Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02578855 2007-02-15
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to addressing employee performance
issues. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system to assist
corporate management in
identifying and appropriately addressing employee performance issues.
2
CA 02578855 2007-02-15
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Considerable research over the years has been focused on determining the cost
to business of
worker stress, fatigue and sleep on presenteeism. The research has clearly
defined the problems and
cost to-date but failed to develop any comprehensive employer controlled
solution. An overly tired
employee can have the same performance as an individual who is legally drunk
with the same
increase in mistakes and accidents.
In the past employers had no comprehensive set of tools to assist their
employees in
education on how to get a good night sleep. An employee suffering from lack of
sleep or even mild
stress had to find medical assistance, such as over the counter medications,
which often have a
degree of side effects. If their quality of sleep approached chronic levels
the employee had to seek
the expensive services of a sleep clinic. The sleep clinic would then monitor,
analyze the employees
problem according to their procedures, provide education in combination with
required sleep aids,
which may be, counseling, education about proper sleep hygiene, surgery,
medication, special
equipment or other physical devices etc.
Research continues on the topic of sleep, stress and fatigue in employees and
a good example
of this is the joint international research by the American and Canadian
Department of Transport to
"Development of a North American fatigue management program guide and tools
for commercial
motor carriers". The aim of the research is to develop, implement, evaluate
and finalize a
comprehensive integrated fatigue management program for the commercial motor
carrier industry.
FIGURE 1 shows the current method that an individual can receive assistance
for the
problem of fatigue, stress or sleep. Reference 100 shows that the individual
has to see a trained
Medical Professional who assess the nature and cause of the individual's
problem. This medical
assistance is very expensive to those without proper insurance and often only
available if the
problem is very severe. The method of assessment is often unique to each
Medical Professional.
Reference 101 shows that after analysis of the individual's problem the
Medical Professional will
then explain the problem, the remedy and its use to resolve the problem. This
education may be a
few minutes or longer and typically is for the specific medical problem,
nothing else. Reference 102
shows that the individual follows the instructions and uses the remedy to
solve their problem.
The purpose of this invention is to provide a set of tools and process that
can form the basis
for a corporate sleep policy, through which the management of a corporation is
able to address and
resolve, with a success rate greater typically greater than 60%, the problem
of workers coming to
work tired and not able to work at full capability or which represent a safety
hazard to themselves,
3
CA 02578855 2007-02-15
their co-workers or even the public. No system of education in combination
with a simple sleep aid
is available for employers to give to their employees, to address the common
day to day sources of
sleep, stress and fatigue.
4
CA 02578855 2007-02-15
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an improved method and set of tools that management of
corporations may use as part of their corporate sleep plan to take control of
the amount of
presenteeism, fatigue and stress that employees experience at their place or
work.
A preferred embodiment of the management assistance program to resolve stress,
fatigue and
sleep based presenteeism consists of corporate sleep plan that comprises as a
minimum one stage
where a select number if not all employees receive education about stress,
fatigue and the use of
stress and sleep aids often in combination with an education training workbook
with a personalized
fatigue, stress and sleep integration plan in combination with another module
which consists of at
least a stress and sleep aid and relaxation tool.
Another embodiment of the management assistance program to resolve stress,
fatigue and
sleep based presenteeism consists of corporate sleep plan that comprises two
stages where in the
first stage all employees receive education about stress, fatigue and the use
of stress and sleep aids
often in combination with an education training workbook with a personalized
fatigue, stress and
sleep integration plan in combination with another module which consists of at
least a stress and
sleep aid and relaxation tool and where in stage 2 all employees are provided
in a module continuing
education for stress and anger reduction and a further module where
management, supervisors or
other designated staff are given additional training in the use of tools and
procedures to achieve zero
presenteeism in the work place due to fatigue, stress or sleep problems.
A further embodiment of the management assistance program to resolve stress,
fatigue and
sleep based presenteeism contains as part of the management education a set of
procedures that are
used to enforce employee use of the system and a remedial procedure to follow
in the event that the
stress and sleep aid such as a relaxation audio recording doesn't work for an
employee.
Yet another aspect of the invention is that the fatigue, stress and sleep aids
are used in the
privacy of the employee's home and the employer does not have to know how much
or little the
employee has to use the tools to come to work Aware, Awake and Alert, ready to
work at peak
performance.
A further embodiment where a suitable trained professional provides to
managers,
supervisors or other designated staff, training in the administration and use
of the systems individual
components for reducing employee stress and fatigue, where a second component
of the program
consists of individual employee stress and fatigue reduction systems in which
some if not all
components are multicultural friendly where the components are but not limited
to a set of printed
CA 02578855 2007-02-15
bulletins that explain the how and why of understanding people (stress and
anger management
component) a stress and sleep aid such as a relaxation audio CD, a personal or
group audiovisual
training session preferably with a suitably trained instructor using a
prerecorded audiovisual
instruction program presented in combination with an education work book that
contains as part of
its content a personal self assessment profile and plan for sleep and stress
where the bulletins, audio
stress and sleep aid, audiovisual training and training booklet maybe provided
in any suitable
method or format for reproduction and use by the managers and individual
employees using the
system.
