Creating and developing a health
and well-being culture
CIPD
University of Chester
1st May 2013
Professor Ivan Robertson
Robertson Cooper Ltd
&
Universities of Manchester and Leeds
Overview
• What is resilience and why does it matter?
Individuals
Organizations
• Factors influencing resilience
• Building emotional resilience and well-being
What is resilience?
• Psychologically positive and healthy
Resilience protects psychological
well-being and health
• Behaviourally effective and capable
Resilience helps to retain a focus on what
matters and supports effective behaviour
Resilience – Alias...
• Vitality
• Energy
• Flexibility
• Mental toughness/strength
• Hardiness, etc...
Why does it matter?
More than 40 longitudinal studies in last 10-12 years
Psychological well-being factors (positive feelings,
negative feelings, optimism, depression, anxiety,
smiling(?) ...) predict:
• Earlier death
• General ill health (including heart disease, blood
pressure, immune system functioning, frailty in later
life, cancer(?) ...)
Source: Diener & Chan, 2011
Why psychological well-being matters
Stress
Hypothalamus reacts and releases
biochemicals (specifically CRF)
HPA & Sympathetic Nervous
System activated
Longer term
consequences,
including heart
disease, immune
system disruption
Shorter term physical reactions: increased BP, pulse rate ...
Stomach distress, headache, musculoskeletal pain, sleep disturbances
Why psychological well-being
matters
Why psychological well-being
matters
• Cardiovascular risk
Blood pressure
Cholesterol
HR variability
• Weight/Diabetes
Glucose regulation
Protein & fat metabolism
• Immune system
Inflammatory processes
Autoimmune problems
Why does it matter?
But how big are the effects on mortality and health?
• Twice as likely to have died (2,800 people, two year
follow up; 850 people, five year follow up)
• Live 6-10 years longer (healthier and happier)
• Size of effect similar to other well-established risk
factors (e.g. smoking, diet)
Sources: Ostir et al., 2000; Wilson et al., 2003; Diener & Chan, 2011)
Why does it matter?
35
30
25
Positive W/being
scores
20
Moderate
W/Being scores
15
10
Low W/Being
scores
5
0
% Colds
Cohen et al., Psychosomatic Medicine, 2003
Psychological well-being:
The link to performance
Some studies:
• Cropanzano and Wright (1999) Five
• Donald et al., (2005) – almost a
year longitudinal study of
quarter (23%) of variance in
psychological well-being and
employee productivity (sample of
performance. Strong correlation
16,000UK employees) is explained
between well-being and work
by:
performance
- Psychological well-being
• Taris & Schreurs (2009)
Client satisfaction (66 organisations,
- Perceived commitment of
r=.29)
organisation to employee
• Ford et al., (2011)
- Resources and communications
Overall performance (111
organisations, total sample 10,000+,
r=.40)
Why psychological well-being
matters
People higher on psychological well-being
• Show greater flexibility and originality
• Respond better to unfavourable feedback
• Make more positive judgements about others
• Show higher levels of “Engagement”
• Are more productive
• Are likely to live longer … be sick less often … and
have happier work and home life
*Lyubomirsky, King & Diener, 2005
Why do we need resilience?
• Working more than 11 hours a day consistently
Likelihood of depression – 250% higher than people
working fewer hours
• Travellers versus non-travellers:
– General medical claims are higher
– Psychological illness claims are 300% times higher
– Claims from spouses of travellers are 16% higher
(over 30% higher for psychological problems)
Sources: Virtanen et al., 2012; NISER, 2012, Dimberg et al., 2006, Liese et al., 1997, Espino
et al., 2002, Westman & Etzion, 2002,
When do we need resilience?:
N= 20,000, General
working population
What factors influence psychological
well-being and resilience at work?
Person
Situation
Work
Non-work
i-resilience : Personal resilience
i-resilience
Free for everyone, forever
•
•
•
•
35,000 users in 2 years
From over 4000 organisations
15,000 users from the public sector
10,000 from the private sector
http://www.robertsoncooper.com/iresilience
Easier to cope
Levels of Current Coping in the UK
Where does this resilience come from?
Easier to cope
Private vs. Public Sector Coping
What factors influence psychological
well-being and resilience at work?
