Hi, I thought I'd start putting some of my articles on my blog for you, the next 8 blog articles are fro managers wanting to take the stress out of their work, I hope you find it useful.

"In the progress of personality, first comes a declaration of independence, then recognition of interdependence."
Henry Van Dyke (American short-story Writer, Poet and Essayist, 1852-1933)

A wise manager incorporates "showing recognition" of workers and the role that the worker has in the organization, as part of their management skills because they are aware of how they depend on workers to do their job as well as workers depend on them as managers to manage the workers.
Basically the organization is unable to survive without this mutual assistance and interaction between all workers and in this context between workers and their managers. The absence of acknowledgment and recognition creates disharmony not only in staff members through lack of motivation but also through the breakdown of communication between workers at differing levels and within the infrastructure of the company.Recognition of a job well done is what can motivate workers to achieve more and obtain job satisfaction.
How to achieve this
Consider ensuring that credit, gratitude, acknowledgment, thanks and appreciation form part of your direct and indirect management of staff groups. The additional outcome for you will be respect for you as a manager who shows fairness and facilitates contribution.
How to show recognition
As a manager it is as vital to spend time in identifying how your workers contribute to the company as it is to ensure that action is taken when things go wrong. Remember this is an action task as well as an attitudinal change which will have major positive benefits
Types of recognition
In this modern society you need to consider more creative ways of recognizing workers but do not forget the simple tried and tested ones -Long service rewards -Probation completion -Email to thank the team with a copy to the senior managers -Compliments book for visitors, contractors any one who comes in contact with your staff team, which is different to the complaints documentation -Written evidence appraisals, certificates, engravings
Do not forget some key ingredients which will further embed recognition -Everyone gets recognized -Inconsistency will de-motivate workers -If you use measures to evidence work make sure that they are fair and achievable for all
What you can do now to start this process
Before you next go into work list 3 ways that you will start showing recognition to the workers you manage.

You can get more advice from my new book "Inducing Wellbeing In The Work Place: A Workers Guide To Stress Management" http://www.myworkplacewellbeing.net/ and at all book stores.

Don't foget to your monthly newsletter and free downloads on Work Place Wellbeing at http://www.stressfreecaringinthecity.org/

A good friend of mine called Nay introduced me to the notion of Vicarious Trauma, a concept she as an Australian Social Worker was well versed in before leaving college. It affects all professionals but those in the helping professions can experience it on a day to day basis when dealing with other peoples trauma, we can not help but experience second hand pain. 20 years of being a social worker means a lot of second hand witnessing for me! I am very grateful to Nay for her lovely explanation about it, she also gave us a talk at one of our Stress Free caring In The City training events recently which was much appreciated.
Concepts like these help me to understand that the very things that makes us care for others also makes us neglect our own wellbeing. We are expert practitioners in our fields and highly skilled professionals in other peoples wellbeing but mostly we stop far short in having insight to our own needs and also are not good in undertaking the actions to keep ourselves well.
Vicarious Trauma is negative energy sustained by and transmitted by our thoughts.....Have you seen the secret?
So spending an afternoon with Deborah yesterday and learning a new skill and finishing my book "Inducing Wellbeing in the WorkPlace" left me feeling that I had experinced enough positive energy to counteract my whole week of possible exposure to Vicarious Trauma!
P.S Nays explanation of Vicarious Trauma is in my book.
Have a great week

The Beechroft Retreat in June 2007 was an amazing celebration for the Members of STRESS FREE CARING IN THE CITY. As Social Workers we are continuously striving to find ways to relieve our stress constructively and with fun. The Mini Retreat was the midway point to an intoxicating year of Welllbeing, Self Awareness, Self Care, Self Celebration, Self Developing Goals and Self Administration!

With the rain set to pour down and with the sun playing a game with the clouds we prepared ourselves for some serious nurturing, pampering, relaxation and fun. As usual we met up, drank tea and coffee, caught up with what we had been doing since the last months dynamic Wellbeing Taster session at Neal's Yard Meeting rooms then headed down the motorway laughing and celebrating the fact that we are able to care for ourselves well despite of the impact of our work.

We were blown away with our Mini Retreat at Beechcroft; the staff where welcoming, the building was luxurious, the food was detoxifying, the therapeutic treatments where gorgeous and the company was great!

I am clear that as Social Workers we can and will find ways to take care of ourselves and counteract the negative aspects of stress from our work. There are so many ways to do it but as a group it is proving most effective.

Thank you Yvonne, Renay, Deborah, Devon, Alison, Paulette and the staff at Beechcroft Retreats.

Warmest