Presented by: Julie Finn, Relationship Manager First Marblehead First Aid for Stress 1 Content Developed by HRDQ

First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ Disclaimer 2 The purpose of this presentation is to provide some suggestions for how to cope with everyday workplace stress. The information contained herein represents the opinion of its author and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any stress-related illness or mental health condition. If you have concerns about your health, or would like more information about how to deal with stress, please contact your physician.

First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ Objectives 3 Determine your stress level Debunk stress myths Understand stress triggers Learn how to proactively manage your stress And more!

Stress Check 4

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First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ Acknowledging the Concept of Stress ✚ Working in financial aid is stressful ✚ Stress can affect our quality of life ✚ Stress can reduce productivity 6

First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ Debunking Stress Myths ✚ Myth 1 Stress does not exist ✚ Myth 2 Stress is not a problem in this office ✚ Myth 3 All stress is bad 7

First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ What is Stress? 8 ✚ Personal Perceptions of Stress ✚ Stress Indicators ✚ Psychological ✚ Physiological ✚ Behavioral

First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ Summary 9 ✚ We must accept that stress in the workplace exists and work to understand what it means. ✚ Stress definitions range from the simple to the complex and comprehensive. ✚ Stress can be defined as being a stimulus, a response, or a relationship between a person and his or her environment. ✚ Stress can usefully be defined as an “umbrella” term under which a wide range of issues and aspects of human function and performance at work can be understood and managed. ✚ Our definitions of stress guide our understanding and stress management interventions at work.

First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ Understanding the Causes of Stress 10 ✚ Understimulation and Overstimulation ✚ The Problem of Understimulation ✚ Overstimulation: A Threat to Quality Work

First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ Common Causes of Stress 11 ✚ Sleep deprivation ✚ Noise ✚ Stress and sickness, absence

First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ Cultivating the Quality Workplace 12 ✚ Acknowledge and value each other ✚ Make sure everyone feels they belong ✚ Be kind to each other

First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ Causes of Stress Summary 13 ✚ The balance between understimulation and overstimulation in the workplace ✚ The need for organizations to become more responsible and more proactive in their approaches to preventing and alleviating stress at work ✚ The part played by work demands and information flow on the quality of employee performance ✚ Stress and sickness absence ✚ The need to create and maintain a quality workplace as much as a performance-driven one

14 Activity: Job Stress/Satisfaction

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First Aid for Stress© 2008, 2013 HRDQ Final Thoughts 16 ✚ Stress is present during the whole of the human life span. ✚ We simply cannot assume that every single time stress is experienced it is a bad thing for employees. Stress can be a motivator as long as it does not exceed our ability to cope. ✚ What we can say is that stress only becomes a problem for workers if and when the significant demands they face in their working lives exceed their social, psychological, biological, and somatic resources and abilities to cope.