Managing Stress During Organizational Change

KRS ConsultingKathryn, Rochelle & Sadrika

History of KRS ConsultingWe have been in business for over 5 years

together. We each hold Master Degrees from the

University of New Haven.We have consulted for various organizations such

as Google, Goldman Sach’s, Hartford Life Insurance Company & PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Objectives Discuss why we were hired by Pfizer. Discuss stress and the top identifying

factors. Ways reduce stress in the workplace and

in your daily life. Where do we go from here?

What has happened? ** Insert Background Information about

Pfizer and what has happened in the past 10 months with job sites closing, layoffs and overall uncertainty.

Survey Questions Insert Sample Survey Questions

Survey Results Survey from

Previous Year* Insert Graph

Survey from July 2011

*Insert Graph

Let’s discuss what the results sayInsert made up information about why the

company is concerned about the employees (i.e.. Production has gone down,

Let’s talk about Stress! • Stress is the experience of a

perceived threat (real or imagined) to one’s mental, physical, or spiritual well-being, resulting from a series of physiological response and adaptations

• Hans Selye coined the term Fight/ Flight.

• *Insert question: How many of you are familiar with the term Fight/ Flight???*

• Insert further information about fight/ flight.

** Mayo Clinic***

Stress and what it can do! Increased Alcohol consumptionFatigue or ExhaustionTight Neck / Shoulders InsomniaHeadaches/MigrainesSadness/DepressionFeelings of HopelessnessColds and Congestions• Indigestion• Diarrhea, spastic colon or intestinal disorder• Symptoms of Ulcers

Life Threatening Diseases caused by Stress Stress has been shown to be one of the

factors leading to musculo-skeletal disorders such as: back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder or neck tension, eye strain, or headaches.

What does this mean? Our primary focus here today is to educate

you in ways to manage stress. Ways to reduce stress in your life….

Meditation ExerciseDietJournalingBreathing Exercises

How to De-Stress! Ways to reduce stress in your life…. Meditation ExerciseDietJournalingBreathing ExercisesEtc

The Intervention Talk about what we are going to teach them…

(Video on Yoga, Meditation and Information on Journaling)

Once you learn these techniques it is in our hopes that you will continue to practice them.

Yoga Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that can reduce stress and relieve muscular tension or pain.

Practicing yoga at the workplace teaches employees to use relaxation techniques to reduce stress and risks of injury on the job. Yoga at the workplace is a convenient and practical outlet that improves work performance by relieving tension and job stress.

Practicing yoga has been shown to reduce pain, relieve tension, reduce risks of injury, improve posture, improve communication, increase energy and attention span, and enhance feelings of overall wellness and well-being.

In comparison to job stress, yoga has a dramatic and opposite effect on the body: decreased heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. Being mindful of the body helps break the poor postural habits and encourages rest breaks from repetitive motions that may contribute to pain and risk for MSDs, thereby decreasing risks of injury. Yoga techniques are prevention skills for life.

Yoga at work is a convenient and practical needed outlet for work-related stressors. Yoga at work teaches employees relaxation techniques to decrease tension and pain as well as prevention strategies to reduce risks of injury on the job, thereby improving work performance.

Information from Yoga Article

Yoga Statistics Characteristic

Pre-Workshop

Post-Workshop

Improvement

% Reduction

Stress 171 (5.34) 91.5 (2.85) 79.5 (2.49) 46.62Pain in the back, shoulders, 197 (6.35) 124 (4.0) 73 (2.35) 37.00neck, arms, wrists, or headNote. N = 32 employees. Numbers in parentheses represent averages. Participants rated themselves using a visual analog scale from 1–10. The higher the score, the greater the stress or pain.

Characteristic Pre-Workshop

Post-Workshop

Improvement % Reduction

Stress 84 (6.46) 45 (3.46) 39 (3.00) 46.42Pain in the back, shoulders, 72.5 (5.57) 38 (2.92) 34.5 (2.65) 47.59neck, arms, wrists, or headNote. N = 13 employees. Numbers in parentheses represent averages. Participants rated themselves using a visual analog scale from 1–10. The higher the score, the greater the stress or pain.

Table 2

Meditation

Journaling Journal Writing is a coping technique; expression of thoughts, feelings, memories, and ideas in written form to increase self-

awareness. Having a journal can help relieve stress through writing about irritations, which can guide you to work through issues Writing about personally experienced stressors or traumatic events has been associated with improvements in mental and

physical health. The expression of emotion is beneficial to mental health whereas the inhibition of emotion is harmful. Journal writing is one of the most effective coping skills available to provide profound internal vision and enhance the self-

awareness process. It initiates the communication of self-reflection between the mind and the soul which is the necessary first step in the

resolution and closure of perceived stress. Self Expression through journal writing may serve as an emotional catharsis by getting out on paper the toxic thoughts

roaming through one’s head. It allows the release of thughts, feelings, and perceptions that liberates the mind.

Successful Journal Writing Tips: What you will need: A notebook dedicated solely to journaling, pen or

pencil and a quiet environment Try to identify those concerns and problems that cause the most fustration,

grief or tensionAsk yourself what emotions are elicited when these stressors are

encounteredAllow the writing process to augment your creative process to further

resoluction Centering – Before you write take a moment to relaxWrite whatever may come to your mind

Where do you go from here? Explain that we have creating Relaxation

RoomsEmployees will be given 30 minutes each day

to go into to Relaxation Room

Relaxation Room

Click icon to add picture

Overview Insert information about the company and

although things may be uncertain Pfizer is here to try to accommodate stress and how they care about their employees

Insert wrap up information about stressReview the Relaxation Room and what it is

there for

Q&A