Answer both questions 400 words with credible references. Text attached. Question A Many organizations are concerned about the rising cost of employee benefits and question their value to the organiza

Firms are doing so not only to lower their health costs but also because they recognize that employees not distracted by health problems are able to operate more safely. Better health can also reduce absenteeism, increase ef ficiency and creativity on the part of employees, and lead to better morale and teamwork among them. An organization with a healthy, safe, resilient, and creative workforce is certainly in a better position to compete than an organization with unhealthy workers.

Recall that we discussed EAPs in Chapter 11 . As we have indicated, EAPs can help employees with a range of problems. W e mentioned how the U.S. Postal Service utilized its EAP to locate workers after Hurricane Katrina. EAPs can also help workers with relationship, marital, and family problems; anger , depression, anxiety, and stress; and elder care demands. Workplace issues, addiction, and self-improvement are other areas in which EAPs provide workers with help. If an employee’ s situation necessitates it, the EAP refers the worker to in-house counselors or outside professionals. Next, we look at some of the issues employees face in terms of their physical and emotional health that EAPs and other workplace programs can address.

Wellness and W eight Issues In Chapter 11 we mentioned wellness programs. Discovery Communication in Silver Spring, Maryland, provides a wellness center . The company employs a medical assistant, nurse practitioner, and physician who of fer health services, including stress management, consultation and techniques, fitness programs, and podiatry care. Google encourages employee wellness through their “small changes” program in which Google headquarters encourages employees to ride scooters to meetings, eat healthier food at their cafeteria with portion sizes in check, be active and playful with their in-of fice slide and Ping-Pong tables, and take advantage of their onsite physical therapist and chiropractor . An organization might also distribute wellness literature to its employees obtained from the Association for Worksite Health Promotion or the National W ellness Institute. Xerox gives its employees a publication titled Fitbook that includes chapters on the hazards of smoking and the ef fects of alcohol and drug abuse, facts on nutrition and weight control, and guidelines for 5/12/2020 Print Preview https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781285872643&id=30222992&nbId=116383&snapshotId=116383&dockAppUid=101& 2/8 (1) (2) managing stress and learning to relax. It is also not uncommon for wellness programs to utilize alternative medicine approaches such as relaxation techniques and hypnosis, chiropractic care, acupuncture, homeopathy , herbal therapy, special diets, and massage to help employees with a variety of health problems. For example, Paula Cates, a massage therapist in Denver , Colorado, uses massage to reduce the stress and tension employees experience and improve their circulation and range-of-motion activities.

We also mentioned weight-related problems and obesity in Chapter 1 1 . As you know , excess weight can af fect the health of a worker and his or her productivity . A study by Duke University researchers, who examined the records of nearly 12,000 university employees, found that obese employees experienced medical costs that were more than five times higher than those of non-obese workers. They also missed eight times the number of workdays, which by some estimates costs companies an estimated $5.5 billion a year in lost productivity. The Duke study also found that morbidly obese workers file 45 percent more workers’ compensation claims and take longer to recover from injuries.

Not surprisingly , employers are launching or improving programs specifically designed to help employees maintain or lose weight by exercising and eating properly . For example, a nutritional component is part of the wellness program of JWT, a New York advertising firm.

Nutritional programs address two lifestyle changes: increasing a person’ s physical exercise (via walking, jogging, bicycling, etc.) and adopting nutritional dietary programs that emphasize eating lots of fruits and vegetables, fish, and low-fat dairy products. Stephanie Pronk, the chief health of ficer at RedBrick Health, a Minneapolis health technology and services company, notes that employers today are trying to create a “culture of wellness” that makes thinking about maintaining a healthy weight second nature to employees.

Case managers, who manage the care of employees injured on the job, are now taking people’s weight into account when planning for their recovery and, if they are obese, getting them the resources they need to return to work more quickly than they otherwise would. For example, until they are fully recovered, they might be put on light duty , which is work that is less demanding.

