18.10.2019

Ask 5 with Jan Rogers, MD of JR Corporate Health

Jan Rogers, is a Registered Nurse Advisor, Psychological Counsellor, Clinical Supervisor and MD of JR Corporate Health. Having worked in the Healthcare Sector for much of her career, she has witnessed first-hand the impact of stress, anxiety and depression on the lives of individuals. She is mindful of the various personal and professional stressors that trigger such a response and she, along with Operations Director, John, is keen to work with individuals and organisations in an attempt to address those issues that compromise their capacity to function well.

  1. It feels like we are now living in an “always on” world. What can we all do to help manage our work / life balance? In seeking to establish a balanced home and working life, two key words spring to mind and they are expectations and priorities. On a professional level the Contract, Job Description and Person Specification are good starting points. A comprehensive Induction Process that defines mutual expectations and boundaries within the role is an essential part of the process. Issues like working hours and priorities should be clearly understood and regular Appraisals are a good indicator of whether key objectives are being met in this area. But life is not all about work and our personal lives are equally important. Those two key words are just as important as we navigate our way through expectations and priorities in our relationships. I’m always keen to encourage people to consider prioritising time for themselves, their partner and their family. We all have 24 hours in a day and it is important to ensure that we use them wisely.
  2. What’s your best tip for time management at work? At the beginning of the working week it is so important to assess priorities for the week ahead. Plan your diary carefully and don’t forget to review it on a daily basis, things change and this also applies to our priorities. And… in the middle of it all… don’t forget to take time to breathe. In other words, take a break!
  3. If you are leading teams, how you can help them understand how to and be able to manage their time effectively? Children live what they learn; this is something I often find myself saying to parents of young children when they are desperately trying to do the right thing as parents. This saying translates equally well into the workplace: The best piece of advice I would offer a Team Leader is to model behaviour that you hope team members will want to emulate. On a practical level, a regular one to one meeting with staff members is a good way of discerning whether any issues are arising and may well allow for a conversation around how they might be best addressed.
  4. Stress is a frequently used word. How can you identify if a colleague is stressed at work and what is your advice on how to support them. Identifying whether a colleague is stressed is not always easy, particularly if the individual does not acknowledge it, which is often the case. Common symptoms might include irritability, mood swings, anxiety, low energy and problems with concentration. Behavioural difficulties might include hostility or simply withdrawing from interacting with others. There may be physical symptoms too, including headaches, aches and pains and symptoms of panic, including breathing difficulties, chest pains and a sense of terror. They may fail to attend work, either because of repeated minor infections or because they might be struggling to function well emotionally. Performance may have dropped and mistakes might be more common. Sensitivity is key in addressing the issues, especially if the colleague feels ashamed and struggling to acknowledge the difficulties. Colleagues would do well to check in with the individual, offering gentle support, emotionally and practically; expressing concern for their wellbeing without attempting to take control. Managers might want to complete a Stress Risk Assessment and this can be found at hse.gov.uk/stress/standards This allows for the opportunity to put in place a supportive plan, which can be reviewed periodically. If the organisation has access to an Employee Assistance Programme, make the individual aware of this, particularly as some short-term counselling may well address and resolve the issues.
  5. What’s your favourite motivational quote and why? That’s a difficult question, when I have so many of them! The one that is my absolute favourite though goes like this: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step”. (Lao Tzu) Life can be difficult and we can be overwhelmed by issues that crop up in all areas of our daily life. Taking a positive step back from those difficulties and breaking them down into manageable pieces is so important. We can’t control what happens in the future, but we can take control of what is happening today. Addressing issues we face today may well inform what happens in the future.