THE ENERGISED EMPLOYEE Less stress – More Vitality

THE ENERGISED EMPLOYEE is a programme which supports staff to reduce their stress levels naturally. At its heart is the belief that a business can only truly prosper if it’s employees are mentally and physically healthy. As stress is considered the pri-mary cause of sickness, absenteeism and low productivity, THE ENERGISED EMPLOYEE empowers staff to understand work-stress so they can lower their stress levels and transform their office experience.

A common myth in the workplace is that stress only comes from an external circumstance be that a deadline, client or internal team dynamics. In reality, while external factors do play a part, the main cause of high stress levels are linked to hydration, nutrition and personal attitude.

By understanding how this works, employees can make simple changes that have a huge impact on their energy and health.

For long term business success, it is vital that companies enable their employees to thrive. This can only be achieved when staff understand how stress can impact them and have techniques that support them to stay calm, focused and energised when working in a fast paced office environment.

© Copyright Prue Nichols 2012 All rights reserved.© Copyright Prue Nichols 2012 All rights reserved.

WHAT IS THE ENERGISED EMPLOYEE?

Highly Motivated Highly Focused Highly productive

ENERGISED EMPLOYEE

Educated Self aware Physically healthy

With the latest research stating that 13 million stress days are lost each year averaging an annual cost to businesses of £28.3 billion, many companies fall short in educating their staff in how to reduce their stress levels.

Companies that have ENERGISED EMPLOYEES stand out from the norm as they have:

• More creativity• Higher productivity• Low staff turnover• Better customer satisfaction• Healthy, happy employees who feel valued

The core components of the programme consist of:

Inform LUNCH AND LEARN

EmpowerSTRESS REDUCTION WORKSHOPS

InteractSTRESS RELEASING MASSAGE

THE BENEFITS OF HAVING ENERGISED EMPLOYEES

Inform

EmpowerInteract

© Copyright Prue Nichols 2012 All rights reserved.© Copyright Prue Nichols 2012 All rights reserved.

‘Prue is a great facilitator; she listens to everyone’s challenges while delivering all the aspects of the course. She made us all feel at ease and left us feeling totally confident with dealing with stress as well as being more tolerant’Myrtle

Although there are currently many different definitions of what stress is, we believe that it’s most accurately described as “a stress response caused by a stress trigger”.

While the stress response is a series of physical and psychological changes that has not changed since the dawn of time; our society is now very different to that of our primitive ancestors. As such this amazing, unconscious response that has kept us safe from physical dangers is now being used to deal with more mental rather than physical challenges or ‘dangers’. This results in problems especially in the workplace as, unlike our ancestors, we do not have the same physical outlet or opportunity to rebalance after a stress trigger.

Also, while people acknowledge that the stress response is the same for everyone, people generally do not realise that there are a number of universal stress triggers which if ignored will create the feeling of being stressed.

At the end of the six weeks of the STRESS REDUCTION WORKSHOP each attendee will have a wide range of tools and techniques to stay calm, focused and in control whenever their stress alarm is activated.

A strong emphasis of the course is in creating a group bond so that employees can support each other with behavioral changes they wish to make.

This six hour workshop takes places over six weeks and while it is advised that employees attend all six weeks for full benefit; replacement CDs are given if a session is missed.

STRESS REDUCTION WORKSHOPA six week stress reduction programme

‘Prue has a unique ability to simplify topics that initially seem confusing – its like a lightbulb going on when you think “duh that’s why I haven’t been sleeping properly – it makes sense now!”Katie

LUNCH AND LEARN are informal speaker slots that are designed to educate and simplify topics relating to stress, health and wellbeing. While many employees are interested in health topics, the amount of contradictory information available in the media can leave people feeling confused and unsure about which advice to follow.

The speaker slots are designed to simplify topics and break down the reasons as to why certain behaviours result in stress. While topics can be tailored and commissioned by companies, each speaker slot has a seasonal focus.

