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Monthly Archives

March 2012

The effects of not being valued at work Workplace Well-being

The effects of not being valued at work

Research by the American Psychological Association has found that over half the people who did not feel valued at work were planning on leaving within the next year (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/apa-survey-finds-feeling-valued-at-work-linked-to-well-being-and-performance-2012-03-08). Considering the cost of replacing staff that leave, this shows just how unwise (and expensive) it is for organisations not to show appreciation of their staff. Valuing staff can therefore be seen as an important part of workplace well-being.
Dr Neil Thompson
March 24, 2012
Dignity in care

Dignity in care

It is good to see that the campaign for dignity in care for older people is gathering momentum. The tendency for older people in general to be treated dismissively and disrespectfully is worrying enough in itself, but when we are focusing specifically on older people who are dependent on care services, this tendency is particularly alarming. A major part of the problem is that so much ageism is largely invisible, in the sense that ageist comments or actions often produce no reaction or objection, while racist or sexist equivalents would be regarded as entirely unacceptable. Perhaps the first step towards dignity in care needs to be the recognition that everyone should be treated with dignity, regardless of age - or any other social difference for…
Dr Neil Thompson
March 12, 2012
How happy are we? Individual Well-being

How happy are we?

A recent survey attempted to establish how happy Britain is. It was called the 'National Well-being Programme' and it showed regional differences in how contented people perceive themselves to be. For me this is no surprise. While the traditional approach to well-being is an individualistic one (atomistic, to use the technical term, as opposed to holistic), we need to look beyond such a narrow approach. The emphasis on happiness, rather than the broader concept of well-being, is indicative of such an individualistic approach. If, instead, we were to understand well-being in more holistic, sociological terms, it would be quite apparent why there would be significant regional differences, no doubt rooted in the sociological differences we have known to exist across regions for quite…
Dr Neil Thompson
March 12, 2012