Workplace Stress and it’s Costs

The effects of stress in the workplace can be costly. Executive Operations Manager, Ivan Lasater discusses the costs of workplace stress and how to improve productivity.

Workplace stress can be a real problem when it comes to the bottom line. The costs according to the American Institute of Stress are around $300 billion a year. This includes the costs incurred through health insurance and worker’s compensation, lost days of work, lost productivity while at work, employee assistance programs, and even law suits stemming from illness attributed to stress. The estimated $300 billion in costs aren’t coming out of the company’s pockets alone, they are actually passed on to the consumer and create poor economic conditions for the entire country to bear.

Identifying Common Workplace Stressors

There are a number of stressors in the workplace and identifying them is important. Identifying workplace stressors is the first step in addressing them. Here are some common examples.

Common workplace stressors:

·         Boredom and monotonous work loads

·         Feeling powerless over decision making

·         Excessive hours and burn out

·         Relationships in the workplace, both social and intimate

·         Inequality such as racism or sexism

·         Poor workplace conditions

·         Accidents and injuries on the job

·         Poor management

·         No upward mobility

The physical and psychological effects of these common stressors can create problems for a business and the people who make it work. Fortunately, there are several ways in which these stressors can be addressed. Management must take a clear and effective role in addressing issues of workplace stress. It’s always in the company’s better interests to invest time and money into the health and wellbeing of their employees. It costs more money to hire and train new employees than it does to address the needs of the employees currently employed. Here are some steps that management and employees can take to address these issues.

Addressing workplace stressors:

·         Relax stringent company policies to accommodate priority needs of employees

·         Develop inclusive strategies for planning and work related goals

·         Create open door policies

·         Foster an employee friendly Human Resources Department

·         Implement Employee Assistance Programs (EAP’s) for individuals to cope with stress and addiction, in and out of the workplace

·         Evaluate and lighten the workloads if need be

·         Offer incentives and rewards

·         Give praise and recognition

·         Make healthy options available in the workplace. (i.e.) exercise areas, healthy food, break areas with pleasant scenery and plenty of room

·         Companywide monthly meetings and the freedom to air grievances

Summary

The symptoms of workplace stress can directly affect workplace productivity if not addressed and dealt with appropriately. Employees who experience stress are not always capable of dealing with it in a productive way, (For tips on a healthy balance visit Ivan's blog by clicking this link) and are often times powerless to change the conditions which create it. Management has a role and a responsibility to address the issues that affect productivity and morale in the workplace. Creating strategies to deal with workplace stress can boost the bottom line and enhance the morale of the workplace at the same time. 

Sustainable Energy, An Oil Man’s Perspective

Oil and Gas Executive, Ivan Lasater gives us his perspective and insight into sustainable and alternative energy resources.

Introduction

My name is Ivan Lasater and I’m an Executive Operations Manager for the Petroleum Industry. I am a Production Recovery Enhancement Specialist and I engineer systems that recover up to 99% of the oil vapors found in oil storage tanks. I am also an environmentally conscious individual who lives in Moab, Utah and loves the outdoors.

Observation

For over a century now, Fossil Fuels have been the backbone of energy resources in the United States and around the world. Alternative energy supplies are being sought out and developed at alarming rates at the behest of environmentally conscious consumers bent on wiping fossil fuels from the grid. The only problem is the development and efficiency of these alternative resources are still in their infancy and though technology and research into sustainable energy resources has been growing, the cost of implementing alternative energy coupled with the environmental impact are still lending fossil fuels relevance in today’s energy market.

Renewable Energy

By renewable energy, I mean resources like hydroelectric dams, wind turbines, and solar power. These are referred to as renewable energy because we are using the Earth’s natural resources to create energy and they have very little environmental waist as a result. Also, renewable energy doesn’t deplete the resource from which it is derived, (i.e.) sun, water, and wind. But just because something doesn’t necessarily produce a significant amount of waste doesn’t mean it has an insignificant impact on the environment.  

A Shining Example

Let’s take solar energy for example. Harnessing the power of the sun is a great idea. There are normally two ways in which we do this. They involve storing the sun’s energy in cells that will produce electricity and harnessing the sun’s energy to heat water. This can have many useful applications on a small-scale level like individual homes and tracks of land. However, in order for it to be efficient on a large scale it would require vast expanses of land which would have an adverse effect on animal habitats. A great many consumers aren’t aware of the negative impacts that renewable energy resources could have on animal habitats and their pocket book at this point in their stage of development. This leaves fossil fuels as the industry leader in energy, simply by default. To condemn fossil fuels and their development now would be the equivalent of cutting off our nose despite our face. Here are a list of pros and cons concerning renewable and sustainable energy resources.

