Now, many employers are adding a new perk to the mix that will help care for a member of your family that is not typically covered.

A 2003 survey conducted by the National Mental Health Association and American Women’s Health Association concluded that depression affects one out of five adult women at some time in their lives. And women diagnosed with depression rate it as the leading barrier to success.

Notes the report: “The impact of depression in the workplace is substantial. The condition is costly not only because of time missed from work, but when women who suffer symptoms do come to work, they are working well below potential or not at all. Worse, in many cases depression sufferers leave their jobs entirely.”

The good news is depression is treatable. An article in the Boston Globe several years ago advised sufferers to do two things: “Figure out how to get help, and figure out how you’re going to keep your job.”

Some employee assistance programs (EAP) can help. So can privately sought medical treatment and support. But judging from feedback we’ve gotten from readers, going to the boss can be fraught with challenges, from lack of understanding to downright disapproval.

The important thing is that help is sought. Your happiness, job and life could depend on it.

Find out more about:

· “Depression at Work”

· “Crying at Work”

· “When Work No Longer Works”

· “Audio: When Work No Longer Works”

Originally
from The Monster Blog

by Elizabeth

on May 16, 2007, 10:55PM

Oh the realities of working hard and not getting anything in return. For that fresh faced college grad or the fortune 100 exec starting anew in a startup, it can be a big wake up call.

It seems like the best anyone can do is work hard anyway, cross their fingers and get lucky?

But wait just a second! That doesn’t seem right. It seems wrong in fact.

So what is a person to do?

Two of my favorite websites are Slacker Manager and Lifehacker. They help you get more work done in less time, manage your day more effectively, yet still be an asset to the company you are working for. That last number is huge.

The old cliche goes, “Work smart, not hard” but these sites will actually help you do it effectively.

Do you have any other sites or resources you use to work smarter?

Originally
from YourHRGuy.com

by Your HR Guy

on May 17, 2007, 11:07PM

After taking a look at the AIS study, I also found some eye-opening data from a 2000 Integra report stating:

• 12% had called in sick because of job stress
• Over half said they often spend 12-hour days on work related duties and an equal number frequently skip lunch because of the stress of job demands.
• 19% or almost one in five respondents had quit a previous position because of job stress and nearly one in four have been driven to tears because of workplace stress

Clearly, workplace stress is a problem. So the next obvious question is why? What exactly is causing all this stress in the workplace? The AIS site points to several reasons including longer hours in the office, as well as fears about job security and discord with co-workers.

According to another survey by St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, teamwork and supervision problems were the most consistently and strongly related to burnout, health problems, and performance problems.

So how should employees cope with job related stress? Fist of all, employees are given vacation time for a reason…to take a break from the office. Too many workers have the mindset that they can’t take off because their managers will frown upon it, or their job will not be completed correctly without their presence. However, if you are too stressed to complete your work competently, you aren’t doing yourself or your company any good.

Also, plan your weekends around doing something you enjoy instead of designated them from household chores or running errands. Weekends should best be used to read a book, go to the beach, or for pure relaxation.

Exercise is also a good stress reliever and helps not only combat stress, but keeps you healthy both physically and mentally.

Last but not least, it is important to remember that your job is just that…a job. If you feel that job stress is becoming too much, then you need to make a conscious effort to focus on relieving stress.

Originally
from Spherion Career Blog - The Big Time

by Don Boone

Nursing as a profession is relatively recent. Florence Nightingale first made headlines just 150 years ago for her work tending wounded soldiers during the Crimean War. Check out her resume.

Since then, nursing has become a respected and increasingly complex and demanding career choice, predominantly but not exclusively for women, with more than 2.4 million nurses on the job in the US now, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job growth is forecast to grow to nearly 3 million in five years.

But despite the demand, various sources estimate the shortage of trained nursing professionals to be as much as 1 million by 2012, thanks to retirements and limited training capacity for new nurses, in part due to a shortage of nursing school faculty.

There’s no shortage of need for thanks. So, if you haven’t thanked a nurse lately, you can send one an e-card, courtesy of the American Nurses Association. And if a career in nursing is a possibility for you or someone you know, check out these resources:

• “Jump-Start Your Nursing Career” (special section)
• “Refresher Programs Help Nurses Return to Work“
• “Prepare for Your Career“
• Poll: Should the BSN be the minimum level of education required to be a nurse?
• Monster’s Nursing message board in Healthcare Careers

Originally
from The Monster Blog

by Ryck

on May 9, 2007, 1:12AM

My tire had gone flat, I’d called Triple A, and the tow truck driver had put on a donut. But later, having located a spare, I was determined to replace the donut myself. I couldn’t drive all week on a donut. Once more, my car was no longer broken down, so I didn’t feel justified in calling Triple A. How hard could changing a tire be?