Newport & Wildman is proudly part of AccessEAP. This month we have a message from Sally Kirkright, CEO, AccessEAP.

The everchanging COVID situation unfolding around the nation continues to fuel a media frenzy and the constant communication can be overwhelming. As leaders it’s important our communication, both spoken and written, doesn’t add to people’s anxiety or uncertainty. It’s about striking the right tone, being honest and clear, and being a stabilizing, reassuring influence on the organisation.

When I plan what I’m going to say, I start by listening. Take the time to ask questions, be curious and approach the conversation with an open mind. It can also help to practise standing in the other person’s shoes to see an issue from their perspective.

Misunderstandings can create a lot of extra work and frustration. I learnt from our wonderful clinical team the importance of regularly checking my understanding. “Just checking, you’re saying that…” not only helps us get on the same page, it tells the other person you're engaged and interested in exploring the topic with them. Another tool helpful in exploring a topic, and something we practice in our own meetings, is “Yes and…”. “Yes, that’s a really interesting point, and what about we build on that and also consider…” creates a positive cycle of ideas. “Yes, but…” pushes another’s idea away in favour of your own.

Being vulnerable and being ok with silence are both really important to me. We live in a very noisy world, where there’s an expectation we should have all the answers. Admitting to mistakes, seeking support, asking for help, apologizing, and acknowledging we don’t have all the answers are often seen as weaknesses. Not so. They are signs a leader is aware they are part of a team effort, where others’ contributions are valued – a leader can’t do it by themselves. As Brené Brown says “Vulnerability is not weakness; it's our greatest measure of courage.” Being ok with silence also takes courage. To leave space, rather than jumping in to fill it, allows room for reflection, which can lead to new, creative ideas, rather than simply recycling the old. Silence can feel uncomfortable, but respecting those natural pauses allows time to think and feel, and in groups can give opportunity for the quieter, more thoughtful introverted members to have their say. 

Communicating with each other is the most natural thing in the world. We are born wanting to do it. And we can keep learning to do it more effectively. They are skills we can all constantly improve, and they are skills that underpin the work we do at Newport & Wildman.

Sally Kirkright, CEO AccessEAP

It's Men's Health Week from the 14-20 June. The focus is on Connecting for Men's Health, find out more on the official website.

Misunderstandings about mental health can lead to prejudice, discrimination and stigma. While there have been changes recently in the media reporting on mental health concerns, stereotypes are often perpetuated in sport, films, media and social networking especially by images portraying unrealistic images of men as strong, self-sufficient and “practical providers”. In reality these are unhelpful and often untrue and, there is even more scope for the role of media and social media in debunking myths and raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. The most effective way to break down prejudice and stereotyping of mental health issues is through; education, awareness and listening to people’s personal stories.

Men who suffer with Mental Health issues feel societal stigma is often more disabling than the illness itself. Coping with a mental health issue often includes increased use of drugs and alcohol, risk taking behaviour and social isolation. Over time these activities negatively influence self-esteem and confidence and in extreme circumstances can lead to suicide. Men are afraid of the impact on their relationships and career if they open up and talk about or show their feelings. Often feelings like anger or aggression can mask underlying depression.

Research by the Mental Health Council of Australia (2013) found that discussing a mental health issue is still taboo in the workplace. Research conducted states that 69% of people are uncomfortable to disclose a mental illness to their employer, while 35% would never disclose. The study reported that 48% of respondents had taken time off work for a mental health issue and not disclosed the reason to their employer. These are alarming statistics and reflect the need for action to eliminate the stigma and fear of disclosing a mental health issue in the workplace.

1 in 8 men will suffer from some form of mental health issue over a lifetime. Life’s issues such as the death of a loved one, illness, injuries, genetics, interpersonal conflict as well as drug and alcohol abuse can all contribute to levels of anxiety and depression. Seeing a person ‘with’ a mental health issue rather than labelling them is a helpful shift. Acceptance by peers and family, knowing that there is help available and being supported to access help are critical in helping individuals seek the appropriate assistance.

Organisations need to have procedures in place to manage mental health in the workplace and work towards eliminating the fear of disclosure. They should provide training to leaders and supervisors to help them have sometimes difficult conversations with the team members around their personal wellbeing and potential mental health concerns. We often are reluctant to offer support because we are afraid of saying the wrong thing.

What can Newport & Wildman do to help?

We can provide a comfortable and private space to talk where there isn’t pressure to bottle things up. A person who is experienced in understanding human emotion and behaviour can listen without judgment and without consequence. We can even offer tips or strategies if that’s what is wanted or needed.

EAP sessions are free and confidential. You choose how much you want to say and what you want to focus on in the sessions.

