Does your workplace have coworkers who complain constantly, fail to pull their weight or behave as drama mamas? You are not alone. Dysfunctional employees are everywhere and they can make the workday extra stressful.
Whether you are dealing with a self-promoter, gossip master or lazy lug, you still need to deal with them in a professional manner. Don’t respond to their pleas for help or dramatic antics. Chances are they will not change their behavior. But you can control how you react to toxic personalities.
Here are four common types of dysfunctional employees and ways to work with them without losing your cool:
The self-promoter. Everyone enjoys tooting their own horn. But sometimes a coworker will take credit for another person’s work. Your best bet is to say on top of your work and not get sucked into a game of one-upmanship.
The Lazy lug. This person is a drain on productivity and morale. And usually pretty disagreeable when caught not working. Enlist some allies and address the person directly. Or else continue picking up his or her slack.
The saboteur. This person enjoys seeing others struggle or fail. He or she may have been passed over for a promotion or bonus and feels justified in not being a team player. Always have proof of what you have done in case this person tries to blame you for mistakes.
The Drama Master. Everything that happens to this person is earth-shattering. If there is a major disagreement on the job, this person is in the middle. Your best bet? Do not engage.
The good news is that by controlling your behavior, you set an example to others on what to do to create a healthier work environment.
Robin Farmer is a freelance journalist with a focus on health, business and education. Visit her at www.robinfarmerwrites.com.
Do you know the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]? Do you know who is at risk? Are men and women at equal risk of developing it?
If you find yourself struggling to answer these questions, consider checking The PTSD Toolkit for Nurses, www.nurseptsdtoolkit.org, a new interactive resource designed by the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.
The American Nurses Foundation (ANF) recently announced the launch of the toolkit to help civilian registered nurses better assess and treat PTSD in veterans and military service members.
An estimated half million veterans and military service members suffer from this mental health condition that is triggered by a traumatic event, such as exposure to combat, violence, natural disasters, terrorism and accidents.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website, experts think PTSD occurs:
In about 11-20 percent of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom).
In as many as 10 percent of Gulf War (Desert Storm) Veterans.
In about 30 percent of Vietnam Veterans.
PTSD symptoms include angry outburts, trouble sleeping, and other negative changes in thinking and mood, or changes in emotional reactions.
PTSF can affect anyone, and women are at greater risk. Sometimes symptoms are hard to identify. The website provides an e-learning module to build assessment and intervention skills, so nurses can treat and refer military members and veterans for help. It also includes videos and an interactive game to practice your assessment and referral skills.
Nurses are often the first point of contact when veterans and military personnel seek medical help. PTSD can be treated and cured. This toolkit can help you immediately recognizie symptoms, and intervene to help veterans make a successful transition to civilian life.
Robin Farmer is a freelance journalist with a focus on health, business and eduucation. Visit her at www.RobinFarmerWrites.com.
Regardless of their age, gender or position, gossipers on the job share the same goal: to use “information” to feel more powerful than their targets. What can be frustrating are their methods.
Sometimes the gossip is elusive, crafted in a hint or casual reference. Sometimes it is directly stated. Whatever the delivery, gossip can undermine a person’s credibility and add to on-the-job stress, something nurses always need to reduce.
Most gossipers are attention-seekers. In confidential tones, they will often share more personal details about someone than you are comfortable with. Their information may or may not be true. But if you weigh in, they leave with even more ammunition.
So what do you do the next time the workplace gossip heads your way?
Consider taking these actions to stop gossipers in their tracks:
Avoid information exchanges. Every tidbit delivered comes with a price, as this person will use your response to spread more gossip.
Deal with the rumormonger. Talk to the person directly and let it be known you are not interested in hearing or repeating destructive or non-productive talk about your colleagues. Be direct, firm and polite.
Ask the person to clarify his or her comments. Ask specific questions, which gossipers tend to avoid, as they often like speaking in vague terms. Some gossip may contain a kernel of truth that is surrounded by rumors and errors.
