The Relaxation Factor of Spas Essay - 1086 Words

The Relaxation Factor of Spas Most people get a look of relaxation on their face when someone says the word, spa. The imagery of mud baths, facials, manicures, pedicures, and massages triggers a feeling of complete relaxation. Many different types of people visit spas. A writer for About.com, Julie Register, explains the different types of people who visit spas. She says, â€Å"people like a traveler that has jet lag, a mother who would like to break away from her children for awhile, or even a person who is experiencing acne, visit spas† (Register). While looking for the origin of the word â€Å"spa,† I found on the internet that there are many possible origins. Julie Register from About.com says a possible origin is from the†¦show more content†¦Thermaes could be found all over the Roman Empire, even in places like restaurants they †¦became a central entertainment complex†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Register). Jo Foley, a writer for Hilary Spa and Beauty, also says that spas began in another way. This second way was in a small town in Belgium. This small town was known for a â€Å"†¦place where mineral springs or healing waters popped out of the ground to lavish their therapeutic properties on the ill†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Foley). This is somewhat related to what Register was saying. Both authors credit that the use of water was the beginning of spas. These places were known for offering people rest and relaxation. Spas today are primarily known for rest and relaxation. Today, when someone thinks of the word spa, many people think of vacation. I can think of two reasons for this. One reason is because many people go on vacation to relax, the same with going to a spa for relaxation. The other reason is, many people go to the spa for vacation. Once a year, I got to a spa for vacation. Spas today are very similar to what they were in ancient times. Most spa treatments involve water and the rituals that evolve around it (Register). Register also explained that There have been many recent additions to spa water therapies in recent times. The Jacuzzi whirlpool, a central fixture in many modern spas, was invented in the 1950’s, followed by Hydrotherapy Tubs, Swiss Showers, Scotch Hoses, and Vichy Showers. †¦TheShow MoreRelatedA Short Note On Spa Services And Wellness Spa1466 Words   |  6 Pagesservices listed under a health or wellness spa. Spa services cover anything from a haircut to a specialized massage. It is easy to get lost in the myriad of listings but once you get some information on the definition of the services, it just comes down to picking out what you want. There is branch of spa services offered that is typical of each and every spa. It does not matter if it is a new age health spa in the Catskill Mountains or a local salon with a spa attached in back. Massages are the oneRead MorePopular Techniques Of Massage Dance Essay1435 Words   |  6 Pagesbe found in any day spa or massage clinic, but does not represent all of the possible massage modalities. Many of these techniques can be found in any corner of the world. Swedish Massage is by far the most popular and widely practiced form of massage that can be found at Day Spas and Massage Clinics all over the United States, Canada, Australia and the UK. Swedish massage is a full body relaxation technique of massage that can be performed with variable pressure. Many Day Spas will consider aRead MoreThe Spa Centers And Its Effects On The United States Alone Essay1037 Words   |  5 PagesDid you know that there are approximately 15000 spas in the United States alone? Not many people know that a spa has a variety of beneficial health effects attributed to it. Spa centers date back to thousands of years ago being more popular among the Romans. A spa was mostly used for medicinal purposes in the past but has gained popularity in recent times for being more associated with beauty. A spa typically incorporates various procedures like, body scrubs, facials, and massages in order to provideRead MoreHm370 Hospitality Management Paper1160 Words   |  5 Pagesand beverage management, maintenance etc [Powers and Borrows  (2006)].Customer service is the key factor for the better development of every hospitality organization. Being able to deliver the total customer experience is essential to the success of the industry. Recently I had the pleasure of this experience, as I stayed at the Palms Place resort in Las Vegas, Nevada for a weekend of fun and relaxation. Palms Place Resort –Check-In The Palms Place resort is renowned for its total customer serviceRead MoreMusic and sounds have the power to effect one’s thoughts and emotions. Certain tones, pitches,1300 Words   |  6 Pagesoccupational stress. (Elliot, 2011) Music is a low-cost intervention that often reduces surgical, procedural, acute, and chronic pain. Music also improves the quality of life for patients receiving palliative care, enhancing a sense of comfort and relaxation. Providing music to caregivers may be a