How to arrange an EAP session

All that you need to do is contact us on 1800 650 204 and our Client Services Team will book you in for an appointment with one of our clinicians.

Friday, June 25th is this year's Take Your Dog to Work Day. If you are lucky enough to have a well-behaved pup that can come in, make sure you get approval from your employer before you bring your pet in. With many people still working from home, we also encourage you to bring your dog and any other pets to your online meetings! 

What should I consider before taking my dog to the office?

It’s important to ensure this does not adversely impact on the health, welfare or working environment of employees, volunteers or visitors to office, or on the health and welfare of the animal or other animals in the office. For tips to make the experience run smoothly check out the RSPCA's Website.

Newport & Wildman and AccessEAP Pets

Here are just some of the pets that have come into the office. Many more join us on Zoom calls!

Cover Photo by Samson Katt from Pexels

Newport & Wildman is proudly part of AccessEAP. This month we have a message from Sally Kirkright, CEO, AccessEAP.

We’ve all been going through so much change over the past 18 months – border closures, social distancing, businesses rapidly adapting to their employees working from home, and now trying to find a balance between work from home and office. It’s hard to find stability in the midst of so much uncertainty.

This is where it can be useful to remember that we all have what’s called a “negativity bias”. This is the way we often pay more attention to information we feel is negative. If we do this a lot, it can become harder and harder to solve complex problems as we get stuck in the fight-flight-freeze response. To rebalance the scales, it can pay to consciously give our attention to things that we feel are good and useful. This is where Positive Psychology comes in. Positive Psychology focuses on our strengths, building on what works. When applied to working with change and uncertainty, it gives us an approach and a set of questions that help us to flourish.

Finding the most useful question is half the battle when trying to solve a problem. “How do we avoid difficulties when introducing a particular change in the business” leads to a very different answer when compared with “How can we draw on our strengths when introducing a particular change.” In my experience, the first question leads us towards negativity, the second towards positivity.

I use a journal to regularly reflect on how I can bring greater positivity to the way I am a CEO, the way I am in my life, and how I initiate change. Taking time at the end of each day for conscious reflection helps me to refine my leadership style, to think through how I want to approach change from a more positive mindset. It also helps to get my thoughts down on the page rather than them circling around in my head just before I go to sleep!

At Newport & Wildman, we approach change through the lens of Positive Psychology.

• We frame our process of change positively, so we’re aiming towards something we want rather than away from something we don’t want. We underpin this by first reflecting on what our strengths are and checking we are making use of them.
• We are curious about what the future could look like, and then we aim to be clear what success looks like – it helps create a clear path, and we’ll know when we get there!
• We design a way forward and then draw on our strengths to tackle challenges – it helps us feel more confident and engaged.
• Finally, we deliver the change by taking one small step after another - our confidence grows with the success of each small step.

I believe the principles of Positive Psychology have made me a more effective leader. I invite you to try them out or do some deeper investigation if you’re already familiar with them.

Sally Kirkright, CEO AccessEAP

Newport & Wildman is proudly part of AccessEAP. This month we have a message from Sally Kirkright, CEO, AccessEAP.

Emotions, especially positive ones, can motivate us to create opportunities and find ways through difficulties. And emotions can be messy. They can get in the way of thinking clearly and they can pull us in opposing directions. Whether we are feeling on top of the world or quite down, it’s very helpful if we can bring awareness to what is happening for us emotionally so we can make wise choices on how to act.

This is where Emotional Intelligence comes in. Often abbreviated to EQ, it’s the ability to identify, understand, and handle emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, build wellbeing, communicate effectively, overcome challenges, and build healthy relationships. The term Emotional Intelligence first appeared way back in 1964 when it hit popularity with the writings of Daniel Goleman in 1995, and it has been in popular use ever since.

Emotions underlie everything we do, and they change the way we think. The ‘broaden-and-build’ theory of emotions, developed by Barbara Frederickson, says that positive emotions, such as happiness and joy, broaden our awareness, encourage curiosity, and build more creative and varied ways of thinking and acting.

As a leader, I am very aware of how important it is for me to be aware of my emotional state, especially when I am making important decisions or responding to situations. I want to approach decision making and situations with a healthy sense of self-confidence and optimism. I know I make better decisions when I feel like this. Responding form feelings of fear or anger are much more likely to lead to unforeseen and unwanted outcomes.

There are 5 main characteristics of EQ: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation and social skills. It’s not just about our own emotions. EQ is also about getting better at noticing and identifying others’ emotions so we can relate more easily with other people, and build relationships based on trust and care.