Topics include: 7 mistakes that people make when dealing with stress, how to avoid the office cold, why 90% of vitamins are a waste of money and which 10% we actually need, why lack of water makes you stressed, why the vending machine is not our friend.

Each topic lasts between 30 and 40 minutes. Time for questions and answers is allocated at the end of each session.

LUNCH AND LEARNSpeaker slots

© Copyright Prue Nichols 2012 All rights reserved. © Copyright Prue Nichols 2012 All rights reserved.

‘Even just 20 minutes of Prue is like an oasis of calm and relaxation. She is friendly and welcoming and highly skilled in unknotting stubborn muscles’Kathryn

We all know that we are not designed to sit at a desk all day. Most of us also find that when we’re busy, sitting according to the correct postural alignment is often forgotten. While our bodies can yield to strange and interesting positions during the work day, there is no doubt that continued misuse causes problems. Typically tension builds around the muscles in the back, neck and shoulders which if left untreated can result in headaches, mental fatigue, general tightness and lack of flexibility and more specifically carpal tunnel and frozen shoulders.

While the NHS report back pain is the most common reason for days off, lost working days can be avoided by addressing the issue before it gets to the point of pain and discomfort. STRESS RELEASING MASSAGE is specifically designed to alleviate tension held by these muscle groups.

Each treatment takes place in a specially designed chair and as it takes place over clothes, without using oil, employees can return to their desk renewed, re-energized and re-motivated.

While treatments can vary between ten minutes and 40 minutes, we find that 20 minute sessions are the most beneficial.

STRESS RELEASING MASSAGE

‘Prue inspires us all to live naturally both inside and outside of the office’ Breda

Prue Nichols has an in-depth knowledge and experience of UK offices having spent six years working in International Public Relations. It was when she moved abroad to spend two years working in India and Thailand that, while immersed in a different culture, all the stress symptoms that Prue experienced regularly in London, disappeared without using conventional medical intervention.

Interested to understand how the body can heal itself naturally, Prue returned to the UK and studied in great detail how the stress interplays between the mind and body. Having qualified in anatomy, physiology, massage, reflexology and nutrition she also looked at broader practices to understand the mental, physical and spiritual impact that stress can have in the workplace.

Prue has been working with companies such as LOVEFiLM, Computacenter and Great Place to Work to reduce office stress and create energised, motivated employees.

WHY WORK WITH PRUE

© Copyright Prue Nichols 2012 All rights reserved.

I set up the Orange Grove in 2006 to create a haven of calm to balance the busy pace of office life. Having experienced fast paced, high stress jobs for over six years I really understood from first hand experience the different stress symptoms that can result from juggling many balls in the air. While I loved the excitement and buzz, I increasingly found that the on-going, ignored office stress was eroding the day-to-day enjoyment of my life.

I decided to work abroad and moved to India and Thailand and found that even though I still had many stress triggers (working as a single women in India is not without it’s challenging moments) being part of a culture that viewed the mind and body very differently to anything I had previously experienced had a huge impact on my well being. All the hormonal, digestive and sleep problems that I suffered in London disappeared and I realised that, under the right conditions I could heal myself without medical meddling.

Since my return to the UK I have dedicated myself to understanding the impact that stress has on our physical, mental and spiritual selves. From studying and qualifying in many scientific based practices from anatomy to nutrition to massage, I also looked to more alternative therapies to get a broader understanding of the nature of stress.

As well as running a busy practice in Hertfordshire, I work with businesses to alleviate employee stress so that individuals, teams and entire businesses can really take off and harness the energy of a busy, working environment. My book on stress management in the workplace is due to be published in January 2013.

If you would like further information on how your company would benefit from THE ENERGISED EMPLOYEE programme please do get in touch. There is also a free report to download on www.theorangegrove.net on the seven mistakes that people make when dealing with stress.

Prue NicholsFounder

ContactPRUE NICHOLS t: 07811 473 748 e: prue@theorangegrove.net www.theorangegrove.net

THE ORANGE GROVE