Pros

·         Renewable energy has proven to have a less harmful impact on the environment than fossil energy

·         Renewable energy is sustainable and doesn’t deplete it source

·         Organic garbage can be employed as biomass to create sustainable energy

·         Solar and wind energy can potentially create much more energy than fossil fuels to meet the worlds demands

·         Green energy could potentially create jobs and boost the economy

Cons

·         Large tracks of land required for solar and wind energy

·         Toxic heat transfer fluids required

·         Toxic chemicals used in the manufacture of technology and batteries

·         Erosion caused by wind farms

·         Roads and facilities built on public lands to access solar and wind farms

·         The building of dams for hydroelectric power disrupts natural habitats and migration patterns

·         Dams flood rich farm land and displace inhabitants

·         Damns change the chemical and biological makeup of water downstream

·         Alternative energy is expensive to install and maintain

·         Consumers won’t see a cost return on their renewable energy for an average of 20 years

·         Alternative sources to renewable energy may be required for winter months and unpredictable weather patterns

Summary

Now this is just one man’s observation. I have nothing against renewable and sustainable energy. I believe that with the proper amount of research and development we can harness several alternatives to fossil fuels and make them environmentally safe as well as cost effective. I also believe that the jobs we can create in this area will strengthen the economy and provide opportunity for education in cutting edge technology.  But I don’t think we’re there quite yet. In the meantime, investing money into the technological development and environmental impact of fossil fuels may prove to be the most inexpensive and practical way of providing energy to the nation as a whole.

Workplace Substance Abuse with Ivan Lasater

Substance abuse can have a dramatic effect on workplace productivity. Ivan Lasater discusses ways to address this issue and find solutions. 

Ivan is a Grand County Native and Moab, Utah local, who has managed projects and people in the Oil and Gas Industry since 2004.

The Challenge of Management

Ivan is revered for his management style, and every business he’s had a hand in has seen production increases as well as increases in employee morale. But Ivan Lasater’s job presents a set of challenges that a lot of people just aren’t cut out for. The most challenging aspect of Ivan's job is building people.

“The challenges I face as a manager of people are many. People are people. They are not always going to meet the expectations I have laid out for them. I have to take into consideration what it is I can do to help them meet those expectations. I have to be perceptive, intuitive, empathetic, patient and thorough when dealing with a member of my team that’s struggling. The most difficult of problems to address with employees is always drug and alcohol abuse and how it affects the workplace.”

A Policy for Productivity

According to the Whitehouse Office of National Drug controlPolicy, a survey was conducted in 2001 that reflected a $121 billion dollar loss in the year 2000 due to drug use in this country, with a whopping 60% of that loss attributed to loss of workplace productivity. Ivan believes this is clearly a problem.

To address this problem, programs have been implemented to combat workplace substance abuse and policies have been developed to address the issue. Ivan believes that policies and programs are certainly necessary, but how affective they will be remains in the hands of the employees and their management. Management could stand to benefit substantially from theproper training and the support of policies to help recognize and address substance abuse in the workplace. Policies that require regular drug testing and help to identify issues with employees, hopefully before they spiral out of control. But what does Ivan Lasater believe is the most effective approach to this problem?

“I believe the most effective tool I have against substance abuse in the workplace are EAP’s.”

Employee Assistance Programs

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP’s) are a way of identifying the underlying issues our employees are dealing with and designing a specific set of options for that employee to improve not only the quality of their life, but as a result, improve their productivity. Most EAP’s are offered up to employees on a voluntary basis and are not required for an employee to keep their job or position within the company. However, an employee who is offered an EAP may be warned that unless their condition and productivity improve, termination or demotion may result. EAP’s can address a number of issues which include substance abuse, alcohol abuse, depression, problems at home, financial and legal problems, health concerns, or any number of personal problems an employee may be experiencing. To learn more about EAP’s, click on this link.(EAP’s)

So how do we identify when an employee is having an ongoing issue or if an employee is just having a bad day or three? The preferred method for Ivan Lasater is to develop a keen sense of who his employees are as people.

“The workplace is a place for professionalism. But within that parameter is always an element of interpersonal relationships. If I pay attention to my employee’s behaviors, their demeanors, their health, and the things they like to talk about on a personal level, it gives me the opportunity to get to know them in a way that goes beyond professionalism. That makes it easier to identify when a problem is occurring that might have lasting effects on their productivity.”

