Lessons Learned from France Telecom: Stress in the Workplace

Here's a teaser to a an article I wrote that was recently published in Corporate Wellness Magazine (www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com)

Lessons Learned from France Telecom: Stress in the Workplace
Camille Hoheb
Recently CBS evening news aired a piece on France Telecom, Europe's largest broadband Internet company. It wasn't the massive layoffs that got my attention. Sure 22,000 jobs lost between 2006 and 2008 is notable but what struck me was the number of employee suicides. There have been 26 deaths in an 18 month period.READ MORE...

Continuous Chest Compression- CPR

Here's something I learned today and I think it merits posting on this blog.

Continuous Chest Compression

This is a modified version - easier to learn, do and you don't have to blow into someone's mouth.

The goal is to generate blood flow to heart and the brain. There's about 10 minutes worth of oxygen for the person to survive as long as blood is circulating to the heart and brain. Chest compression build's up the pressure and keeps the oxygen rich blood going by pushing hard and fast.

Put one hand over sternum and the other hand and press down 2 inches and keep pumping - 100 a minute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5huVSebZpM

Ideal for adults not for kids under 8 or for drowning victims

For more information go to www.azshare.gov

Learning about Turkish Business Etiquette

For those attending Global Spa Summit in Istanbul, I came across an interesting link from, of all places, linkedin.com. It is about Turkish business etiquette. Happy Reading!

Becoming time-sensitive
The survey also noted the rapid changes in Turkish business culture. Turks were not as time-sensitive before as they are today, said Lilly Sprangers from the Dutch-based Turkish Institute. The transformation is due to the rapidly changing economic environment in Turkey, rising competition and increased contact with time-sensitive business partners throughout the world, she said.

The study also pointed how formality plays an important role in doing business in Turkey. “Like in most other countries, academic and other titles meet with great respect and should therefore be used especially in the initial phase of your contacts,” said the research. As such, Sprangers tells Dutch businesspeople, “Never downplay and don't act too modest.” She also advises businesspeople to be formal and dress formally.

The study also showed Turks are more sensitive to criticism, leading Sprangers to advise Dutch businessmen not to criticize a Turkish partner in front of a group. Furthermore, what the Dutch may perceive as “straight or honest,” can be perceived as “rude” by Turks.

Sprangers also advised Dutch businesspeople to invest in personal relationships, since networking is very important in Turkey. “Your personal involvement is important,” she said. “Turkish businesspeople are not interested in just facts. They want to know why you entered this business and what you went through.”

For Turkish businesspeople, Sprangers advised them “not to expect sumptuous lunches as well as personal attention after work hours.”