Latest news with #OccupationalMedicine
Forbes
01-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What Executives Can Learn From Actors About The Power Of Networking
Business leaders networking in a cafe. Networking on LinkedIn may seem easy for executives, but growing and maintaining genuine relationships is more of a challenge. Many executives feel completely alone despite having hundreds of digital connections. Professional isolation isn't just an emotional challenge for executives; it also affects their performance. Thomas Saporito, CEO of the management consulting firm RHR International, wrote via the Harvard Business Review that 70% of new CEOs report loneliness in their roles. The impact of isolation on leadership is significant. A Deloitte survey in 2015 revealed 77% of professionals experience burnout due to a lack of support. A study by British scholars in 2023, published by Occupational Medicine, shows that feeling lonely at work has a direct impact on job performance and satisfaction, along with team relationships. While many executives recognize these challenges, traditional networking methods often fail to solve them. What's needed isn't more networking but a fundamentally different approach to building professional relationships. This offers a case where executives should consider strategies that are already effective in the entertainment industry. Actors work in similar high-stakes environments, but their approach to networking provides valuable lessons for business leaders. Actors don't just network for immediate benefits but also invest in relationships that become beneficial throughout their careers. They know that the production assistant they work with today might become a director tomorrow. At Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher's leadership looked beyond job titles, as he was known for treating each employee with equal respect and genuine curiosity. Like actors who understand the potential in every interaction, Kelleher saw the value in every individual. "I don't think you can be an effective actor if you're not curious about people and events," Meryl Streep said during a speech at the University of Texas, according to Cosmopolitan. Besides relationship-building, actors study the behaviors, motivations, and communication styles of everyone they meet, which they later use in their craft. Leaders who network with this curiosity will also gain insights they can incorporate into their leadership styles. Actors understand that location matters as much as the approach. Research published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that face-to-face requests are 34 times more successful than email. While executives often attend online events, actors tend to network through in-person classes and on-set experiences. Finding a variety of environments for networking will allow you to be both professional and authentic. Try these actor-inspired tactics for more meaningful conversations and connections: Observe with purpose: Like actors preparing for roles, see each interaction as a chance to study effective (and ineffective) behaviors. Memorize meaningful details: Note personal facts for new contacts and bring them up in future conversations, showing you value the relationship and what they have to say. Focus on listening: Instead of planning your next response or trying to sound interesting, truly listen to what others are saying. Doing this will take pressure off you and allow you to find things in common. Seek informal settings: There's a reason for the saying that more deals happen on the golf course than anywhere else—casual environments open up opportunities for real and honest conversations. Consider joining a cooking class, signing up for improv workshops, or volunteering to connect with others without the pressure of your professional role. When you network through shared interests, conversations flow more naturally, and relationships develop without the need for forced tactics. The most powerful relationships often begin when you're not trying to network at all, which is precisely what actors have been doing all along.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Scientists discover overworking can cause brain damage
A new study suggests that working 52 hours or more each week harms people's memory, problem solving skills and disrupts their emotions. Experts found that being 'overworked' alters the structure of the brain in areas linked to thinking, social skills, and mental health. The group looked at the impact of overworking on specific brain regions in health workers who regularly clocked up a 52-hour week or more. The researchers drew on data from a long-term study looking at worker health and used MRI scans to examine brain structure. Around 110 workers, mostly clinicians, were included in the final analysis which was published in the journal Occupational And Environmental Medicine. Of these, 32 worked excessive weekly hours, while 78 worked standard hours. Those putting in long working hours every week were significantly younger, had spent less time in work and were more highly educated than those clocking up standard hours. The