Our Unique Approach To Banishing Workplace Stress
Published by Laurence Nicholson CEO in Mental Performance and Resilience · 17 March 2022
In this edition of our 'Insights', we are reproducing the latest blog from one of our key collaboration partners, Mara Musso over at Holistic-View, where we both introduce the IGNITE & IGNITE+ Wellness Programme, a unique and truly holistic approach to combatting stress in the workplace, aimed at small to medium-sized companies.
(Our podcast version of this blog is available here.)
[MARA] - So, what is IGNITE?.....
We all know that sitting all day at your desk is not helpful. The body is designed to move regularly. Offering regular breaks during the day is one of the most important things that a company can do to ensure their employees’ mental and physical wellbeing.
The IGNITE Wellness Programme consists of a tailored combination of desk stretching, breathing and mindfulness which, together, are effective at keeping stress at bay.
It is very accessible to everyone as it is practised sitting at your desk. There’s no need for special equipment or lots of space. The stretching is targeted to those areas where we are more likely to hold tension such as the shoulders, upper back, neck, although we work the whole body. This is followed by a short breathing practice which is very effective at lowering stress levels as it triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, aka ‘the rest & digest’. It ends with a short, guided mindfulness practice.
The session is delivered on zoom and it is recorded. It takes 30 minutes which sits very well during the lunch break or at the start or at the end of the working day. Because the practice is delivered online, we can reach the employees wherever they are, whether they are working from home, or at different office locations. The recording makes it possible for the employees to repeat the practice multiple times over a 7-day period.
The Programme runs over a 4-week period and is followed by a short survey which will assess how effective the programme has been at reducing stress and at improving the employees’ overall wellbeing. We will provide a report to management detailing the outcome from the survey and a list of recommendations on potential areas for improving wellbeing within your organization.
Bearing in mind that according to the 2021 CIPD* survey, musculoskeletal injuries were found to be the second main cause of both short and long term absence, while mental health was found to be the top cause of long term absence, we can conclude that offering the IGNITE & IGNITE+ Wellness Programme to your workforce is indeed a very wise choice.
* the professional body for HR and people development
What, then, is IGNITE+?...
[LAURENCE] - Thanks Mara. Well, it is highly likely that you are acutely aware of the volume of posts and attention mental health in the workplace now receives in the press and social & business media, and the way in which the term ‘Burnout’ is being applied quite widely to experiences of workplace pressure and stress.
There are very clear levels of impact, and gradation of intensity, ranging from normal, which is, incidentally, required for correct functioning of the brain, to extreme, which can, and has, lead to long term conditions, loss of lifestyle and relationships, and even life-threatening circumstances.
A lot of money, time and effort is being put by businesses, into Wellness Programmes, Mental Health First Aid Services and support systems, for recognising and supporting those suffering from, or showing signs of early onset of, poor mental health due to workplace stress and pressure, but almost no proactive, preventative, education on how to avoid falling prey to such conditions, is being offered.
Recognising this, and with a mission to reduce the suffering, and significantly remove the dependence on reactive support services, the IGNITE+ Programme was created from the aftermath of a severe personal lived experience, and subsequent years of neuroscience research.
Each IGNITE+ series consists of 4 educational workshops on the workings of your brain and the impacts of cognitive stress, presented in the form of everyday workplace scenarios, specially designed for small to medium sized businesses (SME’s).
They describe how the brain works, how to structure your activities for optimum cognitive performance, and how this can combat workplace and life pressures and stresses, preventing the onset of poor mental health and avoiding a serious, significant 'burnout'.
· The Morning Email Tsunami
· A Little Bit Of Too Much Juggling
· Dealing With Too Many Distractions
· Avoiding Lethargy And Anxiety (Operating At Peak Performance)
Each series can be taken as four 1-hour on-site sessions (45 minutes education plus 15 minutes discussion) for groups of up to 10 people at a cost of £350 for the package, or taken as four 45 minute online recorded videos for individuals to take as self-paced learning, at the cost of £79 per person for all 4 sessions.
[MARA] - Both IGNITE & IGNITE+ can be taken as standalone packages, however to benefit from what we believe is a truly unique and holistic approach to all aspects of workplace stress, we strongly recommend that you take them together.
To find out more, you can contact either Mara Musso, on 07905 509869, or me, Laurence Nicholson, on +44 (0) 7846 417041.
Alternatively you can go to https://holistic-view.co.uk/well-being-in-the-workplace/ or to https://burnouthacker.com/for-smes.html.