Person
Situation
Work
Non-work
Resilience at work
Physical
health
Personal
circumstances
Psychological
well-being
Personality
Organisational
& Management
Factors
Workplace
factors
Resilience at work
Organisational/management
processes
Personal circumstances
Work place
factors
Health &
(psychological)
well-being
Personality
Outcomes:
Performance,
Sickness
absence,
presenteeism,
etc…
Resilience at work
Achievement
Control
Demands
- Cognitive
- Physical
Support - Emotional
Important workplace factors
• Demands
• Control
• Support
Johnson & Hall, 1988; De Lange et al., 2003; O’Driscoll & Brough, 2010
Workplace factors and well-being
•
•
•
•
•
•
Demands
Control
Relationships
Change
Role
Support
• Demands
• Control
• Support
• Change
• Role
• Reward &
contribution
The ‘6 Essentials of
workplace well-being’ Robertson Cooper
The “6 essential” sources of
pressure
• Resources and communication (Pressure from lack of resources or
information)
• Control and autonomy (Limitations on how the job is done or freedom to
make decisions)
• Balanced workload (Peaks and troughs in workload, difficult deadlines,
unsocial hours, work life balance challenges)
• Job security & change (Pressure from change and uncertainty about the
future)
• Work relationships (High pressure relationships with colleagues,
customers, bosses)
• Job conditions (Pressure from working conditions or pay and benefits)
The Well-Being Reservoir
Work
relationshipsLearning &
Development
Resources
Respect &&
communications
attention
Control
Job conditions
Fair Balanced
rewards Workload
Job Security &
Change
Work & Well-Being
Resources and
Communication
Control
Balanced workload
Job security & change
Work relationships
Job conditions
Psychological
Well-Being,
Resilience:
&
Coping
Behaviour
Individual
&
Organisational
outcomes
Building & sustaining resilience
• Tracking well-being AND the drivers of wellbeing
• Learning & development
• Effective management, leadership &
organisational processes
• Selection, assessment & talent management
processes
Tracking well-being AND the drivers of well-being
Resources and
Communication
Control
Work Relationships
Work Life Balance;
Workload
Job Security
& Change
Pay, Benefits & Job
conditions
Psychological
well-being
Measure well-being levels and their
workplace drivers
• Well-being survey (even without follow-up)
£1 invested
return of £2*
• Focus groups
• Internal dialogues
Foresight Mental Capital & Well-Being (2008):
Government Office for Science
ASSET survey measures (and
benchmarks):
Drivers of well-being and engagement (The six essentials)
Resources & Communication
Control and autonomy
Work Relationships
Work Life Balance
Work Overload
Pay & rewards
Positive/negative psychological well-being (including Sense of
purpose)
Engagement
Psychological and physical health
Productivity
Use results to develop action plan
Note: the higher the score the greater the extent to which
the area is troubling people – compared to
general working population
Use results to develop action plan
Dept A
Dept B
Actions & Solutions
Level of
intervention
Primary
Description
Examples
Preventative
measures
Role re-design, selection,
culture change
Secondary
Recognise and/or
avoid mental health
problems.
Resilience training, stress
management training
Tertiary
Support for those
experiencing mental
health problems.
Counselling/EAP/support
groups/return to work
Learning & development: Resilience
training
• Positive (optimistic) thinking styles
• Experiencing tough challenges
• Recognising and developing signature strengths
• Using active (Problem-focused) coping strategies – rather than emotionfocused coping
• Retaining a clear sense of purpose
• Cognitive flexibility - control of thoughts and feelings
• Establishing and nurturing a supportive social network
• Looking after your physical condition – exercise may
be the “magic bullet”
Personal resilience
Confidence
Recognise your strengths
Positive attribution
Challenge & mastery
Physical well-being
Purposefulness
Personal moral compass
Achieving your goals
Positive mental time travel
Social Support
Practical tips
and
techniques to
build
resilience
Workplace purpose
Effective networking
Gratitude visits
Capatalising
Empathy vs. sympathy
Adaptability
Resilient thinking
Thinking errors
Mindfulness
Working smarter
Learning & development: Resilience training
• Positive (optimistic) thinking styles
• Experiencing tough challenges - Stretch … but not
Panic zone!
• Recognising and developing signature strengths
• Building mental toughness through tough
experiences (but with suitable respite)
• Physical exercise!
Building resilience: Challenge & Mastery
Who said this ..?
• “… I put myself under immense pressure - I’m very
healthy, but I need that pressure. It only becomes
stressful when you can’t handle it…..and boy, do I love
handling it!”
• “…This job is everything … I know I will never be under
more pressure … what I have truly gained is the
knowledge that I can cope with the pressure of any job in
the world … and that makes me happy”
Building resilience: “Tough”
experiences
• Tough (very challenging) experiences CAN build
higher resilience but only if …
Failure and success are attributed positively
There are sufficient periods of respite
The challenge seems worth it (long-term goals can be
a source of motivation)
Thoughts and feelings are controlled
Beliefs and ambitions are properly grounded in
reality
Management, leadership & organisational processes
Management, leadership & organisational processes
Management, leadership &
organisational processes
• Control the “six essentials” of workplace
well-being
• Balance challenge and support
Selection, assessment & talent
management
Job profile
Person profile
Resources
and
Communication
Resources
and
Communication
Control
Work Relationships
Balanced workload
Job Security
and Change
Job Conditions
“Matching”
Score
Score indicates
if person is
likely to
“flourish” or be
“troubled” in
the role
Control
Work Relationships
Balanced workload
Job Security
and Change
Job Conditions
Profiling the job
Job profile
Resources
and
Communication
Control
Work Relationships
Balanced workload
Job Security
and Change
Job Conditions
Source of pressure in the job
1…………………………………….6
Profiling the person
What “troubles” me at work
6…………………………………….1
Person profile
Resources
and
Communication
Control
Work Relationships
Balanced workload
Job Security
and Change
Job Conditions
Profile comparison
Job profile
Person profile
Resources
and
Communication
Resources
and
Communication
Control
Control
Work Relationships
Work Relationships
Balanced workload
Balanced workload
Job Security
and Change
Job Security
and Change
Job Conditions
Job Conditions
Collaboration to develop tool
Expected outcomes
• A new, simple tool - to help ensure that recruits are
better able to withstand the pressures in a job.
• “Pressure profile” of roles for collaborating
• An executive report summarising the work done and
the main outcomes.
• Preferential access to the tool for collaborating
organisations.
Building & sustaining resilience
• Tracking well-being AND the drivers of wellbeing
• Learning & development
• Effective management, leadership &
organisational processes
• Selection, assessment & talent management
processes
For free tools (including i-resilience) and
downloads from Robertson Cooper
visit www.robertsoncooper.com/gooddayatwork
Contact us: hi@robertsoncooper.com
0161 232 4910