Officers’ & Complaints Officers’ Wellness Program By Ivory Ndekei 25 th November 2015

What Human Beings do Depends on:- What we feel! What we know! What we see! What we believe!

What are these things determined by; Socialization Elements Exposed to Inner Psyche Culture Peer Pressure

Gender How we look IQ & EQ Ethnic Back ground Religion Physical Ability Conflict may arise across: Social Status Age

Anything that could go Wrong Could be: Psychological Emotional Financial Neurological Physical Social

Interventions Gender Age Gender Mainstreaming Promote Gender Friendly Systems Eliminate Gender blindness Promote Gender Equality Determine whether complaints and methods of handling complaints must be gender specific Eliminate Age Discrimination Inclusive Discussions & Work Trainings Trainings on communication skills across age groups Promote respect Boost workers’ self esteem by re-validation Encourage sharing of experiences

Interventions Promote Tolerance & Diversity Make people aware of biases & Prejudice Promote discussions on inclusion Make bias and prejudice unacceptable and unethical Promote the use of a common language in the workplace Promote healthy discussions on cultural differences Ethnic Back ground Religion Interrelated

Interventions Promote Worker Self Esteem Organize elaborate and interactive employee retreats Hold sessions with image consultants and psychologists Encourage confidence building verbal and non verbal communication in the work place Eliminate Discrimination Create awareness on biases and prejudice Make bias and prejudice unethical Put in place disability friendly infrastructure (ramps, voice prompts, Braille) Promote disability friendly verbal and non verbal communication How we look Physical Ability

Interventions Promote a Healthy Balance Create awareness and lay importance on different learning abilities Encourage neutral verbal and non verbal communication Promote trainings that improve workers’ social/ interpersonal skills (at retreats?) Incorporate a social worker / psychologist Eliminate Discrimination Organize information sessions about financial management for employees Promote respect in verbal and non verbal communication Encourage confidence building within and across job groups Re-emphasize the importance of each person’s job to the overall organization's objective IQ & EQSocial Status

The Experience of the Complaints Handling Officer Disconnect to Complaints Threats from Top Management & Clients Burn out Don’t want to go to work Aggressive Complainants Over- empathizing Grumpy at home Disempowered to give a solution Engaged by Work After Hours Not eating/sleeping

What to do? Management to conduct wellness retreats and invite specialists Complaints Officers to Create and Follow Personal Rules Complaints Officers to Manage threats to Self and Overall Well being Employees to jointly Lobby for important Services at the Workplace

Interventions TO TEACH Interpersonal skills Strategies for coping with depression The art of negotiating with employers and clients Healthy eating regimes and healthy sleep regimes Separating work and leisure Healthy diets and eating habits Managing personal and professional expectations Practising compassionate self talk Understanding different types of problems Management to conduct wellness retreats and invite specialists

Interventions Do not share personal contact details for work purposes Limit your work to national working hours unless on a work trip & take breaks When you feel drained, delegate cases to fellow members and engage in an energy boosting exercise Set an alarm that tells you when to eat and commit Practice good sleep hygiene – go to sleep and wake up at specific times. Include quiet time Encourage positive talk with others including when handling cases. Bring a positive light to your conversations Complaints Officers to Create and Follow Personal Rules

Interventions Always inform superiors of conflict before it escalates Listen to your body and its warning signs of fatigue, stress, anger, sadness and separate yourself from the cause Encourage communication with spouse/family to allow them to understand what you are going through and to support you Inform yourself on channels for psychological & legal redress Avoid stimulants like:- alcohol, drugs and other addictive habits Complaints Officers to Manage threats to Self and Overall Well being

Interventions Lobby for workplace support groups Lobby for counseling services Lobby for legal services for advise and adjudication Lobby for well equipped relaxation/break rooms with:- magazines, TVs, periodical free snacks/lunch, colorful walls and decorations, comfortable seating, healthy food options in vending machines, board games, space for holding occasional celebrations at the workplace Employees to jointly Lobby for important Services at the Workplace

Conclusion It is difficult for man to separate these things from the rules and regulations he/she should follow The work place should not be held hostage by these differences Workers should be empowered to overcome the differences and unite to fulfill the objective of Service Delivery