Job Stress and Burnout It is no secret that employees today are more stressed out than they have been in years past. A Gallup poll recently found that 30 percent of employees were dissatisfied with the amount of stress they experience in the workplace, a number that is up 10 percent since 2002. Stress (Any adjustive demand caused by physical, mental, or emotional factors that requires coping behavior ) is any demand on the individual that requires coping behavior. Stress comes from two basic sources: physical activity and mental or emotional activity . The physical reaction of the body to both types of stress is the same. Psychologists use two 5/12/2020 Print Preview https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781285872643&id=30222992&nbId=116383&snapshotId=116383&dockAppUid=101& 3/8 separate terms to distinguish between positive and negative forms of stress, even though reactions to the two forms are the same, biochemically . Eustress (Positive stress that accompanies achievement and exhilaration ) is positive stress that accompanies achievement and exhilaration. This type of stress is regarded as a beneficial force that helps us to forge ahead against obstacles. What is harmful is distress (Harmful stress characterized by a loss of feelings of security and adequacy ) . Stress becomes distress when we begin to sense a loss of our feelings of security and adequacy . Helplessness, desperation, and disappointment turn stress into distress.

Burnout (A severe stage of distress, manifesting itself in depression, frustration, and loss of productivity ) is a severe stage of distress. Career burnout generally occurs when a person begins questioning his or her own personal values. Quite simply, the person no longer feels that what he or she is doing is important. Depression, frustration, and a loss of productivity are all symptoms of burnout. Burnout is primarily due to a lack of personal fulfillment in the job or a lack of positive feedback about one’s performance. In organizations that have downsized, remaining employees can experience burnout because they must perform more work with fewer coworkers. Overachievers can experience burnout when unrealistic work goals are unattainable.

The causes of workplace stress are many. However, according to a study by Lluminari, a national health care company , four factors have a major influence on employee stress: High demand: having too much to do in too short a time High effort: having to expend too much mental or physical energy over too long a period Low control: having too little influence over the way a job is done on a day-to-day basis Low reward: receiving inadequate feedback on performance and no recognition for a job well done. Other job stressors include layof fs and organizational restructuring; disagreements with managers or fellow employees; prejudice because of age, gender , race, or religion; inability to voice complaints; and poor working conditions. Even minor irritations such as lack of privacy, unappealing music, and other conditions can be distressful to one person or another .

Job stress places both women and men at risk for fatigue, high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, depression, and obesity and increases employee susceptibility to infectious diseases. Studies have shown that work-related stress contributes to injuries and illnesses. All of these contribute to higher health care costs and can lower productivity , job satisfaction, and retention. Stress is also the most frequently cited reason employees give for why they would leave a company. 5/12/2020 Print Preview https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781285872643&id=30222992&nbId=116383&snapshotId=116383&dockAppUid=101& 4/8 HR professionals are well aware of the negative ef fects of workplace stress on employees’ health and job performance. In one study, the top three sources of stress employers think negatively ef fect the workplace are lack of work-life balance, inadequate staf fing, and technologies that expand availability during nonworking hours. Armed with this awareness, many employers have developed stress management programs to teach employees how to minimize the negative effects of job-related stress. A typical program might include instruction in relaxation techniques, coping skills, listening skills, methods of dealing with difficult people, time management, and assertiveness.

All of these techniques are designed to break the pattern of tension that accompanies stressful situations and to help participants achieve greater control of their lives.

Organizational techniques, such as clarifying the employee’ s work role, redesigning and enriching jobs, correcting physical factors in the environment, and ef fectively handling interpersonal factors should not be overlooked in the process of teaching employees how to handle stress. Stress management counselors recommend several ways to resolve job- related stress as described in Figure 12.8 . Figure 12.8 Tip s f o r R ed ucin g J o b-R ela te d S tr e ss Build rewarding relationships with your coworkers.

Talk openly with managers or employees about your job or personal concerns.

Prepare for the future by keeping abreast of likely changes in your job’ s demands.

Do not greatly exceed your skills and abilities.

Set realistic deadlines; negotiate reasonable deadlines with managers.

