Heading off the plane last week at La Guardia Airport after a restful few days in Florida, my mind had already begun creating the rundown for the next day. I had meditated on the plane and that’s when I’m at my best. Those moments of shutting down and just allowing the creative juices to flow.

Even at close to midnight, I was ready for action. And then I ran into a billboard for a new book, The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working: The Four Forgotten needs that Energize Great Performance. The next day I went out and bought the book. Rare.

The title speaks for itself. I was taken with it because you don’t need a sledge hammer to drive home that message. Our WorkLife Nation is undergoing great transition as is the rest of the planet around the working and living experience.

In The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working by best-selling author Tony Schwartz, he simply and articulately hits upon fundamental core values: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. But it’s how he expands those categories with research and solution oriented ideas that suggest there is some hope in the quest for work life balance.

Using the “S” Word

Schwartz even goes out on the limb of using the “s” word; “spirituality” in the context of boosting employees’ energy and engagement in the workplace. And he also writes about the benefits of the breath.  But he just skims the top of the huge topic of meditation and deeper spiritual values without going into a dogmatic or woo woo place. Ultimately, his ideas are not airy fairy. He’s really talking about grounded concepts like appreciating your employees, allowing for some downtime, working with purpose and passion and fostering an overall shift in the workplace culture.

In an earlier post this week I wrote about a new book on the elements of a Meaningful Workplace.  Obviously there’s a trend here. Many of us are fed up with the status quo and we’re just plain tired.

The Energy Project

The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working is the brainchild of Schwartz and his team of experts in organizational development. The theory is that human beings are not programmed to continually work at the speed of light, but that we rather pulse between intense focus and rest. This makes perfect sense. When we don’t refuel, we shut down and burn out.

While no one has come up with the perfect formula to make that fluctuation between those states of consciousness seamless, this book is a nice way to start. This team has been working on their formula for quite a few years in some of the most prominent and progressive workplaces, like Google, Ford and Sony Pictures among others. The concepts are easy to digest, seem like no-brainers and makes one wonder why more corporate leaders aren’t making more of an effort to value and engage employees when the benefits are so clearly written on the wall.

The Breath & Meditation

Schwartz writes about the benefits of using the breath to recharge. I’m in agreement with that idea, and the need for core values and purpose to be embraced in the workspace, but let’s take it a step further.

For the last decade I’ve been instructing business executives in breathwork and meditation techniques. The breath is a great way to calm the mind, body and soul. Seventy percent of our waste is eliminated through the lungs. It’s hard to argue against the benefits of breathwork to detox the body, but we forget it can also be used to detox the mind. And when we do that, all kinds of benefits emerge.

Once the body is on that path of detox and relaxation it allows for the calming of the mind, and as Swartz writes in his chapter Cultivating the Whole Brain, better use of the entire right and left brain. The left brain mastering the more cognitive and intellectual response and the right brain governing the creative response.

The Benefits of Calming the Monkey Mind

In stillness, with fewer stimuli battling against it, it’s easier to focus the mind. Better conditions are set to allow more creative thoughts to emerge. That calm fuels overall energy inside and out. The meditative qualities of that state-of- being recharges the inner core of who we are as human beings physically and spiritually, and sets fertile ground for better choices.

A refueled grounded state can also reignite what might have become stale passion. When we stop our busy chaotic 24/7 sensory overloaded lives, even for a moment of the breath,  it allows us to remember who we are, why we’re here, and stretches us to ask,” How can I be apart of something bigger than myself.”

What are your thought on meditation in general? Have you ever meditated at work? Do you think that corporate America is ready to hear more about this or is it an exercise for entrepreneurs? Please share your thoughts!

Global workforce consultant firm Accenture, just announced the winners of its employee video contest. You can read about it, in the company's career news section.

It's part of the Accenture Media Exchange – a program which encourages employees to put their creativity to work while addressing inside company issues. For example, one featured video is designed to welcome new employees on their first day of work. It brings them up to date on company procedure, while offering a bit of comfort, lessening the anxiety of starting a new job. It's a driver for employee engagement.