Another embodiment where a private individual receives a program from a
private source
such as a purchase from an authorized distributor, a system to resolve stress,
fatigue and sleep based
presenteeism that comprises as a minimum of education about stress, fatigue
and the use of stress
and sleep aids often in combination with an education training workbook with a
personalized
fatigue, stress and sleep integration plan in combination with another module
which consists of at
least a stress and sleep aid and relaxation tool.
In one aspect of the invention an individual uses a personal stress and
fatigue reduction
system without involvement from another individual. This system consists as a
minimum of but not
limited to audiovisual training and a stress and sleep aid such as a
relaxation audio CD. The
audiovisual training may be given by any method that provides a means of
visually displaying
images of appropriate quality combined with suitable audio reproduction, such
as but not limited a
DVD recording, VHS tape, audiovisual files downloaded over a computer network.
The stress and
sleep aid is often provided as a CD but any method of recording and playing
back the audio file is
acceptable such as but not limited to an MP3 file, internet downloaded audio
file, broadcast over a
cable TV network, as a signal embedded on an RF signal.
Another embodiment of a personal stress and fatigue reduction system consists
of but not
limited to a stress and sleep aid such as a relaxation audio CD, an
audiovisual training recording
such as a DVD in combination with an education work book that contains as part
of its content a
personal self assessment profile and plan for sleep and stress. The audio
stress and sleep aid,
audiovisual training and training booklet may be provided in any suitable
method or format for
reproduction and use by the user of the system.
In yet a further embodiment of a personal stress and fatigue reduction system
consists of but
not limited to a set of printed bulletins that explain the how and why of
understanding people (stress
and anger management component) a stress and sleep aid such as a relaxation
audio CD, an
6
CA 02578855 2007-02-15
audiovisual training recording such as a DVD in combination with a printed
education work book
that contains as part of its content a personal self assessment profile and
plan for sleep and stress.
The bulletins, audio stress and sleep aid, audiovisual training and education
work book maybe
provided in any suitable method or format for reproduction and use by the user
of the system.
A further embodiment of a personal stress and fatigue reduction system
consists of some if
not all components being multicultural friendly where the components are but
not limited to a set of
printed bulletins that explain the how and why of understanding people (stress
and anger
management component) a stress and sleep aid such as a relaxation audio CD, an
audiovisual
training recording such as a DVD in combination with an education work book
that contains as part
of its content a personal self assessment profile and plan for sleep, fatigue
and stress. The bulletins,
audio stress and sleep aid, audiovisual training and training booklet maybe
provided in any suitable
method or format for reproduction and use by the user of the system.
7
CA 02578855 2007-02-15
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example
only, with
reference to the attached Figures, wherein:
Figure 1 represents prior art where an employee suffering from tiredness and
stress had to
seek medical help outside the company;
Figure 2 is a block diagram depicting a Corporate Sleep Plan including an
employee module
stage 1 and management module, stage 2 in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a process for use within a Management Module of
a corporate
sleep plan in accordance with an embedment of the invention.
8
CA 02578855 2007-02-15
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGURE 2 represents a block diagram of one preferred embodiment of the
invention,
showing the employee module, represented as STAGE 1 above the dashed line
reference 204 and
the management module represented by STAGE 2 below the dashed line reference
204. Reference
200 represents the start of a Corporate Sleep Plan, which may consist of a
partially deployed
STAGE 1 or a fully deployed STAGE 1 in conjunction with STAGE 2. Reference 202
represents
that all new employees would start at the beginning of STAGE 1 and progress to
STAGE 2 if the
corporate sleep plan is defined as using both STAGES. Reference 201 represents
an employee
education component, where in-depth information is provided about stress,
fatigue and sleep and
how to properly use the Stress, Sleep and Relaxation tool 203. The education
component 201 often
contains an education-training workbook used by the employee to develop his or
her personalized
fatigue, stress and sleep integration plan. Reference 203 is the 1.
