Vocational Training for Stress Management in Postal Sector: Innovative Strategies

1. LEONARDO DA VINCI PROGRAMME Training Partnership for Stress Management in the Postal Sector Project KEK ELTA S.A. Panorama of innovative health & stress management policies and activities Kick off Meeting Brussels, 22-23 January 2014

2. Vocational training as a lifelong anti-stress antidote for company and employees

3. KEK – ELTA S.A. (Vocational and Training Centre of Hellenic Post S.A.) • Established in 1998 as Société Anonym , Subsidiary Company of Hellenic Post S.A. • Its contribution to share capital (180.000 Euros) : • 70% Hellenic Post S.A. • 30% Panhellenic Federation of Postal Trade Union Associations ΠΟΣΤ • Products/Services of the Company • Educational – Training Services • Consulting Services for the development of human resource 3

4. KEK-ELTA S.A. Board of Directors Legal Consultant Vice Consultant Chairman & CEO Education and Administrative Director International Relations and European Projects Department Secretary Financial and Administrative Division Certified Education and Marketing Division Central Office of Athens Financial Department Regional Office of Thessaloniki Accounting Office Administrative Provision Office Regional Office of Patra

5. Stress resulting from • Either for the employee or for the company : • When there is a sense that he/she has not • the control in situations. • When he/she has not the adequate power for • the assigned responsibilities • Assuming without data/evidences – hypothesis on bad scenarios • When imposes himself “musts” , “rules -obligations” 5

6. Stress • It is an interior burden in the soul or in the heart • It is the fear-threat that something is going to be happened , the sense or feeling that your are threatened e.g unemployment, economical crisis • It is the feeling of being under permanent control – monitor, the sense of being examined - judged (π.χ. Stakeholders , director, customers) • It is a “must” : • be competitive, be the best ,be successful • It is the agony that you are constantly compared not only with others, but also to your own ambitions-goals and achievements. 6

7. The workings/mechanism of stress STRESS THOUGTHS/ INTERPETATION BELIEFS/EXPECTATIONS 7

8. Employee’s Beliefs - Expectations • Economical : • Wage for living, improvement of standard of living and motivation • Social : • Personal development , role , recognition , interpersonal relations • Psychological : • Freedom, working environment , career / ambitions and goals. 8

9. Company’s Beliefs - Expectations • Economical : • Profitability, viability , development-growth and innovation investments • Social : • CSR , promotion and in-company relations • Psychological : • Freedom , leadership- be leader in the market, 9

10. Signs of stress • Employee’s : • Chronic fatigue • Anger towards persons who request for a claim • Be irritable , cynical • The sense of being besieged • Break out for not important cases, aggressiveness • Frequent headaches and stomachaches • Fluctuations in weight • Frequently short-hurry breaths • Be suspicious • Often weeping • A sense that nobody can help • Company’s : • Production fatigue • Poor customer service • Arrogance, be introverted • A sense of being attacked/seized by competitors • Aggressiveness for not important cases • Frequent crises and labor unrest • Fluctuations in turn-over • Often scrappy and hasty actions • Suspicion and fictional scenarios risk • Waste of resources • A sense that nobody can help

11. Results / Effects of Stress • Employee’s: • Frequent absences • Luck of interest • Low productivity • Labor accident increase, • Organization and competitiveness lack • Dissatisfaction in the work • Company’s: • Incorrect decision making • Lack of vision and goals-objectives • Poor product’s quality • Weak respond to the market’s challenges • Lack of organization and competitiveness • Deficit

12. What we have to do • Employee : • Intervention in: • ourselves • our relationships • working environment • Company: • Intervention in : • structure and organization • company’s relationships/affairs • the market

13. How 1 Intervention in to ourselves • Personal Organization • Loving love my job • Learning perfectly my job • Keeping up to date with the latest development • Getting professional consciousness • Learning new things (be involved with new activities) • Creating a safe supportnetwork Intervention in the structure and operation • Re-engineering • Caring for the employees • Studying the competition and keep up to date with the latest developments • Getting the customer orientation philosophy • Seeking for innovation and diversification • Creating a successful support network – lobby

14. How 2 Intervention into relationships of the company • Creating solid affairs/lobbing • Be careful for the truth moment • Positive reacting to negative comments of the client • Promoting /Developing CSR • Recognizes its competitors and discuss with them Intervention into my relationships • Creating solid affairs (anchor) • Be careful the messages of the language body • Keep anger under control • Avoid having affairs with persons overwhelmed with negative mood • Socializing • Quit the need regarding the acceptance from everybody

15. How 3 In working environment • Learning to loose some battles - nothing is definitive/decisive • Not wasting time in low priorities tasks • Manage to have time for consideration and any review –reconsideration • Not allowing to others to charge with their own problems • Not wasting time in low priorities tasks In market • Learning to loose some battles - nothing is definitive/decisive • Not wasting time in low priorities tasks • Having adequate time for everyday updating / informing /feedback • Seeking for /pursuing the leadership in the market • Not wasting time in low priorities tasks

16. Lifelong learning a reliable mechanism • When is systematic holistic and lifelong, i.e.: • Follows the employee during his carrier . • It is corporation’s strategy and conscious choice. AXIS 2 Training in continuous improvement & support of changes AXIS 1 Education in the certification of professional qualifications and carrier certification Primary Personnel Training

17. Principal training (Front- line Personnel) • A’ Level • Basic Training • (Supervisors & • Team Leaders) B’ Level Advanced Training (Administrative Personnel) C’ Level Specialised Advanced Training (senior personnel & medium level management) D’ Level Professional Level (executive personnel) Certified Vocational Training 17

18. The contribution of Vocational Training For employee’s stress: • Strengthen his/her confidence • Encounter job’s obstacles realistically • Update his/her skills towards the new demands • Work empowerment through knowledge • Fulfill his/her career ambitions For company’s stress: • Strengthen its competitive position in the market • Act reactively towards to market changes • Sustainability through market share growth • Innovation and differentiation • Fulfillment of business goals 18

19. The e-learning system architecture Administrator Instructor Learner/ Employee Intranet/ Internet Database Course Material Evaluation Tools (e.g. assignments) Design Toolsets Communication Tools Course Related Tools (e.g. calendar) Library Management System http://elearning.kek-elta.com Administration and Decision Making System Administration and Decision Making System 19

20. The contribution of e-learning and new technology training methods For employee’s stress: • Flexibility in time management for training courses • Self organization • Develop communication networks through communication tools (email, forum etc.) • Tailor made training programs For company’s stress: • Efficient control of business malfunctions • Efficient resource utilization for vocational training • Time optimization to succeed business changes • Limit wasted resources • Create positive working environment 20

21. 1st Paradigm of Training Programs 21

22. 1st Paradigm of Training Programs

23. Expectations from the Project • Reassign the role of Vocational Training provided to Hellenic Post • Develop new training programs orientated to stress management • Produce innovative training programs (e.g. digital training material)

24. Conclusion The Vocational Training is not the panacea of stress management but it contributes to: • Reconsider our emotions in a creative manner in order to eliminate the tension of the external stressful factors • Get used to maintain a calm work environment

25. Thank you for your cooperation! There many bridges for a better life, and the knowledge happens to be the most reliable!!!