation, for example. Don’t forget, however, that you also spend one-third of your day at work. You can improve your on-the-job enjoyment and your productivity by making the following work resolutions.

Learn new skills

Structure your time

To keep your career moving forward and prevent burnout, learn some new skills. Investigate which ones you’ll need for a promotion or for your dream job, then make sure you acquire them. Make a resolution to always be learning something new.

Are you wasting time taking care of things that just aren’t important? If so, you’ll be frustrated when you fritter away your workdays doing things your boss would consider insignificant.

Keep organized

Most people don’t function well in the midst of chaos. The clutter on your desk likely distracts you and muddles your thinking. If your office is disorganized, the time you spend getting organized will be paid back in less stress and increased productivity.

Make a resolution to spend the last 15 minutes of every day clearing your desk and getting organized for the next day.

Take daily breaks

Human beings aren’t built to sit at a desk for hours at a stretch -- that’s why the coffee break was invented. But, there are better ways to use your breaks -- quick, simple techniques that rejuvenate the body, mind, and spirit so you can return to work refreshed and ready to accomplish great things.

The following energizing breaks take less than two minutes: Count down from 10 to one, taking a deep breath with each number.

• • • • • • • •

10

Read affirmations, inspiring quotes, or poetry Read a couple of pages of a book Visualize a favorite vacation spot Gaze out a window Listen to your favorite music Stand up and stretch your muscles Drink a full glass of water or eat a healthy snack Take a short walk Leadership Spring 2016

The solution is to block off one or two hours of quiet time each day that you spend focusing on your important tasks.

Since most people concentrate best in the morning, choose your quiet time early in the day. Then transfer your calls to your voice mail and put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door.

Make a resolution to set aside quiet time every day to work on your important projects.

Keep an accomplishment journal

Buy a separate notebook for an Accomplishment Journal. At the end of the day, write the date on a new page and write something that you accomplished. It doesn’t have to be something major. Even little steps of progress need to be acknowledged.

For example: “I dealt with Mr. Jones, a difficult customer, in a very kind and professional way.” “I wrote two pages of a special report.”

Writing such a journal increases your enthusiasm as you look for things to accomplish and write in your journal. Your focus will be on what you did instead of what you didn’t do. Keeping the journal will also give you more confidence during employee reviews or when asking for a promotion.

One last thought: When you follow through on your work resolutions and make them daily habits, you’ll experience increased productivity, more energy and enthusiasm, and the joy of accomplishment. M

Seven Ways to Beat the Burnout Blues

Have you ever wondered why some people leave jobs after two or three years and others stay for 15 or 20? Burnout may not be the only reason people leave their jobs, but it often is a factor. You may be experiencing burnout if you feel bored, fatigued, apathetic, impatient, and constantly irritated with your co-workers. Don’t panic, there’s hope. Some of the secrets to longterm job happiness are revealed below in the words of people who have avoided burnout.

Change positions within your company

“I avoided burnout by changing positions every two to four years. During my 27-year career, I worked in sales, market research, technical management, operations, and product management. The changes kept me interested and excited about my work,” says Jan Powell, from Dallas, Texas, who worked for 27 years at Xerox.

Find like-minded people

“To avoid burnout, the most useful tool I have found is to identify like-minded people with whom I can share humor, have fun, and vent frustrations when needed. These must be people who share a similar sense of humor as yourself and people you trust implicitly,” says Bobbe White, from Quincy, Illinois, who has worked as a business development officer at a community bank for 21 years.

Seek out short-term projects

“I have avoided burnout because, in addition to my normal routine job, I seek out short-term projects, working with different teams each time,” says Jaswant Kaur, a nine-year employee of the Samling Group of Companies.

“These projects could be on cost-cutting efforts, improving quality efforts, charitable causes, or other social functions for the company,” says the Samling employee, who lives in Kuching, Malaysia.

Get more education

“I was previously with a technology company for more than 13 years and became burned out since I wasn’t able to go anywhere within the company,” says Teresa Johnson, from Southlake, Texas. “I went back to school and received a B.B.A. in management and an M.S. in human resources and training.

“The company paid for my schooling and knew when I started the master’s program that I’d leave after graduation if no opportunities arose. That happened, and I left within 30 days after graduating. They felt it was worth it to keep me working at the company for the time I was in school,” she says.

Keep on learning

“I worked at Sears for nearly 10 years many years ago.

The number one thing I’ve learned through many years of employment is that it’s important to continue to learn new things,” says Melinda L. Surbough, from Dallas, Texas, who is now the managing editor of Today’s Dallas Woman magazine.

Have pride in your job

“I work in a busy medical office. Having pride and confidence in my job and doing work that I enjoy are very important to me,” says Lucretia Rolland, a receptionist at The Dermatology Center in Irving, Texas. “These, combined with appreciation and caring from management, have kept me in my job for more than 17 years.”

Don’t wait

If you start to experience burnout, don’t wait until it affects your work and don’t start looking for a new job. Instead, try making positive changes in your present job. Talk to your supervisor and discuss changes that could reenergize you. M

“If you start to experience burnout, don’t wait until it affects your work and don’t start looking for a new job. Instead, try making positive changes in your present job.”

Spring 2016 Leadership 11

A note to Supervisors...

From time to time, situations arise when a supervisor is not sure how to respond to a particular behavior.

The Employee Assistance Program is available on a 24/7 basis for consultation on issues such as: referring an employee to the EAP, how best to respond to and manage difficult behavior in the workplace, and whether training or some other form of group intervention (such as an organizational intervention or a conflict resolution) may be helpful for a particular situation. The EAP can serve as an ally to anyone who is working with a troubled employee.

• 24/7 supervisor consultation regarding problems in the workplace

• Assessment of behavioral risk on the job • Return-to-Duty conferences

• Advisory services in writing, revising, and implementing policies

• Supervisor and Manager training

• Unlimited formal Work Performance Referrals

• Coaching for management and leadership skills

• Conflict resolution for supervisor-employee problems

MINES believes that employees are an organization’s most valuable resource.

Your EAP is always available to provide you and your employees with support.

The MINES Team

Questions? Reach us at 800.873.7138 | www.MINESandAssociates.com