How to thrive during the Shifting Global Economy February 19, 2009
Posted by catalyst yogi in Aquarian Age, progressive employers, relationships.Tags: 5 Sutras, Aquarian Age, Global Recession, intentional community, saving money, workplace wellness, yogi bhajan
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There is a lot of fear in the world right now regarding the global shifting economy.
The News is filled with stories about people losing their jobs, businesses closing, and even our US neighbors losing their homes.
Yes, we are entering into an uncertain future. We are entering into the Aquarian Age and the old Piscean ways have to crumble to make way for this New Age. As a humanity we are in the middle of a very important spiritual lesson about our unhealthy attachment to the material world.
Remember one of the 5 Sutras of the Aquarian Age:
Understand Through Compassion or You Will Misunderstand the Times.
This sutra is about learning and acting from the heart. This is about people coming together in these times to help each other out. The Piscean motto, What’s In it For Me is being replaced with the Aquarian motto, How can my Actions Benefit the Whole?
Some examples of this sutra are:
* Coworkers take a pay cut to prevent others from being laid off
* CEOs willingly take salary cuts to keep their employees
* People forming intentional communities to share resources & support
Perhaps, you too can think of ways to help out your neigbour to move through these challenging times !
Meanwhile, please find money saving ideas below to stabalize the root chakra.
Garage Sales and Craigslist – Stop buying new and check out garage sales and your local Craigslist. Not only are you buying second hand which is way better for the environment, you are directly helping local families too and they will be greatly
Barter – Do you have a skill or a service you can barter for goods? Perhaps you can trade web design, carpentry work, knitting or tailor work, babysitting, food from your garden…anything you can think of…use your skills to trade with other like minded families. Look for local bartering groups or start one on Yahoo Groups if there aren’t any.
Swap - Local groups and online groups designed to help moms swap clothes and household goods are getting more popular. You can even host a swap party for friends and neighbors. Have everyone bring a couple bags or bins of clothes their kids have outgrown and let everyone start swapping.
Get cooperative with your community - Starting or participating in a community garden is a great way to help feed your family and get community support. You can also volunteer to work for local CSAs who will then give you a discount on fresh produce and this can be very helpful if food is taking a big bite out of your budget. And whenever you can buy from your local farmers and farmer’s markets.
More cost saving ideas.
Employees Need to Feel a Sense of Belonging September 8, 2007
Posted by haribhajan in global workplace wellness, latest news.Tags: belonging, family, workplace wellness
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Employees who feel excluded in the workplace tend to exhibit more aggressive, harmful behaviours, researchers find.
Stefan Thau of the London Business School, Karl Aquino at the University of British Columbia and Marijn Poortvliet at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands noted in a May 2007 study that belonging at work results in increased teamwork and cooperation among employees and helps staff refrain from actions that harm others.
Unfortunately, not every workplace nurtures belonging and takes advantage of the gains. If there is a sense of exclusion – cynicism, sadness, lower self-esteem and self-defeating behaviour result.
The less the staff member experiences belonging, the more she/he is likely to engage in alienating, self-defeating, isolating and unhelpful behaviours. As a result, the person feels increasing social isolation.
This ensures further exclusion and reduces the information the person might receive about what the team needs, wants and values. Without this kind of information, the isolated employee is hampered in his or her efforts to belong.
They are also less likely to volunteer for projects, assist others with tasks not immediately relevant to them and go above the call of duty to assist a colleague. They are less likely to do favours for people at work and may in fact go out of their way to make things difficult such as blocking decisions at staff meeting.
What can Employers Do?
Welcome Newcomers
- Welcome, orient and include newcomers quickly to reinforce the message that the workplace culture is one of inclusion.
- Create a buddy system where a more seasoned employee takes a newcomer under his or her wing.
- Remind other workers of the importance of extending an invitation .
Be aware of the Dynamics of Exclusion.
- Keep an eye on who is being included in meetings, how information is shared and who is socializing with whom
- If a staff person appears standoffish, aggressive or passive aggressive, these could be signs that they are being excluded from the team.
- Take time to meet staff individually one on one about the team and its functioning is important.
- Watch for staff groups engaging in “in-jokes” that do not include everyone, talking behind the backs of other staff members, withholding information about projects, tasks or meetings and defining themselves as superior to other staff members in some way.
- Incorporate a Workplace Wellness Program
Derived from an article written by J. Newman and D. Grigg .