How can we all get better at EQ? Here are some things I try to remember to do myself and I see others at Newport & Wildman doing too. It helps me to incorporate my emotions skilfully into my work and into the relationships I build with my colleagues:

• Practice being present when you are with others and create opportunities for connection.
• When discussing something, take time to invite others to share their perspectives and listen to how they feel, not only to what they are saying.
• Tune into your own emotions: A helpful way to do this is at the end of each day, write in a journal what emotions and moods you experienced. If you have trouble identifying them, you can use this list as a starting point: joy, fear, sadness, disgust, anger. How did your emotions feel in your body? How did they influence your decision making and behaviour? How did they impact those around you?
• When you notice you are highly emotional, take some time to calm down by using breathing or exercise before engaging with others or making decisions.
• Take a risk, and be vulnerable with someone you trust.

 We are all emotional beings. Bringing awareness and intelligence to our emotions makes us more effective managers, leaders, family members, and members of society.

Sally Kirkright, CEO AccessEAP

The pandemic has forced us to look more closely at the way we work particularly in terms of team and people interactions and dynamics. The way that our teams function is crucial to our workplace culture and productivity. Whether your team dynamics have changed drastically or not so much, see our tips for an effective teamwork refresher below: 

1. Review Objectives and Goals

Successful teams have clear objectives that all team members are aware of and working toward. There is a clear vision and shared values. Team members are committed to the goal and live the values.

2. Participation

Active participation is evident and encouraged by all team members. Team members focus on their areas of strength for the greater good of achieving the team outcomes. Effective teams want the team to succeed and place team success above individual recognition and reward. Everyone carries their weight.

3. Trust

Fundamental to effective team functioning is trust. This allows for an environment where people are willing to risk, and to make mistakes, thus pushing the team out of their comfort zone. Trust also enhances team co-operation as team members are not competing, they co-operate to achieve team goals.

4. Continuous improvement/learning and Feedback

Team members in successful teams are open to learning new things and adapting old ways of doing things if a better way is highlighted. In order for continuous improvement individuals are open to providing and receiving feedback about the work and the way the work is done. This feedback is never personal; it is always focused on work and improvement.

5. Interaction

Team members have some fun together and celebrate success. They build healthy work relationships with one another which lends to contribution and freely sharing ideas.

6. Effectiveness review

Work and processes are constantly reviewed for what worked well and what could have been done more effectively and efficiently. These learnings are then applied in the future, thus review is for a purpose and makes a difference.

7. Clear expectations, Honest Communication and Transparency

Expectations around standards, time frames and behaviour is explicit, not assumed. Team members are willing to communicate in an honest way with one another about ideas, through feedback and review, sharing both the positive and negative. Successful teams usually house individuals who do have their team member’s best interests at heart and genuinely share information and ideas and challenge when appropriate. Successful teams explain and understand WHY things are occurring. If for some reason they cannot share information they explain it to colleagues. There are no hidden agendas.

• Leading Employee Assistance Program provider
• Relationship development focus
• Multiple locations

At Newport and Wildman, our mission is to create thriving workplaces. We partner with each customer to promote positive organisational behaviour and effectively manage the mental health of every employee. As an Australian owned not for profit Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider, our emphasis is on understanding the unique needs of our customers and tailoring our services to support and prevent mental health issues in the workplace. Due to continued growth, we are expanding the clinical services team and need additional passionate and committed professionals to help ensure the provision of best practice counselling and ancillary services that meet or exceed customer and client expectations.

Your role will be to develop strong relationships with key customers to understand their needs and work on tailored solutions to solve specific or complex people issues.  You will provide a range of clinical services including: Face to Face, telephone and emergency counselling, mediation, manager support, critical incident response, EAP briefings and webinars. Additionally, you will provide key operational management support to the Director of Newport and Wildman and work with the broader team to build relationships and provide quality services such as consulting, coaching, reflective supervision and leadership training.

With a degree in Psychology or Social Work and professionally registered your track record of success will reflect your impartial and insightful thinking capabilities.  You will be adept at engaging with a broad range of people, comfortable working autonomously, and respond well under pressure to balance multiple priorities.

Your key skills will include rapport building, analysis, judgment and outstanding interpersonal skills. Most importantly you will enjoy working in a team environment that is driven by respect, collaboration and accomplishment. Newport and Wildman takes the health of employees seriously and you will be working in an environment that genuinely cares about the wellbeing of all employees.

For more information call David Williams on 0414551795 or to apply send your resume to .

Due to increased demand, we are looking to expand our network of counsellors. We are looking for people willing and able to work on a combination of Employee Assistance Program services, including face to face sessions, online, critical incidents and onsite debriefings.

