Stress in the workplace.

Stress is an inevitable factor in the workplace. With deadlines, coworkers, managers and clients, there is no such thing as a stress-free workplace.  Add in a job role that does not fit your personality or one you just do not like and there is bound to be a high stress level. The best idea would be to get a new job, but, in this slow economy, that is not always an option. I have personally been in this situation but I didn't realize it until the stress had taken its toll on me physically. There are several steps you can take to reduce stress and make the best of a not-so-great job.

Focus on the positive aspects of your job. If your job involves assisting clients, think about how you help them in performing your everyday tasks.

Go for a walk around the building during a break. Just getting away from the desk and others can be quite relaxing and refreshing.

This is a great video that gives an illustration of how to deal with stress in the workplace.

This image shows some of the effects stress can have on the body. Some can be very severe.

Helpguide.org provides some great tips for reducing stress at work. These can be applied to any career and are even helpful for students.

If you try these tips and still don't find relief, maybe it's time to update your resume and start looking for another position. Life is too short to have to work a job you hate.

The Home Depot and Corporate Social Responsibility

When you think of corporate social responsibility, The Home Depot might not be the first company to come to mind.  However, this company does much to support the communities where they do business.  From concerns as large as sustainable wood-sourcing for lumber to something as small as helping to teach a child how to build a birdhouse, The Home Depot is doing their part to better the world. I have to admit that I do have ties to this company as I worked there for a few years and have several family members who work there also. I was simply amazed by how the company responds to hurricanes.  The most recent example was after Hurricane Sandy.  The company's practice is to send employees from other stores to help keep the local stores open so the locals (employees and customers) can take care of their own business. The Wall Street Journal reported about the reopened stores and the product that was being shipped right after the storm. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203335504578088863559188542.html#articleTabs%3Darticle



You may have bought some lumber and seen this logo.  So what is it?  This shows certification by the Forest Stewardship Council for responsible and sustainable forest management.  More than 94% of the wood The Home Depot sells comes from responsibly managed forests in North America.  The Motley Fool reported on this last year.  Home Depot Makes Money While Making a Difference. You can read more about the company's policies here.



Kids Workshops teach children how to use tools.  These are valuable skills that many children just don't learn at home anymore.  These workshops are free-of-charge and available to any child who wants to attend. This video shows a fun project.

 

You can learn more about The Home Depot and their Corporate Social Responsibility policies by visiting their corporate website.

Discussion Questions:

1) How does a company's community policies affect where you make purchases?

2) Are you willing to pay higher prices for products when you know the company is environmentally responsible?