Multicultural friendly stress and
sleep aid and 2. Relaxation tool used by the employee to reduce stress and
improve their quality and
quantity of sleep. Often the stress and sleep aid and relaxation tools are an
audio file, provided in a
convenient means for the employee to listen too, for example an audio CD and
player, MP3 file and
player, audiovisual DVD etc., that the employee uses to relax, release stress,
fall to or return to
sleep. STAGE 1 represents a module where the employee is self-regulating,
which gives them the
capability to take control of their level of stress, fatigue and sleep. STAGE
1 may be provided to a
select number of employees as required or to all as deemed necessary to meet
the definition of the
employers sleep plan. Should the employer decide to enter into a Sleep Plan
that includes STAGE 2
then all employees should have already been through STAGE 1. Another
application of STAGE 1 is
for use by individuals who receive the module, from a source other than an
employer, for example
their medical doctor, counselor etc., where the individual is self-regulating
and able to take control
of their level of stress, fatigue and sleep patterns. STAGE 1 forms a complete
module often referred
as Stress to Rest and the module may be provided to the families, to reduce
the home based stress
component of an employee.
STAGE 2 below the line reference 204, is made up of modules represented by
reference
numbers 205, 206, 207 and 208. Module referenced by 205 is continuing
education for stress and
anger reduction and is a systematic step by step process to turn a stressed
worker into an employers
best worker through the utilization of value selections via the personal
process of experience through
observation balanced by instincts, intuition or gut response. This module is
often comprised of a
number of documents often referred to as bulletins, provided to the employee
in a printed page or
9
CA 02578855 2007-02-15
electronic format, such as e-mail, computer file etc. where the major
categories typically are topics
such as attitudes, negative thinking, social etiquette, ideas to solve
difficult situations at home or
work, facing your reality, levity/kindness and detachment. All employees are
then reviewed with
decision, reference 208, as to whether they are management and should be given
an additional
module reference 206 or an employee who would then have had their training
completed. The
management-training module, reference 206, represents the training received by
management,
supervisors or other designated staff. The training is typically given by an
individual who is specific
trained for this purpose and consists of many handouts and audiovisual aids.
The Management
training contains the full employee instruction STAGE 1, as the implementation
methodology,
explanation about its use and operation and finally most import of all the
enforcement and positive
reinforcement procedures of the Corporate Sleep Plan with the employees. The
management,
supervisor and other designated staff is given a specific tool set that
includes a set of bulletins, often
similar to module reference 205, that are used to help an employee who is
having specific human
interaction problems with co-workers. These bulletins provide the how and why
of understanding
people. Often the stress caused by a specific co-worker interaction problem is
resolved when the
employee is assisted to understand the circumstance. The purpose of STAGE 2 is
to impress the
need of employees to meet the Corporate Sleep Plan requirements often
containing a zero tolerance
for work place presenteeism caused by fatigue, stress or sleep problems with
STAGE 2 often
containing disciplinary and resolution solutions which are used to ensure full
employee compliance.
FIGURE 3 represents a detail problem resolution system of the preferred
embodiment and
provides a detail logic flow used by management, supervisors or other
designated employees for the
enforcement/maintenance of the system used by employees to reduce stress and
fatigue and improve
sleep. Reference 300 represents a special condition where the stress, fatigue,
sleep and bulletin tools
are ineffective in reducing an employee's level of fatigue or stress requiring
special medical
assessment by appropriate outside Medical Professions to resolve the problem.
301 represent the
starting point of a situation requiring remedial action where a trained
employee continues to have
signs of stress of fatigue at work, often observed through supervision
performance measurements
such as quality or quantity of work output when compared against their peers,
or other tools the
employer may use to measure employee productivity. 302 is a decision point,
where it is determined
if the employee is using the stress, fatigue and sleep aids, if they are then
proceed to decision box
reference 303. If they are not using the system and refuse to use the system,
reference 305-decision
box, then they require disciplinary action, represented by reference 304 box.
If the employee is not a
CA 02578855 2007-02-15
habitual repeat offender then the manager or supervisor should review the
bulletins for one that may
assist the employee in resolving their problem, shown by reference 307.
Following a review of any
relevant bulletins the manager or supervisor then reinforces the need,
represented by reference 309
for the employee to use the system, retrain as required and continue to
closely monitor their progress
and exits the resolution system at reference 311, DONE box. Decision box
represented by reference
number 303 is used to determine if the employee has need of some form of
medical intervention
reference 300, specifically if their problem remains and their appears to be
no relationship with
anything to do within the work place. If decision reference 303 has a
component that is related to
work then the manger or supervisor should review the bulletins for any
relevant situations
represented by box reference 308. After that they proceed to process box
represented by reference
308, to review the employee work/job assignments, co-worker interactions,
retrain them in the
stress, fatigue and sleep aid and program. Then the manager or supervisor has
to make a decision
reference 310, where if the problem appears to not be fixed then the employee
is recommended to
see outside medical consultation about their ongoing problem. If it is
determined the problem is
resolved then the process proceeds to reference 311, DONE and the process is
complete.
Although the invention has been described in connection with a preferred
embodiment, it
should be understood that various modifications, additions and alterations may
be made to the
invention by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention as
defined in the appended claims.
ll
