1. The Healthy Workplace Cristina G. Banks, PhD Haas School of Business &
Interdisciplinary Center for Healthy Workplaces
July 26, 2016

2. Outline The Problem What Science Has to Say
Unique Characteristics of Teaching Profession
Preventing Burnout
Promoting Health and Well-Being
Take-Aways

3. The Problem

8. Other Facts
Whitehall Study I (N= 17,530), Whitehall II (N=10,314) British civil servants
Job characteristics (low control, low opportunity to learn and develop skills, high psychological workload) related to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Job status (employment grade) related to ischemic heart disease, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, consumption of healthy food, lower control over working lives, varied work, work pace, job satisfaction, social support, and number of stressful life events.
Job status and mortality: Men in lowest grade had 3 times the mortality rate compared to highest grade.

9. The Role of Workplace Stressors
Goh, Pfeffer, & Zenios (2016) Management Science.
10 workplace stressors & Self-reported physical health, self-reported mental health, physician diagnosed health condition, mortality (228 studies).
120,000 excess deaths each year associated with the various workplace factors.
Incremental healthcare costs due to these factors are substantial, comprising 5-8% of the total national healthcare expenditure (2008).
Conclusion: employer decisions are associated with excess deaths and healthcare costs in the US.
Workplace-related deaths exceed deaths from diabetes, and total costs incurred exceed $180 Billion.

10. Teacher Burnout
Russell, Altmaier & Van Velzen (1987) Journal of Applied Psychology
47 stressful events, 2 measures of social support, and three levels of burnout.
Age, class size related to emotional exhaustion.
Sex and grade level taught related to depersonalization.
Number of stressful events related to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization.
Supervisor support mitigated the relationship between stressful events and burnout.
Most important provision of support was assurance of worth.

11. THE PROBLEM OF BURNOUT EXHAUSTION CYNICISM INEFFICACY
Workers are overwhelmed, unable to cope, unmotivated, and display negative attitudes and poor performance

12. THE OUTCOMES OF BURNOUT
Poor quality of work
Low morale
Absenteeism
Turnover
Health problems
Depression
Family problems
Self-harm, suicide

13. SIX STRATEGIC AREAS
Workload
Control
Reward
Community
Fairness
Values

14. JOB-PERSON MISMATCH Demand Overload Lack of Control
Insufficient Reward
Breakdown of Community
Absence of Fairness
Value Conflicts
More Mismatches = More Burnout

15. PATH TO RECOVERY: HUMAN NEEDS
Positive Emotions
Meaning
Social Connection
Autonomy
Safety
Competence/Mastery
Accomplishment
Personal Growth

16. JOB-NEEDS MATCH Sustainable workload Mastery
Choice and control Autonomy
Reward and Recognition Accomplishment
Supportive Work Community Social Connection
Fairness, Respect and Social Justice Positive Emotions
Clear Values and Meaningful Work Meaning
More Matches = More Well-Being

17. The Healthy Workplace
What are the most important psychological states to teachers?
What things can be done to make those psychological states more positive?
Group exercise
Read out from each group
Take-aways?

18. Proof? Parnassus Endeavor Fund (PARWX) The Health Project (THP)
Workplace Fund established in 2005
Invested in companies recognized for being great places to work
Assets total $1.49B in 25 different holdings
April 2005-January 2013 had 9.63% annualized return (S&P = 5.58%)
13.7% return over last three years
The Health Project (THP)
Fund established in 2000
Invests in prestigious C. Everett Koop National Health Award companies
(recognized for effective workplace health promotion programs)
showed 235% higher returns than the S&P 500 strategy.
Koop award winners outperformed the market in 11 of the 14 years studied.

19. Conclusion Healthy workplaces make good business.
Health-oriented organizational design and psychological need satisfaction are key to employee health and well-being.
Workplace stressors can be greatly reduced or eliminated by careful analysis and intervention.
A healthier workplace will translate into improved health status, greater job performance, lower absenteeism, greater job satisfaction and greater employee retention.