researchers said: 'Overworked individuals exhibited significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation.' Analysis showed a 19 per cent increase in left caudal middle frontal gyrus volume in the overworked group compared with the non-overworked group. This part of the brain plays a major role in several cognitive functions, particularly those occurring in the frontal lobe. The area of the brain is involved in attention, working memory, and language-related processing. Other areas involved in attention, planning and decision-making were also changed in those working more hours according to the scans, plus regions involved in emotional processing, self-awareness, and understanding social context. The team concluded: 'This study provides preliminary evidence that overwork is associated with structural brain changes, particularly in regions linked to cognition and emotion. 'These findings provide novel neurobiological evidence linking prolonged working hours to structural brain changes, emphasising the need for further research to understand the long-term cognitive and emotional implications of overwork. 'The results underscore the importance of addressing overwork as an occupational health concern and highlight the need for workplace policies that mitigate excessive working hours.' Ruth Wilkinson, head of policy and public affairs at the charity the Institution Of Occupational Safety And Health, said: 'Global analysis from the World Health Organisation and International Labour Organisation has found that working long hours is on the increase and is responsible for about one-third of the total estimated work-related burden of disease. 'We believe urgent action is needed to tackle an epidemic of long working hours. 'A long hours culture can be experienced in what we've identified as the 'small print' of working life today. 'This captures those hidden or unspoken expectations placed on top of workers' contracts. 'It includes always having to be available/on duty in this digital age, stripped of the right to disconnect from work outside of normal working hours…. 'Our YouGov survey, last year, showed that nearly a quarter of UK workers regularly work more than the legal maximum people should work in the UK (48 hours a week), while 44 per cent said working more than your contracted hours is part of the culture in their organisation. 'More than half said they regularly check work emails and messages outside of working hours. 'We want to see employers strip away the 'small print', identify and tackle psycho-social risks as part of risk assessment processes and become more transparent in how they treat their workers.'
The Guardian
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
The 52-hour work week: why it could boost your brain – in a bad way
Name: The 52-hour work week. Age: Relatively new – our hunter-gatherer ancestors probably only worked for 15 hours a week. Appearance: Frazzled. How much is a 52-hour week, exactly? It works out to 10.4 hours a day, five days a week. Mad. And stupid. You'd have to be, right? A new study suggests those working more than 52 hours could suffer effects including 'emotional instability or reduced cognitive efficiency in the longer term'. So working too hard is bad for you. I'm shocked. Previous studies have shown that overwork leads to stress, anxiety and reduced cognitive function. But the new study, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, also shows that working too hard produces physical changes in the brain. What kind of changes? Increased brain volume in specific areas associated with executive function – cognitive skills – and emotional regulation in those working more than 52 hours a week, when compared with a non-overworked group. So the more I work, the smarter and more emotionally regulated I get. That could be happening in the short term, but other studies have shown such increases in grey matter can have a negative impact on executive function. Why have they settled on 52 hours? The study examined the brains of healthcare workers in South Korea, where the Korean Labour Standards Act identifies 52 hours a week as the critical threshold for increased health risk. Other studies have used 55 hours. What about Britain? How much is too much? In the UK it's illegal to make someone work more than 48 hours per week. Not just illegal, but almost impossible – you'd probably have to come in on Fridays! But 48 hours is an average, normally calculated over 17 weeks. And there are exceptions. What kind of exceptions? Those working in the armed forces, emergency services and police, for example. Just the sort of people you'd want to have tip-top cognitive function, ironically. You can also opt out of the 48-hour week and work more hours, as long as you confirm that in writing. I would consider doing that, if I was able to secure my dream job. What is your dream job? Testing mattresses. I think you'll find it's more difficult than it sounds. Do say: 'I worked hard to get where I am today – emotionally unstable and cognitively impaired.' Don't say: 'Do you ever do studies on people who work fewer than 20 hours a week? Because I'd like to sign up.'
