ExecutiveMom's Safety and Self Defense Blog

Would You Like A Heartache Leave?

With Valentine's Day coming up, I'd like to share an interesting article I read recently: (click HERE for the whole article)

 

The holidays are a stressful time for relationships. Relationships can end, hearts can be broken. Just when you think you are starting to recover, Valentine's Day arrives. Oh, the horror. But you still have to put on a brave face and go to work every day, even Valentine's Day, don't you? An employer wouldn't understand if an employee asked for the day off because of a broken heart, would it? An employer in Japan would--it is offering employees paid time off in the form of "heartache leave."

 

Hime & Company, a market research firm in Tokyo, is offering employees up to 3 days of shitsuren kyuka to recover after the end of a relationship, the Japan Times and Reuters report. The company says it is offering the unusual leave because everyone could use a respite after some heartache.

 

"So, shitsuren kyuka is a [paid] holiday you take when that happens and you feel too devastated to come to the office," Miki Hiradate, chief executive of Hime & Company, tells the Japan Times. "I introduced it after I asked young women what they wanted from 'female-friendly companies,' and they suggested these holidays."

What do you think?  Should our corporations in the U.S. provide this type of leave...instead of just having to use a "sick" day?  Would you use a day off like this or would you just use a sick day so people wouldn't know what was going on in your personal life?

I think it's an interesting concept but I'm not sure I would use it...You?

"The No A--h--- Rule"

It's a sad fact that workplace violence is increasing, especially against employers, says the National Safe Workplace Institute. But there are warning signs that it may happen, and ways to prevent it.

Whether caused by actual abuse or simple annoyance, anger saps your workers' energy and hampers their productivity.

If you're like most people, you're going to spend more than 40 years of your life working. Wouldn't it be nice if it was always a pleasant experience, shared with pleasant people?

Unfortunately, it sometimes isn't, and there's a growing awareness of that fact.

Spurred by pressure to achieve ever-better bottom lines in a world of ever-increasing competition, anger at work is rising. It can be caused by simple annoyance or actual harassment or abuse. But whatever its causes, the results are negative ... teamwork disturbed, turnover increased, productivity rates down the tubes.

Taking it up a level on the anger-causing scale is Stanford professor and author Robert I. Sutton. His book (sensitive ears may wish to skip this sentence) is titled The No Asshole Rule ... Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't.

Sutton defines his focus character as someone who regularly practices "bullying, interpersonal aggression, emotional abuse," and "petty tyranny," especially against those lower on the company totem pole. The damage such individuals cause is substantial because "nasty interactions have five times the punch of positive ones," Sutton says.

The solution to the "AH problem" is not a simple one, but Sutton points to companies, such as Southwest Airlines and Men's Wearhouse, that have found it. "Civilized workplaces do exist," he writes, "where pervasive contempt can be replaced with mutual respect ... when a team or organization is managed right."

Managed wrong, such situations can escalate to frightening proportions, including physical violence.

We can talk more about that by scheduling a seminar for your work group -- email: ME or visit: http://www.execdeftech.com

I have to say that I really enjoyed Robert Sutton's book and wish that a few of my managers had read it over the years… the people you work with, make all the difference in the world when it comes to your attitude and outlook on the job.
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Are You Really Ready?

Why It Matters...

 

· In the past 6 years America has experienced two major catastrophes--9/11 and Hurricane Katrina--as well as numerous smaller disasters all around the country.

 

· Being prepared for large-scale emergencies can prevent injuries and save lives.

   

September is National Preparedness Month and during this month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security urges all Americans to take some simple steps to become better prepared for emergencies of all kinds--from terrorist attacks to devastating natural disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes.

 

They urge you to take four simple steps this month. Homeland Security says everyone should:

 

.Put together an emergency supply kit that will allow them and their families to survive for at least 3 days in the event of an emergency.

 

.Develop a family emergency plan that outlines all the steps a family needs to take in a devastating emergency that could require the evacuation of home and hometown.

 

.Learn more about different threats that could affect the community and the appropriate responses to each of them.