cost-effective and enjoyable strategy to improve empathy, compassion, and relationship-centered care while not increasing errors or interfering with technical aspects of care. (Kemper, 2005). This is why manyRead MoreThe Operations Management Procedures That Will Take Place At My Service Oriented Salon Based Business985 Words   |  4 Pagescore competencies. Moreover, I will identify competitors, compare my service offerings to theirs, and elaborate upon the quality unique distinction of my business from rivals. The Service Oriented Business My business will provide beauty and relaxation services to customers. The services provided in my business will be in the form of hairstyles, massages, manicures, and pedicures. Providing these services require close and â€Å"personal interaction of employees with customers† (Longenecker PettyRead MoreFunctions Of Management At D Elegance Salon Day Spa859 Words   |  4 PagesSalon Day Spa utilized in the following procedures: planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Planning is the first management function and by far it is the most important area of all the four functions of management. This step involves mapping out exactly how to achieve a particular goal by an organization and within a specific time frame. During the planning process, management evaluates both internal and external factors that affect the business. At D’ Elegance Salon Day Spa, the ownerRead MoreSpa Sample Businessplan4670 Words   |  19 PagesVartouhi Spa is a business which provides services in terms of health and beauty treatment. We have a great future prospect as it is a necessity for customers especially women. Nowadays, women are fully considered about their beauty and wellness. Therefore we have established this company in other to fulfill the needs and help them to treat their health and beauty. We provide a high quality performance of services accordingly with our mission to become the â€Å"Destination Natural Health Spa†. OurRead More A Career in Massage Therapy Essay1180 Words   |  5 Pagesthan healing, there are many sports clubs, day spas, resorts, hotels, beauty and hair salons, as well as cruise ships that hire massage therapists to expand their accommodations to guests and clients. If you are into sports, now days there are also many sports teams that use massage therapists to increase players’ performance. Increased performance is also going into the business world; many corporations are staffing massage therapists because relaxation reduces stress and headaches. When these physicalRead MoreA Resume On Massage Therapy1187 Words   |  5 Pagesthan healing, there are many sports clubs, day spas, resorts, hotels, beauty and hair salons, as well as cruise ships that hire massage therapists to expand their accommodations to guests and clients . If you are into sports, now days there are also many sports teams that use massage therapists to increase players’ performance. Increased performance is also going into the business world; many corporations are staffing massage therapists because relaxation reduces stress and headaches. When these physical

Aid Atlant A Non Profit Organization - 1582 Words

AID Atlanta is a non-profit organization striving to help provide HIV/AIDS services, care, and education in the highest ranked city in the United States. AID Atlanta host multiple events and free help all year round, yet, people constantly ignore the facts and seek help or assurance of their status. Many donate money and support their events such as the 5k yearly AID walk but do not think they can be effective by HIV/AIDS because they are not the stereotypical image of someone who would have AIDS. This stereotyped image of someone whom status is positive is gay Caucasian males that are in their mid-thirties of higher. Residence of the Atlanta area do not understand the importance of throwing those stereotypic thought out of their minds to†¦show more content†¦Identifying an issue that is effecting the goal of any organization negatively is the first step of improvement and being able to decrease the communication as much as possible or all together completely. To address the communication problem, we must understand that there have been many alternative names that human-beings have given to HIV/AIDS and the amount of information and knowledge of the sexually transmitted disease has gone into overload since the huge epidemic, primarily during the twentieth century. This overload of information has caused many to disregard the issues and as an ending result caused many to focus on the issue and factors associated with HIV/AIDS as much as many once did in the past. Although HIV/AIDS no longer dominate the headlines, we must wonder are health professionals and AID advocates still giving out all the clear signs because it is apparent that HIV/AIDS are still a danger to society. AID Atlanta forcefully wants to bring awareness to new information, testing, and treatment, and other sub-topics that are constantly being bypassed because of the communication problem and overload of information. Meaning, they must address on target audience at a time and in different manners that will effectively reach the target audience intended for a public service announcement. To properly address the issue, my targetShow MoreRelatedThe Airline Industry: Facing The Challenges Of The 21st Century20678 Words   |  83 Pages21st Century. 