Change the subject. Nothing ends gossip quicker than not listening to it.
Say you will repeat the information shared with you with the intended target.
Help the gossiper. Find out what is bothering him or her to the point that they engage in such negative behavior.
Address the topic of gossip in a meeting. Discuss how harmful hints and innuendos can damage one’s reputation and confidence.
Keep confidential business to yourself. Knowing who to trust on the job is not always apparent.
Another reason to avoid engaging in gossip? You could be the next target.
Robin Farmer is a freelance journalist with a focus on health, business and education. Visit her at www.RobinFarmerWrites.com.
If you find yourself dreading going to work, ask yourself: How well am I managing my stress?
Chances are, caregiver, that you could use more time thinking about how to take better care of yourself. Your job-related stress can affect your patients, colleagues and loved ones, so getting it under control should be a high priority. The first step is to admit to being stressed. Then you can figure out ways to manage it.
There are many symptoms of stress, which include indecision, susceptibility to accidents, depression and anxiety. Your body will let you know that something is out of balance.
There are many ways to reduce stress, and some include measures your employer can take. Here are some actions you can take:
■ Identify what you can and cannot control. Invest time and energy into what you can manage, such as your attitude, emotions and behavior.
■ Assess your coping strategies. Do you have the skills to manage the main sources of your stress? If not, identify new coping strategies to learn.
■ Create a plan to manage your stressful periods. Identify your most stressful situations, when they are likely to occur, and how you will address them using your coping strategies.
■ Avoid trying to read minds and jumping to conclusions. You may think you know what someone is thinking or why someone is behaving a certain way, but a simple conversation may make all the difference.
■ Seek career counseling. Talking to a professional about your goals and current job can provide insights as well as an objective look at your situation. You may also get support for changes you want to make.
■ Maintain a work and life balance. Make time to connect with loved ones and activities that help you to unwind.
■ Visit your doctor. Sometimes medical interventions are needed to help you reduce and manage stress.
■ Talk about your feelings with family, friends and others in your support network.
Nursing is a rewarding and challenging profession. Do your part to make the stresses less challenging and more manageable.
Robin Farmer is a freelance journalist with a focus on health, business and education. Visit her at www.RobinFarmerWrites.com
Are you taking job-related stress home to your loved ones? Nurses are expected to be engaged, enthused and active at work. But meeting job demands without proper support and resources can lead to high levels of stress, which can follow you home and effect the relationships with your loved ones.
Learning how to reduce on-the-job stress can help you be a better parent.
The first step is to understand the source of your anxiety in your workplace. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines job stress as “the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources or needs of the worker.”
Identify and list excessive job pressures and demands. Discuss your concerns with the appropriate parties. Hopefully, some critical changes will be made. But if these changes are not possible, and a new position is not a reality anytime soon, consider taking these steps to help you unwind and be a less stressed-out parent at the end of each work day:
■ Imagine leaving your work problems on the job when you walk out the door. Mentally picture yourself boxing up all of the job-related issues and leaving them behind.
■ Create an “at home ritual” that gives you permission to unwind. It could be a bubble bath, listening to your favorite music or playing a game with your child.
■ Ask your family for help with meals, from planning the menu and cutting up ingredients to establishing fun theme nights, such as Mexican Monday or Fun Foods Friday. Infuse creativity and entertainment into daily chores.
■ Exercise to alleviate tension. Better yet, go on a family walk or hold workout sessions indoors while playing your family’s favorite songs. Make sweating a fun, family affair.
■ Avoid getting into the habit of drinking excessive alcohol and caffeine.
■ Seek help from friends, family and neighbors if you feel overwhelmed with meeting the needs of your children or spouse.
■ Schedule adequate time for sleep to recharge your batteries. Consult a doctor if you have difficulty sleeping.
■ Reflect on the positives in your life.
Job stress has far reaching consequences. Learn how to manage it, at work and home, to take better care of your family.