Act now on problems or concerns of importance.

Designate dedicated work periods during which time interruptions are avoided.

When feeling stressed, find time for detachment or relaxation.

Do not let trivial items take on importance; handle them quickly or assign them to others.

Take short breaks from your work area as a change of pace. © Cengage Learning 5/12/2020 Print Preview https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781285872643&id=30222992&nbId=116383&snapshotId=116383&dockAppUid=101& 5/8 Depression Emotional problems and personal crises become organizational problems when they af fect people’s behavior at work and interfere with their job performance. The most prevalent problems among employees are personal crises involving marital, family , financial, or legal matters. Most personal crises are resolved in a reasonable period of time. Unfortunately , when a personal crisis lingers, it can lead to depression. Depression (A negative emotional state marked by feelings of low spirits, gloominess, sadness, and loss of pleasure in ordinary activities ) is a decrease in functional activity accompanied by persistent symptoms of low spirits, gloominess, and sadness. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that nearly 7 percent of the adult population experience depression each year.

Fortunately, with available treatment, 80 percent of depressed individuals will significantly improve, usually within a matter of weeks. Managers are in a good position to identify the signs of depression on the job. They include decreased energy on the part of an employee, concentration and memory problems, guilt feelings, irritability , and chronic aches and pains that do not respond to treatment. Managers and supervisors who suspect an employee is depressed are encouraged to express their concerns to the person, actively listen to him or her, and—should the depression persist—suggest professional help.

Under no circumstances should managers attempt to play amateur psychologist and try to diagnose an employee’ s condition. Mood disorders such as depression are complex in nature and do not lend themselves to quick diagnoses. Furthermore, in reviewing such cases, the organization should pay particular attention to workplace safety factors because there is general agreement that emotional disturbances are primary or secondary factors in a large portion of industrial accidents and incidents of violence.

Alcoholism Nearly 6 million working Americans bring their alcohol problems to the workplace. It has been estimated that business and industry lose more than $20 billion each year because of alcoholism. It is a disease that af fects both the young and old, is prevalent across the sexes, and affects workers in every occupational category—blue-collar and white-collar .

Alcoholism follows a rather predictable course. It typically begins with social drinking getting out of control. As the disease progresses, the alcoholic loses control over how much to drink and eventually cannot keep from drinking, even at inappropriate times. The person uses denial to avoid facing the problems created by the abuse of alcohol and often blames others for these problems.

The first step in helping the alcoholic is to awaken the person to the reality of his or her situation. A supervisor should carefully document evidence of the person’s declining performance on the job and then confront the employee with unequivocal proof to that effect. The employee should be assured that help will be made available without penalty .

Because the evaluations are made solely in terms of poor on-the-job performance, a 5/12/2020 Print Preview https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781285872643&id=30222992&nbId=116383&snapshotId=116383&dockAppUid=101& 6/8 supervisor can avoid any mention of alcoholism and allow such employees to seek aid as they would for any other problem.

Employers must remember that alcoholism is classified as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA—see Chapter 3 ). Alcoholism is regarded as a disease, similar to a mental impairment. Therefore, a person disabled by alcoholism is entitled to the same protection from job discrimination as any other person with a disability . However, under the ADA, employers can discipline or discharge employees when job performance is so badly affected by alcohol usage that the employee is unable to perform the job.

Drug Abuse Like alcohol abuse, the abuse of illegal drugs by employees costs businesses billions annually in terms of safety risks, theft, reduced productivity , absenteeism, and accidents. A wide range of employers, including federal contractors and private and public transportation firms, are subject to regulations aimed at eliminating the use of illegal drugs on the job. The federal antidrug initiatives include the following: 1. The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, which requires federal contractors and recipients of federal grants to take specific steps to ensure a drug-free work environment. One of the main provisions of the act is the preparation and distribution of an antidrug policy statement, a sample of which is shown in Highlights in HRM 5 . 2. Department of Defense (DOD) contract rules, which specify that employers entering into contracts with the DOD must agree to a clause certifying their intention to maintain a drug-free workplace. 3. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, which require that employees whose jobs include safety- or security-related duties be tested for illegal drug use under DOT rules. To help employers benefit from being drug-free and to further its mission to help companies maintain safe, healthy , and productive workplaces, the U.S. Department of Labor created the Working Partners for an Alcohol and Drug-Free W orkplace. This goal of the agency is to raise awareness about the impact of substance abuse in the workplace and provide employers with substance abuse prevention information. Additionally , the Department’s Drug-Free Workplace Advisor provides information to employers about how to establish and maintain an alcohol- and drug-free environment. Highlights in HRM 5 Substance Abuse Policy Statement for the “Red Lions” The policy for the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, or “Red Lions” reads:

Substance abuse degrades the ef fective performance of Marines and Sailors, is a detriment to our combat readiness, and is contrary to our Core V alues and, 5/12/2020 Print Preview https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781285872643&id=30222992&nbId=116383&snapshotId=116383&dockAppUid=101& 7/8 therefore, will not be tolerated. Additionally , substance abuse destroys the health of our Marines and Sailors, their careers, and eventually their families. As Red Lions, we are professionals and are responsible for our actions and will be held accountable. Those who tolerate substance abuse in others have let me and the squadron down as well. If you test positive for illegal drug use you will be charged under the UCMJ and processed for separation from the Corps.

Red Lions will not engage in, or tolerate in others, the possession, use, traf ficking, or distribution of illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia—zero tolerance. Substance abuse is not just illegal drugs. Any drug not used for its intended purpose or used in excess constitutes substance abuse. Any substances used for the intent of getting high are included in substance abuse. We work daily in a hazardous environment.

Drug and alcohol abuse reduces our ability to think clearly , assess risks, and react properly. This puts everyone in danger , which is why it is intolerable.

We will take care of our fellow Red Lions through prevention and timely identification. Anyone classified as having a drug or alcohol incident will be referred to the Substance Abuse Control Of ficer, screened, counseled, and, if needed, sent to the Substance Abuse Counseling Center for a medical evaluation. If diagnosed as drug or alcohol dependent, they will be assigned to the appropriate treatment program.

We must ensure that every member of HMH-363 is committed to eradicating substance abuse from our squadron. Leaders at all levels shall use available resources to eliminate substance abuse. W e will take preemptive action through engaged leadership, training, counseling, and constant vigilance. Failure to do so unnecessarily exposes us to potential loss of life, damage to valuable equipment, degraded readiness, and the inability to complete our mission. The ADA considers an individual with a serious, life-af fecting drug problem to be disabled, provided the person is enrolled in a drug treatment program and not currently using drugs.

The person’s employer therefore must make reasonable accommodations for his or her disability. Reasonable accommodations might include time of f from work or a modified work schedule to obtain treatment. As we noted earlier, federal regulations require employers to test their workers for drug use under certain specified conditions. The issues related to drug testing under state and local laws are discussed in Chapter 13 in the context of employee rights.

The abuse of legal drugs can also pose a problem for employees. In fact, unlike marijuana, cocaine, and other illegal drugs, according to Quest Diagnostics, a blood-testing company, both employees’ prescribed use and misuse of opiates such as hydrocodone and oxycodone have been rising sharply . Employees who abuse legal drugs—those prescribed by physicians—often do not realize they have become addicted or how their behavior has changed as a result of their addiction. Also, managers should be aware that some 5/12/2020 Print Preview https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?eISBN=9781285872643&id=30222992&nbId=116383&snapshotId=116383&dockAppUid=101& 8/8 employees may be taking legal sedatives or stimulants as part of their medical treatment and that their behavior at work may be af fected by their use of these drugs. Chapter 12: Promoting Safety and Health: 12.3c Building Better Physical and Emotional Health among Employees Book Title: Managing Human Resources Printed By: Cedric T urner ([email protected]) © 2016 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning © 2020 Cengage Learning Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this work may by reproduced or used in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic, or mechanical, or in any other manner - without the written permission of the copyright holder .