The company says the employee produced media library, is like an insider YouTube. Telling stories through short videos can cover everything from informational to inspirational topics. It's also a great way for a multi-national corporation to share strategy and techniques across cultural boundaries.

In our 24/7 global marketplace, social media within company walls can break down barriers, but sharing employee produced products adds a component of inclusivity which is so desperately needed in corporate culture.

These kinds of programs exalt the talent already existing within the walls of the company and triggers innovation by allowing workers to form strategic alliances as they take on the challenges of our beleaguered marketplace.

When workers have a vested interest in their company, their own performance, and the way they learn – it can only boost morale and productivity. Employees become the trackers of their own career path and can make their voices known with regard to furthering their own skills on the job. This is a win-win for both the company and the worker who in our current climate – has a great interest in staying employed.

The heartbreaking video of a psychiatric patient dying on the floor at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York hospital has echoed across the internet in the last 24 hours. The video shows the patient, Ms. Green, collapsing on the floor. As she collapses she is ignored. Hospital workers and security did nothing as she was lying there and eventually died.

Were these employees simply desensitized to the sight of a psychiatric patient withering on the floor? If so, we could be looking at a much larger problem not only in hospitals, but the workplace in general.

As the article in the New York Times states: “A staff member in a yellow jacket can be seen in the video prodding Ms. Green with her foot.”

We’re talking about a staff person in a health institution. Since the video surfaced, an agreement was confirmed that mandates increased monitoring of psychiatric patients. But sadly someone had to die before an alleged ongoing issue of misconduct at the institution was addressed.

One wonders… was the hospital understaffed? Were the employees, including the doctor on the unit, burned out? Or, again, were they simply desensitized? No matter the reason, the employees didn’t take a human moment to investigate until it was too late.

Health care is one of the top sectors in need of skilled workers as boomers retire and we head into a tightening job market. This was likely not the first incident of its kind and will likely not be the last. This is an issue of employee engagement, poor workplace guidelines, and inhuman behavior. All of which need to be on the top shelf for employers in any sector.

With the economic seesaw that we are enduring, companies that preemptively tackle workplace stress and lack of employee engagement now - while instilling common workplace values – will have a better chance of riding the current wave of uncertainty. Perhaps this is seemingly light talk in contrast to the deadly episode at Kings County. But pain adheres to pain. If these workers started the day with a poor attitude, overworked or understaffed they were already prepped to be laxidasical.

I don’t mean to belie or make light of the deadly consequences of what occurred at Kings County, but it’s a huge red flag that’s waving high above our edicts of moral integrity in the workplace.

It happened behind closed doors, but I suspect the juicy details of the settlement between writers and producers regarding BlackBerry use after-hours at ABC News, is the stuff of much gossip and concern in an industry where the “news” never sleeps. It should also be the concern of companies in just about any sector as we are living in a time of instant information and instant gratification.

BlackBerrys afford instant access, which can put a deal to bed successfully before competitors, get the last work in on a project, and be a great tool for flexible working conditions as workers can share vital information while traveling between meetings. It can also be another thorn in anyones worklife balance profile. The perception that workers are accessible after-hours or 24/7, will inevitably bring employees to a new burnout threshold while putting pressure on employers to review their labor policies.

Here are the challenges:

1. What is permissible use of the gadgets? “Hmmm – I’ll answer my BB till PM?”
2. Where do you draw the line in defining what constitutes after-hours work? A simple reply or “Gee – let me read that report and then get back to you.”
3. Is it ok to answer emails with a few words without having to punch in to the company time clock? “If I my answer requires another call or research, I want overtime.”
4. What information is ok to share after-hours, and will it alter the business dynamic of a company? “Hey – I can get that embargoed report before anyone and be blogging by AM the next morning.”
5. Even if a company creates guidelines – who will enforce them? “BBB – BlackBerry Bean counters”
6. If an employee complains and refuses to be available – will they be frowned upon as not being a loyal employee? “When Friday night comes, Karen’s BB interaction is nonexistent, maybe she doesn’t want a promotion?’