Initially focused on counselling support, you will enjoy delivering a broad range of employee well-being services and opportunities to:

• Engage with clients who come from a range of employment sectors, developmental lifespans and social demographics.
• Be involved in a range of other services; managing critical incidents, onsite counselling services as well as face to face and online sessions.
• Experience rewarding clinical work where no two days are the same;

Your Skills and experience

• A registered Psychologist, or Social Worker or Counsellor
• Skilled in solution focussed counselling and psychological first aid;
• Knowledgeable and experienced in managing depression, anxiety and anger issues;
• Experienced in face to face, online and telephone counselling;
• You will need to possess an Australian Company Number (A.C.N) business registration and professional indemnity insurance.

For more information, call David Williams on 0414 551 795 or to apply, send your resume to .

• Combine your EAP and OD skills
• Help make a difference every day
• Flexible working relationships available - Contract, casual, part time and fulltime

At Newport and Wildman, our mission is to create thriving workplaces. We partner with each customer to promote positive organisational behaviour, enhance employee wellbeing, improve workplace productivity and effectively manage the mental health of every employee. As an Australian owned not for profit Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider, our emphasis is on understanding the unique needs of our customers and tailoring our services to support and prevent mental health issues in the workplace. Due to continued growth and an expanding service offering we need additional trainers and facilitators to help achieve our goals and continue our ambitious journey.

Your role will be to deliver best practice learning initiatives that respond to the unique needs of our customers. In return, we offer competitive market rates and operational support to allow you to focus on development and delivery and ensure the quality and consistency of our training courses and workshops.

With a degree in clinical or organisational psychology your track record of success will be matched by your desire to make a genuine difference and your ability to engage with a broad range of managers and employees.

For more information call David Williams on 0414 551 795 or to apply send your resume to .

Being resilient is the ability to bounce back after challenges. During this unprecedented time, we all find ourselves in, building resilience and trying to manage our stress levels can seem even more difficult than usual. As a manager or leader, you will be experiencing your own emotions as well as feeling responsible for your people or teams. As leaders, we are used to being in control and providing guidance and support to others, but we are also human.

Remember that feeling anxious, fearful, stressed, angry and irritable are common and normal feelings during uncertain times. Identify your responses and feelings and ensure that you look after yourself and get support if needed. It is difficult to support others when we are experiencing heightened stress. If you notice behavioural changes like being snappy in a conversation that you would not normally worry about, or being abrupt towards someone you care for, take a moment to use the STOP technique.

• STOP whatever you are doing
• TAKE a few slow breaths
• OBSERVE what you are thinking and feeling –remembering that thoughts and worries are not facts
• Feeling calmer? Go on with the task. Still tense? Get up and move, make a cup of tea, walk the dog, do the dishes. A five-minute break is really restorative!

Click below to refesh on our top ten tips for Resilience.

Stress & Resilience Training

Would you like further support?

If you would like to know more about Managing Stress and Building Resilience we have a number of Learning and Development Opportunities available. Our Webinars are ideal if you want a taster of a topic or our Training is ideal if you want to support genuine behavioural change or provide an optimal learning experience for your people to attain and apply new skills and knowledge.

Contact myself or the Newport & Wildman Team on 1800 650 204.

Melita Griffin, Director, Newport Wildman.

Stress is a natural state which allows our minds and bodies to prepare for the unexpected. Some stress is good: It helps us prepare for a big task and protects against imminent threats. However, a constant state of stress is exhausting and bad for our physical and emotional health.

We show stress in four ways:

Physically: feeling the rush of adrenaline, headaches, muscle tension.

Emotionally: becoming snappy or teary with little provocation; losing our confidence and vitality.

Cognitively: black and white thinking; catastrophising and dwelling on unhealthy thoughts; being indecisive.

Behaviorally: increasing our drinking or drug use; avoiding people and places; eating comfort food or not eating at all; insomnia.

By identifying indicators that we are stressed, we develop self-awareness that allows us to intervene before we feel overwhelmed.

To see the full tip sheet, download your App, AccessMyEAP via Google Play and the App Store. Please note the contact details on the App are AccessEAP contacts details. Please call 1800 650 204 to arrange an appointment.

Newport & Wildman is proudly part of AccessEAP. This month we have a message from Sally Kirkright, CEO, AccessEAP.

As we turn towards the second quarter of the year, it's a good time to reflect on how we are travelling and what we want to create as the year continues. With recurring lockdowns and travel restrictions, many of us did not have the break we were hoping for at the end of last year – and without that break, batteries could be a bit low and edges a bit frayed. And now we are facing floods and the loss which accompanies the damage. So if your energy levels are low, you're feeling overwhelmed or a bit "blah", it is not surprising. To support those that may have been affected by the recent events or if you have been directly impacted, please see our article, Support through Natural Disasters, which includes individual support strategies as well as information for managers and leaders.

