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Employee Pay Structure and Parties Improve Performance

Posted on December 17, 2009 by Tim Titolo

So is your boss paying you enough? Do you want a raise or better working conditions? What motivates employees to perform?

People paid by the hour exhibit a stronger relationship between income and happiness, according to a study published in the current issue of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (PSPB), the official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

The Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) is an academic society for personality and social psychologists with over 4500 members worldwide. SPSP serves as Division 8 of the American Psychological Association and publishes the journals Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and Personality and Social Psychology Review and the biannual newsletter, Dialogue. It also co-publishes the journal Social and Personality and Psychology Science.

Researchers explored the relationship between income and happiness by focusing on the organizational arrangements that make the connection between time and money. They found that the way in which an employee is paid is tied to their feeling of happiness.

The researchers theorize that hourly wage-earners focus more attention on their pay than those who earn a salary.

A UK survey of managers across health and social care found that nearly two thirds (62 per cent) of them believe that Christmas parties are important in helping improve employee engagement. The survey comes in the wake of a government report that blames UK business leaders for low levels of staff engagement.

Tags: Anxiety, Psychiatric & Psychological Issues, Psychiatry Public, health, psychology, stress

Holiday Stress

Posted on December 2, 2009 by Tim Titolo

The American Psychological Association notes that Holiday stress is a leading cause of financial stress for Americans. National unemployment levels push into double digits for the first time in decades, the American Psychological Association's (APA) newest Stress in America survey finds that Americans continue to cite financial concerns as leading sources of stress.

Approximately seven in ten Americans report that money is a significant source of stress (71 percent), according to APA's 2009 Stress in America survey, with similarly high percentages reporting stress resulting from work (69 percent) and the economy (63 percent). More than half of adults (55 percent) also cited family responsibilities as a significant source of stress in their lives.

APA suggests the following strategies to manage holiday stress and enjoy the season:

1. Take time for yourself. Taking care of yourself helps you to take better care of others in your life. Go for a long walk or take time out to read or listen to your favorite music. By slowing down you will actually have more energy to accomplish your goals.

2. Volunteer. Many charitable organizations face new challenges as a result of the ongoing economic downturn. Find a local charity, such as a soup kitchen or a shelter, where you and your family can volunteer together. Helping others who are less fortunate can put hardships in perspective and can build stronger family relationships.

3. Set realistic expectations. No holiday celebration is perfect; view inevitable missteps as opportunities to demonstrate flexibility and resilience. Create a realistic budget and remind your children that the holidays aren't about expensive gifts.

4. Remember what's important. Commercialism can overshadow the true sentiment of the holiday season. When your holiday expense list is running longer than your monthly budget, scale back. Remind yourself that family, friends and the relationships in our lives are what matter most.

5. Seek support. Talk about stress related to the holidays with your friends and family. Getting things out in the open can help you navigate your feelings and work toward a solution. If you continue to feel overwhelmed, consider talking with a professional such as a psychologist to help you develop coping strategies and better manage your stress. A psychologist has the skills and professional training to help people learn to manage stress and cope more effectively with life problems, using techniques based on best available research and their clinical skills and experience, and taking into account an individual's unique values, goals and circumstances. Psychologists have doctoral degrees and are licensed by the state in which they practice. They receive one of the highest levels of education of all health care professionals, spending an average of seven years in education and training after they receive their undergraduate degrees.