Bottom line is that the BlackBerry phenomenon and its implications are just in their infancy. It behooves companies to get a head start on guidelines for usage, before a labor dispute does it for them.

Check out other BlackBerry posts:

BlackBerry Overload

For Whom the BlackBerry Tolls

Battling Sensory Overload on a Bus

“Many of them are sometimes called dinosaurs in the press, but the idea is when they move - the whole earth shakes.”  Dana Friedman Ed.D.

The above quote from worklife expert Dana Friedman Ed.D. portends the significant impact of business as an agent of social change. But that change has not been swift with regard to work/life balance or family concerns in the corporate arena. While we are witnessing a rise in efforts to create a more flexible working environment, and an increase in the number of EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs), it sometimes comes at the price of a smaller paycheck or a larger contribution on the part of the employee.

The Families and Work Institute recently released The 2008 National Study of Employers which tracks the practices, programs, policies and benefits offered by U.S employers. It’s a comprehensive look at the trends over the last decade, examines the prevalence of company programs addressing employees’ personal and family needs, compares the progress between small and large employers, and deconstructs how companies make their decisions about offering such programs – typically known as work/life balance initiatives.

The phrase, “work/life balance initiatives” might be a thing of the past in the circles of those of us exploring worklife culture, most prefer the term “work/life flexibility practices.”  But in the corporate lexicon - the ‘B” word is still dominant. In a quick scan of 25 top multinational companies which offer such EAPs, most of them still refer to their programs as “work/life balance initiatives” on their websites. This had my mind whirling about the history of “work/life balance” and whether all this talk is getting us anywhere. For that I went to work/life expert Dana Friedman, a co-founder of the Families and Work Institute.

In this week’s Work/Life Nation podcast, Friedman deconstructs the playing field of corporate America’s history, interest and future –  in tackling work/life issues. She touches on our 24/7 world, employee retention, employee engagement, baby boomer retirement and the multi-generational structure which now makes up our workforce.

Click here for the Work/Life Nation radio feature with Dana Friedman Ed.D.

The global concern about the dying off of honey bees has been flying higher on the radar screens of environmental advocates and big business. Honey bees are being decimated by what scientists have termed, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).  Essentially, bees are leaving the planet because their immune systems are suffering due to stressful working and commuting conditions. (We can learn a thing or two from this eco-crisis) Sounds familiar? Take a look in the mirror. Just like those honey bees, the stress of commuting is now compounded by financial stress for us humans, making worklife balance a far fetched goal.

[Click here for a commentary by Mary Martin Ph.D. of AnimalPerson.net who blogged on this topic at SuperVegan.com.]

Now lets address the human race, stressful commuting conditions, skyrocketing fuel costs, and the resulting financial stress. In Sarah Needleman’s article in the Wall Street Journal, she takes a look at how some companies are stepping up to the plate by helping employees with the cost of commuting. It’s to their benefit:

"Expressing this kind of concern for workers’ financial well-being may be critical, says Wayne Hochwarter, a management professor at the College of Business at Florida State University who studies workplace dynamics. Employees experiencing financial problems tend to be less productive due to increased stress levels, says Prof. Hochwarter."

Whether it’s rising gas prices or the state of our economy, corporate America and business in general would be wise to wake up to the need to better address workplace stress, employee engagement and worklife flexibility. Coming to the aid of commuting employees is short term solution to a much bigger problem.  In a tight job market, a long expensive commute might not be enough to push highly skilled workers elsewhere, but workplace tensions might be enough to finish the job.

If gas prices continue to soar, and employers don’t address the resulting financial stress, we might see even shorter fuses in the workplace. And just like those honey bees – those workers might take off. 

Summer is around the corner and soon you’ll notice that the corner office might be LESS occupied into the late afternoon hours. Are there more out-of-office meetings over the summer, or is there a bit more wiggle room for an early exit for a family barbecue or an early start on a beach weekend?

