The most effective treatment for reducing the risk of stress-related disorders is by implementing and facilitating self-awareness, self-care and self-management education into existing organisational structures. The benefits of a workplace program and ongoing professional development into self-awareness and management increases early identification, promotes active self-care and decreases absenteeism amongst staff and increases staff retention.
Mother Teresa was a staunch supporter of providing self-care as part of organisational frameworks. Mother Teresa included in her plan to her superiors: for the avoidance and reduction of compassion fatigue and burnout prevention ‘that a mandatory year off for each of her nun’s every four or five years’ was required to allow them to heal from the effects of their caregiving work.
While sabbaticals or a hiatus may not be practical in all workplace environments, employee assistance programs, and wellbeing and in-service training programs can help deliver many solid supports and skills available for individuals and employers which assist in preventing and treating compassion fatigue and burnout.
Transitional Support links in with organisational frameworks to identify and implement ongoing workplace ‘Wellbeing Programs’. These Programs are tailored to the unique needs of the company, and practical coping strategies are identified to enhance the personal skills of each employee so that they will be able to quickly integrate their learnt skills into their daily routines. Increasing workplace emotional intelligence (EQ) enhances employees’ self-awareness and their ability to manage their emotions by taking responsibility for their behaviour and reactions to situations. The reward is improvement with workplace relationships and work satisfaction.
Wellbeing and workplace EQ programs help employees to feel supported within the organisation especially in high risk, high demand professions. Employer supported Wellbeing Programs increases morale, productivity and job satisfaction, while decreasing negative responses and emotions and blame of others and avoidance of change. Emotions are contagious after all, and workplace EQ and wellbeing programs create a workplace atmosphere that leaves staff feeling supported and more optimistic towards their employer and employment—developing a collegial, supportive team environment amongst colleagues.
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