Stress can show itself in many forms. As a leader, I am on the lookout for signs of stress and low energy in the people I lead – and in myself. Stress might take the form of headaches and tension; it might be losing your confidence or being irritable; it might be having difficulty concentrating or making decisions. Or stress might cause you to reach for that extra drink, that extra piece of cake, or you might lose your appetite altogether. These are all signatures of the effect of stress to be aware of. 

Resilience is a word that is used a lot when it comes to discussing how to respond to stress. The trick is to make the word meaningful for yourself and for those in your organisation, and not just an expression that is equivalent to 'move on and get over it'. The word resilience has been around since the mid-1600s. It's from the Latin meaning 'to spring back.' And that meaning is part of the problem. Sometimes springing back to the way we were is absolutely not what is needed. If I notice my golf-swing is not producing the results I want on a particular course, it may need to adapt to the unfamiliar conditions rather than persist with what I usually do. I like the definition of resilience given by CSIRO Research Fellow Brian Walker – "Resilience is… the ability to adapt and change, to reorganise, while coping with disturbance. It is all about changing in order not to be changed." Resilience is about:

• having available to you a diversity of styles of responding
• being self-aware and open to challenges
• not being over connected with others and your environment (you might get overwhelmed), or under-connected (in which case you may not learn and you might miss the bigger picture)
• being able to respond quickly
• being ready to transform if necessary.

This is a much more nuanced version of resilience than the one we are often told about.

So, how might we all put this version of resilience into practice? I believe it starts with being curious. Curiosity lies at the heart of the joy and excitement of discovery, of finding new ways of doing things, of finding our unique approach to the world that uses our strengths and insights. Curiosity also means we aren't afraid to make mistakes. It's said that when a reporter asked him, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn't fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps." A growth mindset is vital.

So, as you face into the second quarter of the year, take an energy check for yourself and others in your organisation, and have a think about what resilience can meaningfully mean to you and encourage others to do the same.

Sally Kirkright, CEO AccessEAP

Newsletter Cover Image- Photo by Jessica Lewis from Pexels

Newport & Wildman is proudly part of AccessEAP. This month we have a message from Sally Kirkright, CEO, AccessEAP.

As we head further into 2021, I’ve been thinking about ways in which we can take control over areas of our lives and how this increases resilience and overall health. In particular, the connection of mind and body, looking at where Eastern and Western understandings of health can both give guidance.

Finding ways in which we can regain a sense of control in our personal lives despite what is happening all around us can help us with managing our feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. What are things we can do in terms of looking after our physical health? And what are the flow-on effects in terms of our mental health? In the West, we used to look at the mind and body as related but separate systems and illness as a faulty body part. While your sore wrist may be RSI from using a mouse, one way of treating it would be painkillers and maybe a steroid injection. A holistic response looks at your posture, how much time you spend on a computer, what forms of exercise you are engaging in. The Eastern understanding of the body would look at is as a connected system that includes diet, social connections, spiritual engagement – the totality of your life away from work.

A simple way to bring all of our systems together is to have awareness of what we eat and how we move. Both of these activities impact the body and mind. We know the relationship between exercise and mood. There is now a growing understanding of how food impacts our mental clarity and emotional wellbeing: what we eat and how we move influences how we feel, how we sleep – and how we think and work.

Problem-solving capacity increases after exercising – so the idea of clearing your head by going for a walk is an easy starting point; it also increases endorphins, thereby lifting mood.   The previous image of the dedicated employee who only eats lunch at the desk has been replaced by a workforce – led by compassionate leaders who lead by example – think walking meetings! At Newport & Wildman, we know how quickly time passes, so our Wellbeing Champions work with our employees to implement initiatives to remind everyone to take mindful and active breaks. As a leader, role-modelling good habits is essential. Recharging your batteries increases satisfaction and productivity and minimises burnout. Getting away from the workplace, whether on a break from your workspace or around your neighbourhood and enjoying the season – the shade of a tree in summer or bracing wind while rugged up in winter – activates a range of our senses, a key aspect of mindfulness. If you haven’t exercised much, start with a walk, and increase the time and the intensity. No matter what your current level of fitness is, working towards a physical goal promotes mastery and self-esteem.

High sugar/high-fat foods give a short term lift which is often followed by a sugar slump or binge-regrets. I’m certainly tempted by the array of quick and easy local café options but the majority of what I eat I try to be mindful about. The gut and the brain are intimately linked – what you eat affects the production of neurotransmitters. Serotonin is produced in the gut, and so good gut health has a significant impact. Looking after the gut means a high-fibre diet, low in processed food and sugars – which includes regulating your alcohol intake. As with exercise – make changes gradually, so you don’t set yourself up to fail. You may also notice that regular exercise and mindful eating will impact the quality of your sleep.  You can get the benefits of small changes as well as a sense of control in a year which still feels unusual.

