4 Elements for Reducing Stress in the Workplace-Vol. 7b

Talent management is a critical strategy for the future hopes for many organizations' competitive advantage. Surveys keep warning about the looming talent shortage and how challenging it is today to not only find but to keep good people. One element that is critical in any strategic approach to talent management is understanding and recognizing the kinds of stresses that are operating throughout an organization (e.g., ineffective management, toxic workplaces, and rusted or burned out employees). Organizations continue to see rising costs in disability management, increased sick time, and greater numbers of employees applying for short-term psychological stress leave. With these rising costs organizations are taking on added financial burden that provides no direct value to profitability.Talent management programs must consider what is within an organization's control to mitigate stress. The cost of doing nothing is growing in epidemic proportions for many organizations but fortunately many are making a much more concerted effort to facilitate and promote employee health and healthy work conditions. 4 Elements for Reducing Workplace Stress is Volume 7b of the Howatt HR Consulting Talent Management Series that has been developed to promote strategic talent management considerations. Volume 7b Introduces four elements that will help an organization facilitate discussions on the current level of stress within its workforce and the risks and strategies for assisting employees to manage their current stress levels. Each of the four sections has been developed to assist human resource and business leaders to discuss what their organization is doing well to reduce organizational and individual stress and what opportunities are available to make the work environment better. A core pillar for effective talent management is to retain a healthy and productive workforce. William A. Howatt, PhD, EdD, Post Doc Behavioral Science UCLA School of Medicine, is CEO of Howatt HR Consulting Inc., a strategic human resources management company. Howatt HR Consulting focuses on assisting companies to gain a significant competitive edge for their organization by minimizing risk to talent equity. This is accomplished through defining, designing, and developing talent management solutions for removing potential talent equity risks and to filling gaps.