An Approach to People

It’s fairly obvious that Ivan Lasater cares about the productivity of his team. But he also cares about the wellbeing of his team. It takes a manager with a sense of compassion to address an issue like substance abuse in the workplace. Many employees struggling with drug and alcohol abuse are still stuck in a stage of denial and won’t admit to having a problem in the first place. Trust needs to be built and employees need to feel like addressing the issue of their substance abuse is safe. They need to feel that their jobs won’t be at stake by simply admitting they might have a problem. The approach that Ivan takes is to empathize with an employee and offer up solutions for the employee to consider. Of course there comes a point where an employee may need to be terminated or demoted for lack of being effective at their job should they not opt for help.

To sum this up, we’ll take some guidance from Ivan. His approach to substance abuse in the workplace seems not only reasonable but compassionate and productive as well.

• Protect productivity
• Implement policies for identifying and addressing the personal issues employees face on and off the job.
• Get to know your employees interests, habits, routines, and other behavior.
• Build trust
• If a problem is identified, offer up options without reinforcing the element of fear.
• Protect productivity

Ivan Lasater lives in Moab, Utah. He is Owner/CEO/Founder of ICL Enterprises.

    

Ethics, with Ivan Lasater

Our Grand County native and Moab, Utah local Ivan Lasater, discusses ethics in business.

What are Ethics in Business

The code of conduct within an industry or culture, or the standards by which they run are referred to as ethics. What is Ivan's view on ethics? Let’s examine that.

Ivan lasater is a professional in the Oil and Gas Industry. He is also an emerging executive, an entrepreneur, and a specialist in his field. Ivan places a great deal of emphasis on forming relationships inside the Oil and Gas Industry. His upward mobility depends on it. Ivan knows that in order to get ahead in that industry, it helps to know who you’re dealing with, and forming a network of reliable relationships within the industry gives him a greater understanding of that.

This is where ethics comes in. Since ethics differ from morals in a sense that ethics cover a particular set of agreed upon standards within a culture or industry, instead of a broadly agreed upon, generally conformed to paradigm of what is right and wrong, we won’t discuss morality.

Why are Ethics Important in Business

Ivan believes ethics are an important part of business. For the people who practice good business ethics, reputation and credibility within the industry are sure to materialize. There is no doubt that this country was founded on industry and the development of business ideas unique to our resources. As business became more and more a valuable part of our growing society, standards had to be implemented to help protect the good business from the bad. These standards supply the most valuable resource business has, a confident consumer. Ivan explained that consumer confidence in any product or service is what drives sales.

Left to Interpretation

Because ethics doesn't often coincide with legality or even morality at times, it can be hard to determine the right and wrong ethical decision to make at times. Consequences for bad ethical decisions are rarely punishable by law and don’t necessarily qualify as a moral breach of etiquette. They are more a breach of the agreed upon standards.  Often times, a breach of ethical standards can be avoided by simply compromising and communicating a clearer set of standards that might include gray areas. Flexibility is important when faced with something like a moral or ethical dilemma, but law differs in a sense that law is discussed, written, and those who breach it are held accountable within specific parameters.

The Role of Integrity

There are a number of examples Ivan can give when asked about unethical business practice in any industry. That is why so many businesses are beginning to adopt strict codes of ethics that they impart to their employees during the first stages of their training. Having a clear set of ethical guidelines sets the tone for a successful and credible business. Ivan trains his team to respect good business and avoid shady business at all costs. He implements a code of ethics that is meant to protect his consumers, his clientele, the current laws and regulations, and ultimately his business.

Here’s are some of Ivan's ethical requirements:

·         Be consistent.

·         Make fact based decisions

·         Support decisions that help the most amount of people

·         Respect the individual rights and beliefs of others

·         Think long term

·         Tell the truth and uphold a standard of integrity. (do the right thing even when nobody’s looking)

·         Create the atmosphere you wish you worked in.

·         Avoid double standards

Summary

These are good corner stones of a strong foundation. Developing relationships in business is the single most important aspect of growth. Ivan relies heavily on his reputation in the field to build credibility among his peers. The best way to protect your reputation would be to observe the ethical manifestations of your industry, whilst observing the moral and legal aspects on which they may be based.

Ivan Lasater lives in Moab, Utah. He is the Owner/CEO/Founder of ICL Enterprises.