Employee Assistance Program: Change need not equate to stress


Change is inevitable. Employees are affected by 
"downsizing/rightsizing" activities, mission and goal 
rewrites, personnel moves and other transitions. Following 
are some strategies to help deal with change.

--Acknowledge the need for change. Explore the reasons the 
changes are needed. Identify how the changes affect you and 
your work.


--Live a healthy lifestyle. Eat a balanced diet rich in 
grains, fruits and vegetables, and low in fat, salt and 
sugar. Avoid self-medication and overuse of alcohol and 
prescription medications. Sleep seven to nine hours a night. 
Exercise to build strength and endurance and reduce tension. 
Nurture yourself through relaxation and recreational 
activities.

--Limit other changes in your life. An overload of stress can 
leave you feeling overwhelmed, which can lead to feeling out 
of control.

--Avoid negative interactions and attitudes. Do not engage in 
gossip or spread rumors. Be supportive of others. Give 
yourself messages that cheer you and keep you positively 
motivated. Seek positive information and create positive 
outcomes for the changes. If you have fears, ask questions. 
Don't blame everything on the change.

--Help to make the transition smooth and let the change work 
to your advantage. Use the transition time to evaluate and 
showcase your skills and abilities. Identify ways in which 
you can be part of a solution instead of part of a problem in 
making change.

--Demonstrate that you are a team player. People appreciate 
that employees are open to working in new ways.

--Tolerate management mistakes. There are differences between 
creating plans and implementing plans. People need time to 
process actions and evaluate the consequences. Expect 
occasional setbacks. Adaptation requires energy, enthusiasm 
and flexibility. If there is a setback, take time to review 
the steps, redirect your actions and let go of the 
disappointments.

--Set realistic limits and goals related to workload. 
Identify which work is crucial and reassign or reprioritize 
assignments to achieve realistic levels of workload.

--Keep your sense of humor. Humor helps to keep things in 
perspective, is therapeutic and helps relieve stress.

--Reach out to others for assistance and support. If you have 
trouble adjusting to the change, discuss it with your 
supervisor, employee group representative or a staff 
counselor at the Employee Assistance Program.

_____
contact:  Charlene Gooch, Director, EAP, (515) 294-5069
updated:  9-1-95