5 simple ways to reduce your stress in the workplace

By Jayne Morris, Chief Executive at TPP Not for Profit

Work stress can be brought on by a number of reasons, such as increased work demands, deadlines, changes to staff or bullying. This can have a negative impact on your health, and create problems such as not sleeping, lack of concentration or cause unhealthy behaviours, such as drinking in excess. It can also make it difficult to prioritise, juggle demands and can lead to long term absences from work. It is important to therefore tackle and manage your stress as soon as possible for your overall health. 

In this month’s blog we give our top 5 ways to managing your stress in the workplace. 


1.   Speak out

Speak to your Manager when you feel you have too many demands or deadlines approaching. Together work out a plan of tackling your workload before it becomes too much.  By speaking to your peers or colleagues, they may have ideas you had not thought of or may be able to help complete some tasks for you.

Your Manager may be able to make reasonable adjustments to assist you in performing well or suggest ways to organise your workload to help. It is essential to tell your employer if it is putting you or others health at risk, as they have a duty under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure your welfare at work.

If you are stressed over staff/company changes or being bullied, talk to your Manager or an employee you can trust. They can help you understand why changes are happening or deal with a problem, such as bullying, through your HR department.


2.   Build relationships with colleagues and peers

If you are in a senior role within an organisation, it can feel isolating at times; use your network or social media to connect with other peers. People in a similar position can help you obtain ideas and cope more effectively. Be positive and have positive people around you and avoid people that can be draining. Have regular meetings with your colleagues, discussing tasks on your radar. This can help ensure tasks get dealt with promptly before it becomes too late and prevent your workload from becoming too much.


3.    Have breaks

Take breaks at work, away from your desk. A brisk walk can really help clear your head and although may not feel like it, physical exercise can sharpen your focus and lift your mood, making tackling a stressful situation seem less daunting.  Take time to eat throughout the day. Low blood sugar levels can make you feel anxious and irritable. By eating healthy and throughout the day you can keep your energy levels up and stay focussed, to help you tackle your work.

It may feel like you’re wasting time that could be spent working, but you’ll be much more productive, as well as less stressed, when you return to your desk.

Access to work from home, such as through a mobile phone/ laptop, can actually make it more difficult to switch off from work or a problem such as bullying. It can be more tempting to check your emails late at night or at the weekend, giving you no time to clear your mind. Switch your phone off after a certain time and at weekends.

Many organisations offer advice and guidance on a healthy work life balance through employee assistance programmes. Speak to your HR department for advice on this.


4.   Get Organised

It is very easy to say ‘yes’ when asked to do something by your Manager or a colleague, but if you are taking on too much you will end up doing nothing well. Think about your current workload and use a “to do” or task list, prioritising your tasks and how long they will take you to complete. Use this information when assessing whether you have time to take on additional work.

If you have a large task to complete, break it down into smaller tasks. This can make it easier to handle and give a greater sense of achievement as you complete parts of it. If you are find you are getting distracted from a task being in a noisy office, with phones ringing and emails flooding in, put your out of office on and turn your phone on to do not disturb. Switching off from distractions and getting a task completed can really help your workload and reduce stress as a result.  If your workload is still too much after prioritising your to do list then delegate responsibility.

If staff changes are affecting your workload, have a meeting with your team, to work out how to share increased demands and who is best placed to handle tasks. For issues such as bullying, ensure you record when the problem happens and report each instance of it. Having everything in order, will help when speaking to HR.


5.    Think Positively

Stress can feel a lot worse by thinking negatively; you won’t feel motivated or have the energy to tackle the problem. Give yourself a well done for completing tasks, however small and using your network, build relationships with positive people.

If changes in the work place are causing your stress, think about the positive impact this may have on your organisation. People generally don’t like change but certain things are out of your control, such as redundancy by your employer and worrying or stressing about them won’t stop it happening. Instead have plans for ‘what if’ scenarios and try to think about the positive it could have on your work life.


Links for HR/Line Managers

If you are a HR Manager or line Manager, you may find the following links useful in tackling the issue of stress in the workplace. Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
 

CIPD – Line management behaviour and stress at work
Health & Safety Executive – Management Standards for work related stress
Employee Assistance Professionals Association


Useful Links on managing your stress

Managing Stress at the top
Help guide – Stress at work
Health & Safety Executive – tackling work related stress

 

 

 

 

An employee onboarding checklist

By Rob Hayter, Director at TPP Not for Profit

Onboarding is the process on inducting a new employee into your organisation and getting them up to speed.  Rather than just leaving them to get on with things, it’s important to make sure that a new member of staff understands your brand and values, the working culture of your organisation and their personal targets and expectations.