The benefit to organisations that promote healthy food and exercise patterns are a healthier, more productive workforce. Over 2020, we prioritised health at Newport & Wildman with employees joining in online yoga, setting walking challenges and ensuring we made time for mindful activities. In the absence of a shared lunchroom for much of 2020, shared food became online shared recipes.

In changing times, flexibility is a necessary strategy to succeed, so keeping your employees informed and engaged about their health and your journey, as well as the business direction, will help to carry all of us through.

Sally Kirkright, CEO AccessEAP

Cover Article Image- Pexels image by Trang Doan

This month have celebrated International Women's Day and Harmony Day within Harmony Week. Harmony Day is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

These are just two days that are highlighted but we encourage you to celebrate and implement diversity and inclusion in the workplace across all of March and throughout the year. To support your organisation through this, below are two great resources.

Inclusive Language Guide: Respecting people of intersex, trans and gender diverse experience 

Learn how to use inclusive language in a respectful way with this Inclusive Language Guide

Universal Music UK
Creative Differences: A handbook for embracing neurodiversity in the creative industries

Learn about neurodiversity, which refers to the infinite variation in cognitive functioning that can lead to differences in thinking, attention and memory. The handbook explores the experiences of people with specific facets of neurodiversity such as ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and Tourette Syndrome.

Newport & Wildman is proudly part of AccessEAP. This month we have a message from Sally Kirkright, CEO, AccessEAP.

In the face of the changes we all went through last year, now is a good time to reflect on how our workplaces and activities will change. What will this mean to leaders of organisations as we optimise our work environments? This month I look at two related concepts: big-picture, structural changes to our workplaces; and how we respond quickly to ensure that our best assets – our teams – are supported.

Managers have always looked at how they can improve productivity, support customers and engage with employees to deliver on goals.  Previously this might have looked at maximising resources like the real estate where offices are located. Hot desking was loved by management but not embraced by employees. Concepts of touch-free, physical distanced workspaces, rosters which stagger staffing levels and even downsizing office space are being discussed at companies and departments, and these changes will make their presence felt over coming months. For those who have remained at their workplaces, managers have had to adapt to ongoing changing/fluctuating restrictions and help their employees through these changes.

The concepts of physical and mental health overlap significantly. When employees feel that their physical environment is safe, their job is safe; then it is easier for them to feel emotionally safe and remain productive. While we can’t guarantee how safe anyone’s employment is, we can provide a calm, caring presence for our employees, and encourage them to take steps to look after themselves within the workplace and at home.

Encouraging (and role-modelling!) self-care is not only a kind and ethical approach to leading our people. It increases self-esteem and productivity by giving employees a sense of autonomy and control, and the effects carry across to home life.

Working hard is admirable – and setting a realistic boundary is as well. As the economy and the collective soul of the country recovers, I’m aiming for balancing constructive work with exercise, closing the laptop at a decent hour, and connecting with family and friends. At Newport & Wildman, these are discussions that leaders frequently have with their teams: our KPI discussions now include talking about mental health and wellbeing as well as outcomes and results.

On my work from home day, I make sure I exercise, and if there is an opportunity when I've finished work, I try to incorporate my passion for golf, which allows me to be clear-headed, focused and gives me the headspace for thinking. My other essential is going for a walk; early morning exercise puts me in the right headspace emotionally and physically to tackle the day. A walk is so easy – low impact, all I need is a pair of comfortable shoes, and I ease into the day.  While my phone is available for emergencies, I leave email till I finish my walk. With flexible work, employees find their own work-life balance. For many responding to emails or thinking time, can be early in the morning or after bedtime for the kids, it is important to have discussions with employees to ensure they are looking after themselves and managing to fit in self-care routines.  Despite the restrictions that 2020 placed on business – and the fears many managers had about productivity as work from home became the necessary work model for so many – what became apparent was that our employees were on the journey with us. Productivity was solid as workers largely felt trusted and empowered to manage their outputs.

While physical alterations to the new workspace will evolve gradually, the social changes start with us – with sensible, well-considered policies, and trusting our employees to be empowered and make decisions.  Our new challenges are isolation, disengagement and lack of collaboration as workspaces change and remote working is the new norm. If we encourage our employees to do their best and also be kind to themselves, we get the balance right. If we continue to communicate, to listen and adapt to the changing circumstances. To listen to the needs and challenges of our employees, business environments and society, we will continue to build sustainable businesses where people want to work. Encouraging and leading our people to show that we can work with focus but also value the time decompressing and enjoying our lives is the biggest gift we can give them this year.