3 4 Air Jamaica And Government Spending The Sunday Herald carried recently a very good investigative piece on Air Jamaica losing $JA33 Billion dollars over 10 years. It should be noted the last time Air Jamaica made a net profit was in 1974 of $US 250,000 under President Guillermo â€Å"Bigge† Machado(a Jamaican President). The Government has come out and said clearly they will continue to support Air Jamaica. In addition not mentioned in the article, IATA has stated that World

Night World Soulmate Chapter 3 Free Essays

I he sleek white limousine raced through the night like a dolphin underwater, carrying Thierry Des-couedres away from the airport. It was taking him to hisLas Vegas mansion, white walls and palm trees, limpid blue fountains and tiled terraces. Rooms full of artwork and museum-quality furniture. We will write a custom essay sample on Night World : Soulmate Chapter 3 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Everything anyone could ask for. He shut his eyes and leaned back against the crimson cushions, wishing he were somewhere else. â€Å"How wasHawaii , sir?† The driver’s voice came from the front seat. Thierry opened his eyes. Nilsson was a good driver. He seemed to be about Thierry’s own age, around nineteen, with a neat ponytail, dark glasses despite the fact that it was nighttime, and a discreet expression. â€Å"Wet, Nilsson,† Thierry said softly. He stared out the window. â€Å"Hawaiiwas very†¦ wet.† â€Å"But you didn’t find what you were looking for.† â€Å"No. I didn’t find what I was looking for †¦ again.† â€Å"I’m sorry, sir.† â€Å"Thank you, Nilsson.† Thierry tried to look past his own reflection in the window. It was disturbing, seeing that young man with the white-blond hair and the old, old eyes looking back at him. He had such a pensive expression †¦ so lost and so sad. Like somebody always looking for something he can’t find, Thierry thought. He turned away from the window in determination. â€Å"Everything been going all right while I’ve been gone?† he asked, picking up his cellular phone. Work. Work always helped. Kept you busy, kept your mind off things, kept you away from yourself, basically. â€Å"Fine, I think, sir. Mr. James and Miss Poppy are back.† â€Å"That’s good. They’ll make thenext Circle Daybreak meeting.† Thierry’s finger hovered over a button on the phone, considering whom to call. Whose need might be the most urgent. But before he could touch it, the phone buzzed. Thierry pressed send and held it to his ear. â€Å"Thierry.† â€Å"Sir? It’s me, Lupe. Can you hear me?† The voice was faint and broken by static, but distant as it was, Thierry could hear that the caller sounded weak. â€Å"Lupe? Are you all right?† â€Å"I got in a fight, sir. I’m a little torn up.† She gave a gasping chuckle. â€Å"But you should see the other wolf.† Thierry reached for a leather-bound address book and a goldMont Blanc pen. â€Å"That’s not funny, Lupe. You shouldn’t be fighting.† â€Å"I know, sir, but-â€Å" â€Å"You’ve really got to restrain yourself.† â€Å"Yes, sir, but-â€Å" â€Å"Tell me where you are, and I’ll have somebody pick you up. Get you to a doctor.† Thierry made a practice mark with the pen. No ink came out. He stared at the nib of it in mild disbelief. â€Å"You buy an eight-hundred-dollar pen and then it doesn’t write,† he murmured. â€Å"Sir, you’re not listening to me. You don’t understand. I’ve found her.† Thierry stopped trying to make the pen write. He stared at it, at his own long fingers holding the chunky, textured gold barrel, knowing that this sight would be impressed on his memory as if burned in with a torch. â€Å"Did you hear me, sir? I’ve found her.† When his voice came out at last, it was strangely distant. â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"Yes. Yes, sir, I’m sure. She’s got the mark and everything. Her name is Hannah Snow.† Thierry reached over the front seat and grabbed the astonished Nilsson with a hand like iron. He said very quietly in the driver’s ear, â€Å"Do you have a pencil?† â€Å"A pencil?† â€Å"Something that writes, Nilsson. An instrument to make marks on paper. Do you have one? Quick, because if I lose this connection, you’re fired.† â€Å"I’ve got a pen, sir.† One-handed, Nilsson fished in his pocket and produced a Bic. â€Å"Your salary just doubled.† Thierry took the pen and sat back. â€Å"Where are you, Lupe?† â€Å"The Badlands of Montana, sir. Near a town called Medicine Rock. But there’s something else, sir.† Lupe’s voice seemed less steady all of a sudden. â€Å"The other wolf that fought me-he saw her, too. And he got away.† Thierry’s breath caught. â€Å"I see.† â€Å"I’m sorry.† Lupe was suddenly talking quickly, in a burst of emotion. â€Å"Oh, Thierry, I’m sorry. I tried to stop him. But he got away-and now I’m afraid he’s off telling†¦ her.