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Scientists discover particular working pattern can cause brain damage - and it's not shift work
Working 52 hours or more each week harms people's memory and problem solving - and disrupts their emotions, a study suggests. Experts found that being 'overworked' alters the structure of the brain in areas linked to thinking and social skills and mental health. They looked at the impact of overwork on specific brain regions in health workers who regularly clocked up a 52-hour week or more. The researchers drew on data from a long-term study looking at worker health and used MRI scans to examine brain structure. Some 110 workers were included in the final analysis, published in the journal Occupational And Environmental Medicine. Most were clinicians. Of these, 32 worked excessive weekly hours, while 78 worked standard hours. Those putting in long working hours every week were significantly younger, had spent less time in work and were more highly educated than those clocking up standard hours. The researchers, including from Yonsei University in South Korea, said: 'Overworked individuals exhibited significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation.' Analysis showed a 19 per cent increase in left caudal middle frontal gyrus volume in the overworked group compared with the non-overworked group. This part of the brain has a major role in various cognitive functions, particularly in the frontal lobe. It is involved in attention, working memory, and language-related processing. Other areas involved in attention, planning and decision-making were also changed according to the scans, plus regions involved in emotional processing, self-awareness and understanding social context. The team concluded: 'This study provides preliminary evidence that overwork is associated with structural brain changes, particularly in regions linked to cognition and emotion. 'These findings provide novel neurobiological evidence linking prolonged working hours to structural brain changes, emphasising the need for further research to understand the long-term cognitive and emotional implications of overwork. 'The results underscore the importance of addressing overwork as an occupational health concern and highlight the need for workplace policies that mitigate excessive working hours.' Ruth Wilkinson, head of policy and public affairs at the charity the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said: 'Global analysis from the World Health Organisation and International Labour Organisation has found that working long hours is on the increase and is responsible for about one-third of the total estimated work-related burden of disease. 'We believe urgent action is needed to tackle an epidemic of long working hours. 'A long hours culture can be experienced in what we've identified as the 'small print' of working life today. 'This captures those hidden or unspoken expectations placed on top of workers' contracts. 'It includes always having to be available/on duty in this digital age, stripped of the right to disconnect from work outside of normal working hours…. 'Our YouGov survey, last year, showed that nearly a quarter of UK workers regularly work more than the legal maximum people should work in the UK (48 hours a week), while 44 per cent said working more than your contracted hours is part of the culture in their organisation. 'More than half said they regularly check work emails and messages outside of working hours. 'We want to see employers strip away the 'small print', identify and tackle psycho-social risks as part of risk assessment processes and become more transparent in how they treat their workers.'
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Working long hours may alter brain structure, research suggests
Working 52 hours or more per week may alter the structure of the brain, research suggests. Experts found that being 'overworked' may affect those parts of the brain related to problem-solving and memory, while also potentially affecting mental health. The findings, published in the journal Occupational And Environmental Medicine, looked at the impact of overwork on specific brain regions in health workers who regularly clocked up a 52-hour week or more. Researchers drew on data from a long-term study looking at worker health and used MRI scans to examine brain structure. Some 110 workers were included in the final analysis, most of whom where clinicians. Of these, 32 worked excessive weekly hours, while 78 worked standard hours. Those putting in long working hours every week were significantly younger, had spent less time in work and were more highly educated than those clocking up standard hours. The researchers, including from Yonsei University in South Korea, said: 'Overworked individuals exhibited significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation.' Analysis showed a 19% increase in left caudal middle frontal gyrus volume in the overworked group compared with the non-overworked group. This part of the brain has a major role in various cognitive functions, particularly in the frontal lobe. It is involved in attention, working memory, and language-related processing. Other areas involved in attention, planning and decision-making were also changed according to the scans, plus regions involved in emotional processing, self-awareness and understanding social context. The team concluded: 'This study provides preliminary evidence that overwork is associated with structural brain changes, particularly in regions linked to cognition and emotion. 'These findings provide novel neurobiological evidence linking prolonged working hours to structural brain changes, emphasising the need for further research to understand the long-term cognitive and emotional implications of overwork. 'The results underscore the importance of addressing overwork as an occupational health concern and highlight the need for workplace policies that mitigate excessive working hours.' Ruth Wilkinson, head of policy and public affairs at the charity the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said: 'Global analysis from the World Health Organisation and International Labour Organisation has found that working long hours is on the increase and is responsible for about one-third of the total estimated work-related burden of disease. 'We believe urgent action is needed to tackle an epidemic of long working hours. 'A long hours culture can be experienced in what we've identified as the 'small print' of working life today. 'This captures those hidden or unspoken expectations placed on top of workers' contracts. 'It includes always having to be available/on duty in this digital age, stripped of the right to disconnect from work outside of normal working hours…. 'Our YouGov survey, last year, showed that nearly a quarter of UK workers regularly work more than the legal maximum people should work in the UK (48 hours a week), while 44% said working more than your contracted hours is part of the culture in their organisation. More than half said they regularly check work emails and messages outside of working hours. 'We want to see employers strip away the 'small print', identify and tackle psycho-social risks as part of risk assessment processes and become more transparent in how they treat their workers.'
