Occupational Health Strategies?

RE: Occupational Health Strategies?

Utlendigur — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:54:47 GMT

[quote user="ruths"]What is a woolly, touchy- feely event anyway?[/quote]

Could be easily misunderstood here in Wales

RE: Occupational Health Strategies?

J G Wray — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:45:40 GMT

There is another practical tool that is easy to implement and allows for the airing of "grievances" or "worries" or "stressors" and that's a SWOT exercise.

The way we do it here is annually, with all staff given a 2 by 2 grid, labelled appropriately, completed and submitted anonymously if so wished. Here the framework is also clear, that it is about the practice and process, not individuals. HOwever, problems of behaviours can be aired and this year a theme of peristent lateness has been brought up. It has been articulated as something with consequences for other team members and the practice, not as a finger pointing exercise and it comes from the team, not the management.

Excerpts from some of these

Strength section Processes sub section - "Teamwork, especially "out back" is amazing here. Vets>Nurses>Receptionists all know there (spello)job and how to work together...

Threat section:

"..Overworked staff burning out, getting disheartened with ourselves and practice's new ethos because as much as we want to provide and continue to improve our care we cannot do so at present.."

I will be summarising all the SWOTS this week and sending out a report, including last year's report and how many things have been adressed since then as proof of action and management of change.

Like the short sharp scripted meetings, trust has developed over time and a method of articulating a concern, a "stressor" has been found, within a larger piece which is trusted to achieve change. It therefore becomes worthwhile to participate.

[quote user="ruths"]What is a woolly, touchy- feely event anyway?[/quote]

This is any meeting where there is little or no structure and where it is advertised to the team as something they don't understand like, for instance "Occupational Health in our practice". Yuck.

RE: Occupational Health Strategies?

ruths — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 20:14:43 GMT

[quote user="J G Wray"]

A practical prophylactic measure, easily and quickly implemented, with structure in a non judgmental framework are short sharp team meetings where the agenda items are only those found on continuously submitted subject cards. You let the staff run these and stick rigidly to the subject and an allotted timescale. This can be extended only when here are definitive wins, logged and implemented and attributed to the collective. Trust quickly emerges and because these sessions are structured, it is also seen to be effective in producing change. Then move on to troublesome personal and HR issues

Woolly, touchy-feely events will produce a yuck response and kill any high intent

[/quote]

I think you are right on one level, but I also think it's really important to have a suppotive atmosphere.

It's interesting to hear how adamant you are- who knows what Mark's colleagues will think?

What is a woolly, touchy- feely event anyway?

RE: Occupational Health Strategies?

Mark Hedberg — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 19:15:01 GMT

So no hand holding and singing 'Kum Ba Ya', then? :D

RE: Occupational Health Strategies?

J G Wray — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 18:36:02 GMT

Woolly, touchy-feely events will produce a yuck response and kill any high intent

RE: Occupational Health Strategies?

Mark Hedberg — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 18:11:39 GMT

Thanks! Don't have issues yet, (we open on Friday). I do have one or two staff members on my radar; who (like myself) have suffered MH issues in the past. I've not heard of Schwartz rounds but will definitely look into this!

Mainly I just don't want to miss things because I'm not looking. You know, typical vet. :)

RE: Occupational Health Strategies?

Helen Humphreys — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 10:43:35 GMT

Thank you for sharing this on the forum. This is exactly what I hoped to hear about. As I am sure you will appreciate I can't be specific, as I don't know your particular workplace issues / needs and so on. That said whatever the industry / potential issues there are a number of common themes that affect all workplaces, managers and employees. The first step is exactly what I think you are referring to here. My suggestion is you consider a workshop / awareness day (or 1 /2 hour over a sandwich) to have a team dialogue to discuss what's on your team's mind. Create a safe environment for them to share their ideas, thoughts, suggestions. This will be ideal initially for you to gauge where its at. Based on that outcome you can then decide with the team how best to take it to the next level. Would they like more sessions like this? Would they like to introduce other, specific initiatives. Whatever the outcome in my experience this will be beneficial and you will hopefully feel you have made a positive in road. You will certainly know more about the team's concerns, thinking etc which is invaluable to a manager. I'd love to hear how it progresses and if you need any specific further help around this you just have to ask.

RE: Occupational Health Strategies?

ruths — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 21:59:47 GMT

and there's the whole concept of active listening http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Active-Listening-Katie-Owens-at

It's a positive way of being supportive. So many times people listen to one another only to disagre, or to fix something... if you take time to listen to people and let them really talk things through, they often have the answer to their own problems...

RE: Occupational Health Strategies?

ruths — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 21:56:04 GMT

[quote user="Mark Hedberg"]

I'm working with a new team, and I'd like to put in some strategies or tactics to help promote good occupational health; eg a positive culture, positive, probiem solving attitudes, and empathy/sympathy to clients and their pets (as well as each other!)

Helen, do you have any advice on this subject?

Welcome to VetSurgeon!

Cheers,
Mark

[/quote]

while helen is away, I wondered if you ahd heard of Schwartz rounds?

I have a consultant friend who has these at his hospital and another pal who is in hospital management who set up and runs sessions in her hospital.

http://www.theschwartzcenter.org/supporting-caregivers/schwartz-center-rounds/

http://www.pointofcarefoundation.org.uk/Schwartz-Rounds/

I don't know how big your team is and whether or not that matters. These sessions are set up as safe spaces where people can share their stresses in a non judgemental way and talk them through wiht colleagues. They are really helpful to those who get involved. I suspect there will be some people with a negative reaction, but it may be effective if you get enough open minded people give it a go.