Sally Kirkright, CEO AccessEAP

Newsletter Coverage Image- Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Workplace culture has changed since the days where people started work, did what the manager told them to do and 'logged off". Today, workplaces need to engage and motivate their employees by understanding what employees need from their work. We know employees want to grow, want to be valued, involved, and to feel part of the organisation.

Each generation may have differing needs and not factoring in employees’ values, needs and expectations leads to strong emotions at work which can lead to decreased productivity. Engagement is key to a mentally healthy and productive workplace culture – organisations need emotionally intelligent leaders who know how to respond in a way that facilitates positive workplace behaviour.

What do we unwittingly do that creates negative/positive emotion?

Insight and awareness around the impact of behaviour on others is a skill that can be learned and developed – paying attention to body language and others’ reactions is key. It’s important that you choose your moment to seek feedback or deliver information.

Are negative emotions in the workplace bad?

Emotions are contagious so it is important to listen, be aware and address underlying issues before the emotions impact on others within the workplace. Negative emotions are defined as, for example, anger, frustration, burnout - all emotions that are part of being human. It’s unrealistic to expect people not to have emotion, but they need to learn how to effectively manage their emotions. One way to manage emotions in the workplace is for leaders to know how to have a constructive conversation which includes active listening, de-escalation, providing feedback. If your managers require some skills in this area our Constructive Conversations training can help employees use negative emotion to create a positive consequence.

What works?

Upskilling and training managers to manage emotions is important.

Many managers get promoted for their technical skills and abilities and may experience difficulty managing strong emotions. These skills can be taught through coaching and training and should include: de-escalation skills, skills to keep calm, active listening, reflecting and summarising. 

Modelling behaviour from the top down

It’s important to model the behavioural response that you want to see in others. Leaders set the tone for organisational culture and communication. Consultation is key; that is, consulting with employees to understand the type of culture everyone wants to create. Role modelling that behaviour is important as employees become disillusioned if they do not feel heard and their value isn’t acknowledged. It’s like building a muscle – it takes time and practice.

Managing difficult emotions/trauma

Acknowledging emotion, without deciding whether the emotion is valid or not, is very powerful. People want to feel that their emotional response is heard and understood. Your first step is to calm the situation by listening with real empathy.  The person is then ready to work with you to generate solutions, and while it takes longer, does mean there will be “buy-in”. Managing trauma in the workplace means moving at the individuals’ pace and understanding that everyone is impacted differently and therefore there will be different responses. Recognising and acknowledging that there is a range of normal reactions to trauma, and suspending judgement (no right or wrong response) will assist the workplace to recover effectively.

To arrange an appointment call 1800 650 204 or for enquiries about related training please contact the Newport & Wildman Team.

The pandemic has forced us to look more closely at the way we work particularly in terms of team and people interactions and dynamics. The way that our teams function is crucial to our workplace culture and productivity. If your organisation adopts an approach of creating teams based on aptitude, skills and diversity it can create endless potential but also a natural breeding ground for differences in approach and opinions, and if this isn’t acknowledged, it could lead to potential conflict. 

From time to time we all encounter situations where we dislike a person’s behaviour and we feel we need to say something. It may be that your job requires you to have these conversations with people on a regular basis. A common myth is that raising the issue might make things worse, however, a carefully constructed conversation might save things from getting worse.

Constructive Conversations Training

To arrange a training session for your organisation, please speak to the Newport & Wildman team.

Here are some tips for initiating a potentially difficult conversation:

1. Be Confident with your Concerns

It can be easy to stop ourselves from raising concerns by minimising their importance. For example, we may tell ourselves we are “just being silly” or we are “being too sensitive” or “it’s not such a big deal really”. If it is impacting you or someone else negatively, it is important. Be clear with yourself about the reasons why you are initiating the conversation.

2. Focus on the Behaviour

Let the person know that it is their behaviour which is upsetting or concerning to you. Be careful not to label the person, for example instead of saying “you are selfish and lazy” you could say “when you leave me to clean up everything I feel let down because I am doing it all alone without any help”.

3. Be Clear and Specific

Anxiety about how someone might react can lead to messages being “watered-down”. We may give a lot of positive feedback in amongst the negative, or we might talk generally to a group about behaviour that bothers us without speaking directly to the person involved. The risk is that your message will not be heard by them.

4. Listen

This can sometimes be the hard part because people can be defensive or angry after hearing your concerns and your feedback. They may attack. They may deny that there’s an issue. They may even convince you it’s “all in your head”. Let them talk. Don’t interrupt, explain, justify or defend. First, listen. There will be time to respond later.

