November 7 is both Ban Bullying at Work Day and National Stress Awareness Day. What can HR do to make it memorable? Give everyone the day off perhaps?
With such a crowded special days' calendar it was perhaps inevitable that there would be a clash. And it has to be bullying and stress. Surely both are such serious issues they deserve their own day?
Failing that I suppose HR must galvanise itself to show willing and mark this important day with soemthing appropriate. HR service provider Ceridian has kindly provided some help by listing the types of behaviour that stress out staff. Based on a survey of 1,004 respondents it found these types stressed out their colleagues: Shirkers; screamers and throwers of tantrums; whiners; those with foghorn voices; noisy eaters and drinkers; swearers and sneezers. By my reckoning that just about covers everyone.
So what is HR to do to make this day really special. Two options I think: Identify the bullies and causers of stress and tell them to stay at home on November 7. Or, better still, tell everyone else they can have the day off.