† â€Å"You couldn’t help it, Lupe. And I’ll be there myself, soon. I’ll be there to take care of-everything.† Thierry looked at the driver. â€Å"We’ve got to make some stops, Nilsson. First, the Harman store.† â€Å"The witch place?† â€Å"Exactly. You can triple your salary if you get there fast.† When Hannah got to Paul Winfield’s house the next afternoon, the sheriff was there. Chris Grady was an honest-to-goodness Western sheriff, complete with boots, broad-brimmed hat, and vest. The only thing missing, Hannah thought as she walked around to the back of the house where Paul was hammering boards across the broken windows, was a horse. â€Å"Hi, Chris,† she said. The sheriff nodded, sun-weathered skin crinkling at the corners of her eyes. She took off her hat and ran a hand through shoulder-length auburn hair. â€Å"I see you found yourself a couple of giant timber wolves, Hannah. You’re not hurt, are you?† Hannah shook her head no. She tried to summon up a smile but failed. â€Å"I think they were maybe wolf-dogs or something. Pure-bred wolves aren’t so aggressive.† â€Å"That print wasn’t made by any wolf-dog,† Chris said. On the concrete flagstones outside the window there was a paw print made in blood. It was similar to a dog’s footprint, with four pads plus claw marks showing. But it was more than six inches long by just over five inches wide. â€Å"Judging from that, it’s the biggest wolf ever heard of around here, bigger than the White Wolf of the Judith.† The sheriff’s eyes drifted to the empty rectangles of the broken windows. â€Å"Big and mean. You people be careful. Something’s going on here that I don’t like. I’ll let you know if we catch your wolves.† She nodded to Paul, who was sucking his finger after banging it with the hammer. Then she set her hat back on her head and strode off to her car. Hannah stared at the paw print silently. Everyone else thought there was something going on. Everyone but her. Because there can’t be, she thought. Because it has to all be in my head. It has to be something I can figure out and fix quick†¦ something I can control. â€Å"Thanks for seeing me again so soon,† she said to Paul. â€Å"Oh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He gestured, tucking the hammer under his arm. â€Å"It’s no trouble. I want to get to the bottom of what’s upsetting you as much as you do. And,† he admitted under his breath as he let them in the house, â€Å"I don’t actually have any other patients.† Hannah followed him down a hallway and into his office. It was dim inside, the boards across the windows reducing the late afternoon sunlight to separate oddly-angled shafts. She sat in the contoured chair. â€Å"The only thing is, how can we get to the bottom of it? I don’t understand what’s upsetting me, either. It’s all too strange. I mean, on the one hand, I’m clearly insane.† She spoke flatly as Paul took his seat on the opposite side of the desk. â€Å"I have crazy dreams, I think the world is going to end, I have the feeling I’m being followed, and yesterday I started hearing voices in my head. On the other hand, me being insane doesn’t explain wolves jumping through the windows.† â€Å"Voices?† Paul murmured, looking around for a pencil. Then he gave up and faced her. â€Å"Yeah, I know. I understand the temptation. Last night after having those wolves stare at me, I was about ready to believe that there had to be something†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off and shook his head, lifting papers on his desk to glance under them. â€Å"Something†¦ really strange going on. But now it’s daytime, and we’re all rational people, and we realize that we have to deal with things rationally. And, actually, you know, I think I may have come up with a rational explanation.† He found a pencil and with an expression of vast relief began to waggle it between his fingers. Hope stirred inside Hannah. â€Å"An explanation?† â€Å"Yeah. I mean, first of all, it’s possible that your premonitions and things are entirely unconnected with the wolves. People never want to believe in coincidence, but it happens. But even if the two things are connected-well, I don’t think that means that anybody’s after you. It could be that there’s some sort of disturbance in this area-something that’s stirring up the whole ecosystem, making wolves crazy, doing who knows what to other animals†¦ and that you’re somehow sensing this. You’re attuned to it somehow. Maybe it’s earthquake weather or-or sunspots or negative ions in the air. But whatever it is, it’s causing you to think that some terrible disaster is coming. That the world is ending or that you’re about to be killed.† Hannah felt the hope sink inside her, and it was more painful than not having had it at all. â€Å"I suppose that could happen,† she said. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. â€Å"But how does it explain this?† She reached into the canvas bag she carried instead of a purse and pulled out a folded slip of paper. Paul took the paper and read it. † ‘They’ve seen you. They’re going to tell him. This is your last chance to get away.’ † He stuck the pencil in his mouth. â€Å"Hmmm †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I found it this morning wrapped around my toothbrush,† Hannah said quietly. â€Å"And it’s your handwriting?† She shut her eyes and nodded. â€Å"And you don’t remember writing it.† â€Å"I didn’t write it. I know I didn’t.† She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. â€Å"The notes scare me. Everything that’s happening scares me. I don’t understand any of it, and I don’t see how I’m supposed to fix it if I don’t understand it.† Paul considered, chewing on the pencil gently. â€Å"Look-whatever’s happening, whoever’s writing the notes, I think your subconscious mind is trying to tell you something. The dreams are evidence of that. But it’s not telling you enough. There’s something I was going to suggest, something I don’t exactly believe in, but that we can try anyway. Something to get to your subconscious directly so we can ask it what’s going on.† Get to her subconscious directly†¦. Hannah held her breath. â€Å"Hypnosis?† Paul nodded. â€Å"I’m not a big hypnosis fan. It’s not some magical trance like TV and the movies want you to believe. It’s just a state of mind where you’re a little more relaxed, a little more likely to be able to remember threatening things without choking up. But it’s nothing you can’t achieve yourself by doing breathing exercises at home.† Hannah wasn’t happy. Hypnosis still seemed to mean giving up control. If not to Paul, then to her own subconscious. But what else am I supposed to do? She sat and listened to the quiet helplessness in her mind for a moment. Not a peep from the cool wind voice or the crystal voice-and that was good, as far as she was concerned. Still, it pointed up the fact that she didn’t have an alternative. She looked at Paul. â€Å"Okay. Let’s do it.† â€Å"Great.† He stood, then reached for a book on the corner of his desk. â€Å"Always assuming I remember how†¦. Okay, why don’t you lie down on the couch?† Hannah hesitated, then shrugged. If I’m going to do it, I might as well do it right. She lay down and stared at the dark beams in the ceiling. In spite of how miserable she was feeling, she had an almost irresistible impulse to giggle. Here she was on a real psychologist’s couch, waiting to be hypnotized. Her friends at school would never consider even going to a shrink-out here inMontana craziness was okay. After all, you had to be a little eccentric to be living in this hard land in the first place. What wasn’t okay was admitting you couldn’t deal with it on your own, paying too much attention to it, asking for help. And allowing yourself to be hypnotized was even worse. They all think I’m the most independent and together of any of them. If they could see me now. â€Å"Okay, I want you to get comfortable and shut your eyes,† Paul said. He was perched with one hip on the edge of his desk, leg swinging, book in hand. His voice was quiet and soothing-the professional voice. Hannah shut her eyes. â€Å"Now I want you to imagine yourself floating. Just floating and feeling very relaxed. There’s nothing you need to think about and nowhere you need to go. And now you’re seeing yourself enveloped by a beautiful violet light. It’s bathing your entire body and it’s making you more and more relaxed †¦Ã¢â‚¬  The couch was surprisingly comfortable. Its curves fit under her, supporting her without being intrusive. It was easy to imagine that she was floating, easy to imagine the light around her. â€Å"And now you feel yourself floating down deeper†¦ into a deeper state of relaxation†¦ and you’re surrounded by a deep blue light. The blue light is all around you, shining through you, and it’s making you more comfortable, more relaxed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The soft soothing voice went on, and at its direction Hannah imagined waves of colored light bathing her body. Deep blue, emerald green, golden yellow, glowing orange. Hannah saw it all. It was amazing and effortless; her mind just showed her the pictures. And as the colors came and went she felt herself becoming more and more relaxed, warm and almost weightless. She couldn’t feel the couch underneath her any longer. She was floating on light. â€Å"And now you’re seeing a ruby red light, very deep, very relaxing. You’re so relaxed; you’re calm and comfortable, and everything feels safe. Nothing will upset you; you can answer all my questions without ever feeling distressed. Do you understand me?† â€Å"Yes,† Hannah said. She was aware of saying it, but it wasn’t exactly as if she had said it. She wasn’t aware of planning to say it. Something within her seemed to be answering Paul using her voice. But it wasn’t frightening. She still felt relaxed, floating in the ruby light. â€Å"All right. I’m now speaking to Hannah’s subconscious. You will be able to remember things that Hannah’s waking mind isn’t aware of-even things that have been repressed. Do you understand?† â€Å"Yes.† Again, the voice seemed to come before Hannah decided to speak. â€Å"Good. Now, I’ve got this last note here, the one you found wrapped around your toothbrush this morning. Do you remember this note?