 

.Get trained in first aid and emergency response, and get involved in preparing the community for a catastrophic event.

 

For more information about each of these steps, suggest employees see the national preparedness website at www.ready.gov.

 

Take some time to talk about the emergency supply kit. The government says that everyone should have enough supplies in their homes to meet the needs of themselves and their families for at least 3 days. And each family should have an emergency supply kit to take with them in the event they are forced to leave their homes. What should those kits contain? Here are just a few essential items:

 

• Battery radio, flashlight, and extra      batteries
• Water (1 gallon a day per person) and      canned or dried food
• Blankets or sleeping bags and clothes
• First-aid kit
• Hygiene supplies (soap, toothpaste,      etc.)
• Prescription medications
• Map of evacuation routes out of town
• Important phone numbers and other      information (bank account numbers, insurance policies, etc.)
• Cash and travelers checks (in case      credit cards are not accepted)

 

See the national preparedness website for a complete list of items.

Be Prepared and Have a SAFE week -
For a personal safety training class for yourself, your business or your organization - click HERE and schedule one TODAY!

Drive Home These 10 Defensive Tips

It's hard to believe but the kids are heading back to school and our morning rush has gotten crazier with school buses and commuting parents rejoining our TRAVELS....The following are some tips and reasons to make sure you, your employees and your young drivers are educated on SAFE DRIVING ....
·  Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of accidental death in the United States. They are also the most common cause of workplace deaths, representing about one in four fatal work injuries.
·  Every 12 minutes someone dies in a motor vehicle crash, every 10 seconds an injury occurs, and every 5 seconds a crash occurs. And many of these accidents occur during the workday or during the commute to and from work.
·  Motor vehicle crashes cost employers $60 billion annually. The average crash costs $16,500, and when a worker has an on-the-job crash that results in an injury, the cost can go as high as $74,000.

When a worker dies in a traffic accident, costs can exceed $500,000. When you think of safety hazards and employee injuries, you probably focus on what goes on inside your workplace. But one of the greatest threats to worker safety is in the parking lot and on the road.

Whether they drive on the job or commute to work by car, defensive driving training is a must for ALL!!   Here are some basic rules of defensive driving:    
* Buckle up for safety.    
* Follow traffic rules, signs, and signals.    
* Don't speed and keep at least 2 to 4 seconds behind the vehicle in front.    
* Keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and your attention on traffic.    
* Check your rearview and side mirrors frequently.    
* Adjust your speed and driving to changing weather and traffic conditions.    
* Expect the unexpected and be especially alert in heavy traffic for sudden stops, vehicles passing or     moving in and out of lanes, road debris, and work zones.    
* Keep cool, yield right of way, and don't get into disputes with other drivers.    
* Pull over to make or receive phone calls.    
* Don't drink or take drugs and drive.

AND TALKING ABOUT BACK TO SCHOOL...ANY IDEAS ON LAST MINUTE TRAVEL TIPS? WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS - BE IT BY AIR OR CAR.....Have a great Wednesday....

youth workers - how to avoid legal hassles and reap the benefits this summer

Teenagers bring energy and ambition to your workforce and can be the talent you rely on in the future.  By providing jobs for teens today, businesses are helping ensure a viable labor force for the future. The working teens are also building an ethic for their later lives. Ethics such as working as a team, completing tasks and taking responsibility. Kids learn these skills through employment. But as an employer, be aware. Today's teens are very savvy in fashion, technology, and pop culture but they're a lot less savvy about their rights on the job. That doesn't mean that their parents aren't up on "the law". So before hiring that summer help - make sure your management and supervisory team review your employment policies.

--Young people are frequently targets of sexual harassment in the workplace. One study by University of Southern Maine professor Susan Fineran found that 43 percent of teens who'd worked had experienced such harassment, a situation that's getting increasing play in the media. Be certain to train both the teens and those they work for and with on your harassment policy, including the right to complain to management without fear of retaliation. It will be worth your time and effort!

Don't forget that Safety Training Course as part of your well-rounded HR program for all.  Enjoy your Wednesday! Loving this short week....