Wouldn’t it be great to know if your boss was hightailing it out of the office, if it wasn’t frowned upon, and in fact, was an openly acceptable behavior for all – on occasion? A recent study suggests that kind of transparency might actually improve employee productivity and engagement.

Deloitte 2008 Ethics & Workplace survey indicates such transparency leads to a more ethical workplace culture. The findings show that, " …open and honest
communication channels between employees and leadership regarding work-life
issues, has a significant positive impact on workplace culture overall."

According to the survey, conducted by Opinion Research on behalf of Deloitte:

• 72% of respondents agree that if their boss was more open about his/her
  need to take time off during regular work hours for personal reasons, it would
  create a more engaging and productive environment.
• 84% of respondents agree that openness by leadership
  contributes to a more ethical workplace culture.
• 68% said it
  would create a more values-based organization.

The challenges to this type of transparency are unfortunately mounting as individuals become more concerned about the sagging economy and job security. Open communication between rank and file requires a conscious shift in perception about face time and the benchmarks of accountability. If this doesn’t begin with the leadership, it becomes nearly impossible for mid-level managers to adapt such a behavior which can trickle down to the typical employee.

This kind of workplace cultural change requires more than a shift in perception. It calls for a values-driven workplace and new methods of measuring productivity which include placing a higher value on employee engagement and ethics in the workplace.

I indulged in a nasty habit of mine yesterday. Deviating from my hard-nosed worklife business beat, I turned on something other than a screen with ticker tape running across the bottom of it. Yes, I dipped below the cable stations into the few single-digit network stations available, and came upon The View.

Despite my short attention span, I ended up glued to the screen because of Whoopi Goldberg. She was talking about our 24/7 world and how her small contribution to rebelling against this sensory overload is taking a bus- as opposed to flying – even cross country. A ride that takes a good 43 hours coast to coast.

Goldberg commented that she hated to fly, in any event. But it was amazing how quickly the panel burst out into…"how could you take all that time on a bus….aren’t you bored….I could never take my child on a bus…." on and on and on.

Goldberg said it was a great way to relax, get some peace and just hang out – by herself. "Hey, I like to hang out by myself. I like myself," she exclaimed! We are so conditioned to believe that quicker is better. The faster the better, the bigger the better, the more seen we are the more influence we have. Not true. There’s something to be said about the "pace of grace."

What do I mean by that? It’s working with awareness of the goal in sight, at a steady pace, but without burning out and fearing failure due to deadlines. It’s not an easy thing to achieve or a likely place to find yourself especially working for someone else. But to the extent we can control our emotions and responses in the time prior to the deadline, we can achieve somewhat of a "pace of grace."

When we are anxious and over reactive, it’s hard to be as productive. As we’ve witnessed in recent studies for example, (ie. University of Michigan Med School)  multitasking is not exactly efficient. The assumption that we’ll miss the boat if we don’t produce enough – or fast enough – has been ingrained into our workplaces. But we’re beginning to see a trend in the understanding that multitasking and burning-out are bunkmates. As corporate America wakes up to this idea, offering worklife balance initiatives, perhaps the "pace of grace" is not so far- fetched.

For those of you interested in a hilarious cartoon on multitasking with regard to the way the government handled the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – head to The Atlantic Monthly online. You will get a kick out of it.

And for some inspiring quick pick-me-ups on avoiding burnout, listen to my WorkLife Minutes at JudyMartinSpeaks.com

Environmentally Conscious @ Work

Today, Monday, October 15th, I’m participating in Blog Action Day along with about 16,000 other blog writers to raise awareness about environmental concerns. In the realm of worklife culture and worklife balance, it’s a no-brainer. Big and small, businesses are realizing that taking interest in the topic not only benefits a company’s reputation, but also has a resounding impact within the workplace among employees. It can be a boost for employee engagement not to mention shareholder opinion.

It’s one thing for businesses to become more environmentally conscious, but that top down approach can only go so far unless we as individuals examine our own behavior whether in the workplace – or if we work from home. With my mind on Blog Action Day, I took a hard look at my behavior and eeekkksss, I have some stuff to work on. Here’ s a brief anecdote and ten tips to be more environmentally conscious @ work.

