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Stressed Employees Need HR Resources, Boundaries

 |  By Lena J. Weiner  
   March 17, 2014

While most human resource professionals are good listeners and genuinely want to help employees struggling with the stresses of balancing work and life, they cannot take on the role of a mental health provider.

Americans seem to be more stressed out than ever before. Lack of job security, decreased compensation, and increased workloads are pervasive across most industries. But is it the responsibility of human resources professionals to step in and help employees de-stress, and if so, how far should they go?

Healthcare workers are especially vulnerable, in part due to industry consolidation, pressure from eroding reimbursements, and seismic changes 'introduced by the PPACA, including the push for implementation of EHR systems and the transition to ICD-10. All of these stressors come in addition to the already highly emotional nature of helping the sick and injured.

A February 2014 study by MiracleWorkers.com and Career Builder found that healthcare workers are the most stressed workers in America. Seven out of 10 (69%) of employees said they're "stressed" and 17 percent said they're "highly stressed." By contrast, in manufacturing, an industry that has seen many losses in recent decades, only 55 percent of respondents said they were "stressed" and 10 percent "highly stressed."


Maureen O'Keeffe
President of the Board of Directors of ASHHRA

"I've been in healthcare for 18 years, and… over the last couple years, it feels like the pace of work is faster and things are more intense. There's definitely more stress on the employees than there has been in the past," Maureen O'Keeffe, SPHR, CHHR, vice president and chief human resource officer at St. Luke's Health System in Boise, ID told me during a recent interview. O'Keeffe, who is also president of the board of directors of The American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) agrees that the implementation of the healthcare reform law has created a sense of uncertainty and insecurity for healthcare workers.

Let Them Know Help is Available
But is it HR's job to help guide stressed out employees in the first place?

"Partly, I think so," O'Keeffe said. "It's our responsibility to set up the systems that help them find the right resources, then make the resources known so they don't have to come to HR to find them."

'Many employers, hospitals and universities have already implemented less-traditional ways to help their employees relax and take stressors off their minds, from the functional (free childcare on-site) to the invigorating (yoga and Zumba classes) to the quirky (a roomful of puppies).

It's essential that employees know of the existence of EAPs and other resources that will help them to get a handle on stress, O'Keefe says. What good is a yoga class if no one knows of its existence or if employees are too busy to take advantage of it?

"We have developed a very robust wellness program which extends to physical wellness," she said, 'regarding her healthcare system's wellness program. "We encourage wellness in our employees by having incentives around stopping smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight, monitoring blood pressure, [and] just dealing with stress in productive ways."

A new benefit St. Luke's is offering is health coaches, who actively work with employees to find fitness solutions they can work into their schedules, such as on-campus yoga classes and lunchtime walking groups.

Drawing Boundaries
It's important to remember that healthcare is a business and that, while most human resource pros are very good listeners with inviting personalities, they are not the office shrink or guidance counselor. Employees to find the information they need without HR's help.

''It's our job to set up the resources, and then make sure we're communicating it very well," O'Keeffe said.

Sometimes, she says, it's helpful for HR to know what's going on in an employee's life. For example, if a spouse has cancer or an employee's child has a substance abuse problem, it will likely affect their performance, and it can be helpful for HR to know this information.

But what's the procedure if an employee is opening up to you and it's getting a bit too personal?

"If it was not in some way work-related, like harassment or hostile work environment—I would listen carefully, then redirect it," said O'Keeffe, adding that she would recommend the EAP in that situation.

"We go to healthcare because we care about people," she said. "We care about patients, about our colleagues and their families. But you have to have healthy boundaries—overstepping that isn't good for you or the employee."

"We're trying to walk the walk and talk the talk. We've got to be thoughtful and proactive with our employees. Make sure people are taking care of their health amidst the stress. Stress can kill you," O'Keeffe said.

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Lena J. Weiner is an associate editor at HealthLeaders Media.

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