A good onboarding process means that a new employee can become productive much more rapidly, helping you to recoup the time and costs involved in recruitment more quickly.

This month’s blog takes the form of a checklist that will help make sure you don’t forget any steps in this important process.  And don’t forget that temps, Trustees and volunteers will need onboarding too!


Before they start

Hold a planning meeting before the new employee starts with key stakeholders, so you can ensure nothing is forgotten and everyone knows which areas of the onboarding process they are responsible for.

Work with your IT team to make sure they have a workstation, email, telecoms, network drives etc set up.

Order business cards.

Make sure key events and meetings are in their diary before they start.

Update your org chart, telephone directories, staff list, seating plans & circulate to all staff.

Make sure the new employee knows when and where to report and who to ask for at reception.

It’s a really good idea to create an induction manual to ensure everything is covered and that the process is consistent for all new members of staff.  This should include your organisation’s background, mission and structure plus staff policies, health & safety information, etc.


On the first day

Book time slots in your diaries for induction, and make sure you go to a meeting room so that you are not interrupted.

Make sure you give your starter a written plan of their objectives and responsibilities.  This is crucial to making sure they know what is expected of them and where to direct their energies.

If there is a probationary period, make sure it is clear what is needed to pass probation.

Have all HR paperwork ready to be completed on day one (or in advance if possible).

Introduce the starter to all their colleagues (or all employees in smaller organisations).

Assign a mentor or buddy at the same level as the new employee to help with day to day issues.

Take them out to lunch with a group of colleagues on their first day.

Run through your organisation’s formal policies, as well as informal conventions like dress code, sickness procedure etc.


In week one


Arrange induction meetings with all teams and back office functions for the new employee, so they have a good understanding of what different areas of the organisation do.

If possible, it’s a really good idea to arrange a welcome meeting with a director or the CEO, so they can personally make the starter feel welcome and explain their vision for the organisation.

Arrange training if needed.

Make sure they have some actual work to do, not just learning.  It’s virtually impossible to take in everything if it’s presented in one unbroken block of information.


Ongoing

Set regular (weekly if possible) meetings to check the progress of the new employee and that all areas of the induction have been covered.

Arrange a formal progress meeting (often a probation review) after three months.  This should have been enough time for an employee to settle in and start producing work of value.

In the unfortunate situation where things are not working out, act promptly.  It’s in everyone’s interest to be told about the situation as soon as possible.  Set a plan for improvement and if that fails, cut ties as soon as possible.


Useful Links

Induction advice from CIPD

Induction & probation forms and templates from HR Bird

Recruitment & induction booklet from Acas

Downloadable probation documents from CIPD

The 10 Best Charity Christmas Cards of 2013

By Kate Maunder, consultant at TPP Not for Profit

Every year, close to 2 billion Christmas cards are sent in the UK. Approximately 30% of these include a charitable donation.  This month, we look at which charities have the best Christmas cards.

All the cards we’ve chosen are not only fun and attractive, but they all have some connection to their charity, whether featuring an image related to the organisation or cause or having been designed by some of its beneficiaries.  This can be especially difficult for charities associated with healthcare issues or other negative topics, but all of these have managed amazingly.

All of these cards are also sold directly by the charities, so all or most of the profits go directly to the cause, unlike many charity cards sold by high street retailers.

Of course, this list only represents our opinions.  If you have a favourite charity Christmas card that we’ve overlooked, please post a link in the comments below.

10. Macmillan Cancer Support


 These cards cleverly link to the organisation they are supporting by featuring a London bus with a 'We are Macmillan Cancer Support' registration plate. The backs of the cards also feature information about Macmillan Cancer Support and the work that they do.

9. ABF The Soldier’s Charity


This card, entitled ‘Christmas Morning in Afghanistan’, is both beautiful and thoughtful; reminding us of our forces who are serving overseas at Christmas time.

8. Mencap

Each year, Mencap runs a Christmas Card Competition for people with a Learning Disability.  This winning image was by Luke Milligan of the Oakdale School from the 2007 competition.

7. Amnesty International

 
These cards from Amnesty feature colourful doves of peace and are printed using wood from the UK, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.  All cards carry the message 'Season's Greetings' in nine languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Irish, Scots Gaelic, Welsh and English) – reflecting Amnesty’s worldwide focus.