Friday – an Epiphany

As I left my desk in the newsroom on Friday to anchor the six o’clock show, I took a quick look at the TV to check the breaking news on the national stations. It’s part of my routine prior to doing the show. But I did not turn off my TV when I left my desk.

Strolling down to the TV studio, I grabbed a bunch of scripts for the show from the associate producer. The hard copy, as it’s called, a good 20-30 pages. If there’s a sudden glitch with the teleprompter I’ve got that hard copy on standby to gaze at. Entering the studio I stopped at the watercooler grabbed a styrofoam cup and filled it with hot water. After the show I dumped my scripts in the garbage along with the styrofoam cup. I’ll stop here to avoid further embarrassment.

A New Me

The truth of the matter is that I knew better. At my station we have some plans in place to handle simple recycling issues and have even been offered suggestions on how to be more environmentally aware. Generally, I follow the recommendations which include carrying those scripts back to the newsroom to the recycling bin, using my own mug all day long instead of several foam cups, and yes -turning off my TV, curling iron and other stuff when I’m not using it. But it’s up to me to care enough to implement simple changes in my behavior.

I use a mug in my home office and now I also have one for the studio. This little rise in worklife awareness made me think of my home office where I spend at least half of my business week. Here are some tips to raise your environmental prowess in your home office. And yes, I do all of these things!

1. Turn off your computer, printer etc.,  and unplug it at night.
2. Use only mugs and utensils that won’t fill the landfills – wash em.
3. Either mail in your used printer cartridges back to the company or bring to Staples or other such office supply stores – some will give you a discount on further purchases.
4. Instead of printing every interesting item off the Internet, have a few revolving article files on your computer. Cut and past to this and after you read what you need – delete!
5. If you must print articles just for reading. Save the paper and reuse the other side.
6. If you are away from your home office for any length of time past a bathroom break, turn off all the lights. When we work at home we tend to keep everything going.
7. If you’re in your office all day in one room, regulate your heat or AC room by room if you have the ability.
8. Recycle, recycle, recycle. If you have a paper shredder – use it primarily for proprietary information and throw that into the recycling bin as well.
9. Use paper bags in the garbage bins near your desk instead of plastic.
10. Take an inventory of your books, computer manuals and how-to books. If you don’t need them – donate to a local library. 

The cat is out of the bag! Work-life balance initiatives can no longer be put on an employers to-do list. A barrage of polls, surveys and anecdotal information has been pouring into the media lately especially with regard to employee engagement. A quick Google search reveals about 500 stories on that one topic.

Recruiting and staffing company, Spherion, finds that less than half of U.S. workers are satisfied with their jobs. This statistic, which comes from the company’s 2007 Emerging Workforce Study nearly mirrors other recent polls indicating employees want their workplace to change, and they might finally have something to say about it. The findings indicate, "employers are not adapting to their evolving needs and priorities," according to the Spherion survey.

This is the beginning of a battle call for change. Continued exploration of the topic may influence the employee/employer paradigm of power. As attracting and retaining employees continues to become more of an effort, and workers seek out better working conditions, we’ll likely see more effort on the part of big business to keep its talent. Another recent study suggests as much.

Addressing healthcare benefits, compensation, and worklife balance initiatives is just the start. According to worldwide consulting and outsourcing firm, Mercer, the investment that organizations are making in employee training and career development might trump the aforementioned areas. A recent Mercer 2007 Total Rewards Snapshot Survey shows that in 2008:

• 46% plan to spend more on training
• 51% plan to spend more on career development

The most galvanizing statistic from the Mercer study suggesting employers are taking notice of employee needs…

• 88% of the responding organizations indicated attracting and retaining talent is the most pressing challenge for companies.

This costs money and will cause companies to take a mircoscopic look at those RIO (Return on Investment) spreadsheets. Looks like 2008 will be just as significant a balancing act for big business – as it will be for workers.