5. Respond Calmly

Depending on how the person has reacted to your concerns remaining calm can be tricky, however, focus on clarifying the factual accuracies of what the person has said. Their feelings are subjective and you can’t change these. The person may be angry with you for some time. Confidently re-state your concerns. If you can, come to a resolution or compromise. You may need some time to think about what each other has said.

For more information, you can arrange an appointment or utilise our Manager Support Hotline on 1800 650 204.

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has had a wide-ranging impact on all of us. We know that one thing that Australians often worry about is their financial situation. Many of us may experience financial stress as a result of physical distancing requirements and the impact this has had on employers and jobs. It is perfectly normal to worry about our financial situation, even in the best of times, as we try and provide a good life for ourselves and our loved ones. With so much uncertainty across a number of industries and employers, and if our partners or loved ones have lost their jobs, financial related stress may be a key concern for many.

Employers can play a role in helping their employees cope with financial related stress by recognising the impact it can have on different groups in the workplace. It is important to recognise that there are many varied reasons for financial stress. For example, our aging workforce is facing many challenges, including their fear of entering retirement, paying for their children’s higher education and moving their parents into nursing homes. On the other hand, millennials are facing economic instability, crushing student debt, stagnant wages and looming uncertainty about the future.

How individual employees handle financial stress varies greatly. Employers should aim to reduce the impact that this type of stress can have at work in the form of presenteeism. Breaking down and understanding the underlying issues can be the key to helping employees become more resilient.

Here are some basic tips on reducing finance-related stress:

1) Learn to budget: If your financial situation is causing you stress, it’s vital to create a budget. Record all income and expenditure and know exactly what you spend on non-essential items. Be critical of what you are spending and cut down on any unessential items if necessary.

2) Pay off debt: Review and consolidate loans to help get them under control. Pay off your credit card debt and remember to start with the credit card with the highest interest rate.

3) Review fees: It’s important to review your bank and bank products as your life circumstances change. Compare and contrast bank fees and ensure you have the best products for your individual situation. Your bank manager can help talk you through the best options.

4) Save for a rainy day: Having an emergency or ‘rainy day’ fund can help alleviate financial stress knowing you have something in reserve. Start putting money away every month – even if it’s just a small amount, it all adds up.

5) De-stress: It’s normal to feel worried or anxious when times are hard but consider the impact financial stress is having on your life. Take time to relax and de-stress. Taking the right steps towards getting your finances in control will help ease stress.

 To find out more about our Financial Coaching services, call us on 1800 650 204.

Our 2021 Wellbeing in Focus Calendar has launched!

It's time to put Wellbeing In Focus with our 2021 Calendar of tools, training and resources. 

The Newport & Wildman Wellbeing in Focus Calendar is a great way to plan quarterly activity around the areas that may be of particular importance to your organisation while making sure you are aware of a wider range of topics. The Annual Planner gives a great overview while the quarterly themes help you to deliver information in manageable parts, highlighting importance and focusing attention. Over the course of the year, you will have access to new and updated resources! 

Our 2021 Wellbeing in Focus Calendar Annual Planner is available through the Employer Login Section and of the website.

We've reached 2021 and with that, another year of expectations and resolutions for the year ahead. Chances are, at some time in your life, you've made New Year Resolutions and then broken them only to repeat the cycle the following year. It is common for people to get caught up in a pattern of resolving to make important changes across life and then not following through. This year, keeping these few simple tips in mind may help to increase your chances of success.

Pick Realistic Goals

The surest way to fall short of your new year’s resolution is to set your goals too high. Remember to keep your goals realistic, small and achievable.

Define Those Goals

A common pitfall for people is that they are too vague about what they want to achieve. Spending time developing a specific, concrete action plan with the details of each small step will help increase your chances of success.

Plan Ahead

If your action plan involves tasks which need to be done daily or weekly, set specific times of the day or week which you will use to work on it. The key is to stay flexible and adopt changes needed to be successful in your goals.

Have a Contingency Plan

Decide how you will deal with temptation. This could include practising positive thinking, reviewing the reasons why you set goals in the first place or calling a friend.

Track Your Progress

Keep track of each small success you make toward reaching your larger goal. Rewarding your small accomplishments will help keep you motivated along the way.

Seek Out Support

Don’t keep your resolution a secret. Tell family and friends who will be supportive of your resolve to make a change in your life. Let them know how to help you achieve your goal.

Keep Trying

Accept that there will be times when your resolve weakens or you will have that slip-up. Don’t beat yourself up – simply start over again! Keep trying and enlist the help of professional services if needed.

To arrange an appointment, call 1800 650 204.