6. Acorns Children’s Hospice

 
This traditional Christmas scene pictures a children’s toy shop featuring the charity’s logo and strapline.

5. Guide Dogs for the Blind

 
This card features a happy looking yellow Labrador puppy, a typical guide dog breed, sporting a red Santa hat.

4. Royal British Legion


This sparkly Christmas card features the Royal British Legion’s iconic Remembrance Day poppy, covered in glitter.

3. Great Ormond Street

 
This delightful snowman card was designed by Jessy, aged 8, a patient at Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Hospital.

2. Royal National Lifeboat Institution


This bright and cheery Christmas tree is made up of the yellow wellies worn by RNLI volunteers.

1. Sreepur Village Outreach Project

 
Sreepur cards are individually hand-crafted by the women of the Sreepur Village Outreach Project in rural Bangladesh.  The producer group have Fair Trade recognition and are able to work from home without neglect of childcare.  All proceeds from the sale of cards are returned to the Sreepur Village, home to more than 500 abandoned children and more than 100 destitute women.

These beautiful cards are extremely popular and have completely sold out for this year.


Do you have a favourite Charity Christmas card?  Post a link in the comments below.

How do you know your recruiter is ethical?

By Jayne Morris, CEO, TPP Not for Profit

The recruitment industry as a whole has a pretty poor reputation, and many people over the years have experienced a bad level of service from recruiters, either as a candidate or a client.  For charities, where the crossover between employees, donors and volunteers is so large, it’s particularly important that their recruitment partner offers an effective service, but, more importantly, an ethical one.

In this post, we look at how this reputation has been earned and how you can make sure you’re working with an ethical and principled recruitment consultancy that shares your values.

Why the bad rep?

It’s a common perception that recruiters are simply out to make a quick profit, and will do virtually anything to fill a role, regardless of the quality of the fit.

Some common complaints about recruiters include:

• Recruiters don’t have any real knowledge or experience of the industry they are recruiting for
• Agencies charge far too much and don’t offer value for money
• Candidates are pressured into taking jobs they are not sure about, just so the recruiter can earn their commission
• Recruiters don’t listen to either their clients or their candidates
• Recruiters put forward candidates without meeting them face to face or sometimes without even getting their consent first
• Agencies place candidates in a role, only to poach them to another role after the guarantee period has ended
• All agencies share the same small pool of candidates and don’t encourage diversity among their candidates

In some sectors, where all that matters is getting a candidate in place, however short-term, this approach can suit both agency and employer.  However, most not for profit organisations need employees who are right for the role, committed to the cause and likely to benefit the organisation in the long term, and they need a recruiter they can trust to supply these candidates consistently.

So how do you make sure your agency is reliable?

When you work with a supplier, it’s a good idea to assess the service they provide.  We’ve put together a checklist of questions you should be asking your recruitment partner – a reputable consultancy will be able to provide evidence to back up all of these.

TPP currently work with over 50 clients on Preferred Supplier List (PSL) agreements.  These include a service level agreement to ensure that we meet our client’s needs, challenges, budgets and priorities, so we are constantly being asked to provide evidence about our service levels.  Any other consultancy should be able to do likewise.

Do they interview candidates face to face?

Some recruiters will do anything to fill a role before their competitors, even if it means sending over a candidate’s CVs when they have not met (or occasionally even spoken to) the jobseeker in question.

At TPP, we pre-interview all of our candidates before we send our shortlist over; in person wherever possible.  We always meet temporary candidates face to face, but occasionally interview permanent candidates on the phone if geographic or time constraints apply.  This means that we have explored in depth the motivations for each candidate, and are confident they are a good long-term fit for your organisation.  We also verify their UK right to work, so we don’t waste your time with candidates who aren’t eligible.

Meeting face-to-face also allows us to ‘sell’ your organisation to the candidate.  The very best employees are always in demand and can often pick and choose.  Having a third party pointing out the benefits of working for your organisation can often make all difference  We also brief our candidates about the role and prepare them for interviews, so you can see their best side on the day.

Do they really understand your sector?

Too often, recruitment consultants aren’t dedicated to recruiting for a particular kind of role or in a particular sector, so they don’t have the specialist knowledge required to understand how your organisation works, the kind of employees you need or any grasp of trends and issues in your sector.  Not for profit organisations are structured differently from corporate organisations and require staff with specific skills and motivations, so it’s important your recruiter ‘gets’ this.

At TPP, the structure of our teams mirrors the internal structure of our clients, so one consultant won’t recruit for all of your roles.  Instead, we have a fundraising team who only recruit fundraisers, and a finance division who specialise in finance and accountancy staff, etc.  Combined with the fact that we only recruit for not for profit organisations, this gives our consultants a really good understanding of recruitment trends and employees’ motivations for moving, both within the broader sector and within their job function.

Do they keep in touch enough (but not too much)?

It can feel like recruiters constantly bombard you with telephone calls and emails, trying to get you to see candidates who just aren’t right for your organisation.  But when something goes wrong or you’ve got a question, suddenly you can’t get hold of them.  This is especially frustrating as a candidate, when you just don’t know what’s going on.

TPP are scrupulous at keeping both our clients and candidates updated throughout the recruitment process.  We know that candidates kept hanging in the dark can often simply go elsewhere, so we are constantly in touch with them so any potential issues can be tackled before, not after, an offer is made.

And once we have successfully placed a candidate, we don’t just forget about them.  We follow up on their progress with both employer and employee to make sure they are settling in on their journey to adding value to your organisation.  We also only discuss new opportunities with candidates we have placed if they contact us directly or apply for one of our advertised roles.

TPP are also passionate about sharing our knowledge and expertise with the sector.  We send our clients updates on trends in the sector which are likely to affect them and our monthly email newsletters have a wealth of recruitment and HR tips and advice.

Do they support the sector in which they work?

While other not for profit recruiters have employees who volunteer, or run the odd industry seminar, none of them works on the same scale as the TPP Giving Back programme.  We want to help both our clients and candidates to achieve as much as they possibly can, so we offer a wide variety of free services to help them do so.

These include:

• Free advertising for volunteer roles
• Free use of our boardroom and interview space
• Free professional development seminars and networking events, including our new Inside Track series
• Free career and recruitment articles and advice, and regular salary surveys
• Free CV and career advice clinics and workshops
• £100 IoF CPD voucher for every fundraiser placed through us

Our staff are also encouraged to volunteer with paid leave and many are trustees or regular volunteers for charities.  All of us have chosen to work with the third sector, and we feel it’s important to give back as much as possible.

Do they offer a diverse range of candidates?

There is a great deal of evidence that having a diverse range of employees makes an organisation more effective.  This is particularly true for charities, where there has traditionally been a disconnect between the type of people who work for the charity and their beneficiaries.

TPP are proud to have consistently represented an extremely wide range of candidates for over 17 years, including those with disabilities and from the older population; one of our part-time temporary workers is a 77 year old for example.  Our huge database and wide range of partnerships with associations and groups means that we can find candidates outside the usual pool of jobseekers, including those elusive ‘passive candidates’.  Because of our reputation and longevity in the industry, we also attract many commercial candidates who need a trusted partner to guide them to the right career within the sector.

Do they have a good reputation in the sector?

One of the best ways to judge the service a supplier provides is to ask other people who have used them what they think.

TPP constantly monitor the service we provide and our customers’ satisfaction.  95% of our clients and 98% of our candidates would recommend TPP.  We also constantly receive testimonials from both our candidates and our clients.  In fact, earlier this year TPP was voted Best Recruitment Agency in the Partners in Fundraising Awards.  We were also been shortlisted for Best Consultancy in the Charity Times Awards.

Do they have industry accreditation?

A reputable recruitment consultancy should always be a member of a professional body, such as the REC, IOR or APSCO.  At TPP, we’ve gone one step further and are very proud to have gained REC Audited accreditation.  Launched this year by the REC as the gold standard for recruitment, this award aims to differentiate those recruiters who can demonstrate that they operate best practice in areas such as customer service, staff development and client management. The process of attaining this standard starts with a diagnostic and also includes a detailed onsite audit by a REC expert who not only checks processes, systems and compliance but they also talk to staff and management to ensure they truly are a gold standard company.

We are delighted to have achieved REC Audited status and to be the first not for profit recruiter to do so!

Do they monitor their level of service?

TPP pride ourselves on delivering a principled and ethical service, but we do not sit on our laurels and assume all is always perfect.  We have:

• an in-house Marketing Department who conducts the quality surveys and feedback questionnaires
• an internal Compliance Department  to ensure that our candidates details are checked and double checked
• an internal Client Services Department who impartially monitor our service to clients, conduct service reviews and can implement PSLs and Service Level Agreements

So you can be confident that our service is continuously monitored and improved.


Before you decide to work with any recruitment consultancy, do make sure you know the answers to the above questions.  Not all agencies are alike, and your choice of partner could affect both the productivity of your organisation and possibly its reputation!