† â€Å"Yes.† Of course. â€Å"Okay, that’s good. And now I want you to go back in your mind, back to the time that this note was written.† This time Hannah was aware of a need to speak. â€Å"But how can I do that? I don’t know when it was written. I didn’t write-â€Å" â€Å"Just-just-just let go, Hannah,† Paul said, overriding her. His voice soothing again, he added, â€Å"Feel relaxed, feel yourself becoming very relaxed, and let your conscious mind go. Just tell yourself to go back to the time this note was written. Don’t worry about how. See the ruby light and think 1 will go back.’ Are you doing that?† â€Å"Yes,† Hannah said. Go back, she told herself gamely. Just relax and go back, okay? â€Å"And now, a picture is beginning to form in your mind. You are seeing something. What are you seeing?† Hannah felt something inside her give way. She seemed to be falling into the ruby right. Her ordinary mind was suspended; it seemed to have been shuttled off to the side somewhere. In this odd dreamlike state, nothing could surprise her. Paul’s voice was gently insistent. â€Å"What are you seeing?† Hannah saw it. A tiny picture that seemed to open up, unfold as she stared at it. â€Å"I see myself,† she whispered. â€Å"Where are you?† â€Å"I don’t know. Wait, maybe I’m in my room.† She could see herself, wearing something long and white-a nightgown. No, she was that self, she was in her bedroom, wearing her nightgown. She was in Paul’s office, lying on the couch, but she was in her bedroom at the same time. How strange, she thought dimly. â€Å"All right, now the picture will get clearer. You’ll begin to see things around you. Just relax and you’ll begin to see them. Now, what are you doing?† Without feeling anything-except a kind of distant amusement and resignation-Hannah said, â€Å"Writing a note.† Paul muttered something that sounded like, â€Å"Aha.† But it might have been, â€Å"XJh-huh.† Then he said softly, â€Å"And why are you writing it?† â€Å"I don’t know-to warn myself. I have to warn myself.† â€Å"About what?† Hannah felt herself shake her own head helplessly. â€Å"Okay†¦ what are you feeling as you write it?† â€Å"Oh †¦Ã¢â‚¬  That was easy. Paul was undoubtedly expecting her to say something like â€Å"fear† or â€Å"anxiety.† But that wasn’t the strongest thing she was feeling. Not the strongest at all. â€Å"Longing,† Hannah whispered. She moved her head restlessly on the couch. â€Å"Just-longing.† â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"I want-so much †¦ I want†¦Ã¢â‚¬  . â€Å"What do you want?† â€Å"Him.† It came out as a sob. Hannah’s ordinary mind watched somewhere in amazement, but Hannah’s body was entirely taken over by the feeling, racked with it. â€Å"I know it’s impossible. It’s danger and death to me. But I don’t care. I can’t help it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I mean, you’re feeling very relaxed. You’re very calm and you can answer my questions. Who is this person that you’re longing for?† â€Å"The one who comes,† Hannah said softly and hopelessly. â€Å"He’s wicked and evil †¦ I know that. She explained it all to me. And I know he’ll kill me. The way he always has. But I want him.† She was trembling. She could feel her own body radiating heat-and she could hear Paul swallow. Somehow in this expanded state of consciousness she seemed to be able to see him, as if she could be everywhere at once. She knew he was sitting there on the edge of the desk, looking at her dazedly, bewildered by the transformation in the young woman on his couch. She knew he could see her, her face pale and glowing from inner heat, her breath coming quickly, her body gripped by a fine muscular tremor. And she knew he was stirred-and frightened. â€Å"Oh, boy.† Paul’s breath came out and he shifted on the desk. He bowed his head, then lifted it, looking for a pencil. â€Å"Okay, I have to admit, I’m lost. Let’s just go back to the beginning here. You feel that somebody is after you, and that he’s tried to kill you before? Some old boyfriend who’s stalking you, maybe?† â€Å"No. He hasn’t tried to kill me. He has killed me.† â€Å"He has killed you.† Paul bit his pencil. He muttered, â€Å"I should have known better than to have started this. I don’t believe in hypnosis anyway.† â€Å"And he’s going to do it again. I’ll die before my seventeenth birthday. It’s my punishment for loving him. It always happens that way.† â€Å"Right. Okay. Okay, let’s try something really basic here†¦. Does this mystery guy have a name?† Hannah lifted a hand and let it drop. â€Å"When?† she whispered. â€Å"What?† â€Å"When?† â€Å"When what? What?† Paul shook his head. â€Å"Oh, hell-â€Å" Hannah spoke precisely. â€Å"He’s used different names at different times. He’s had-hundreds, I guess. But I think of him as Thierry. Thierry Descouedres. Because that’s the one he’s used for the last couple of lifetimes.† There was a long silence. Then Paul said, â€Å"The last couple of †¦ ?† â€Å"Lifetimes. It may still be his name now. The last time I saw him he said he wouldn’t bother to change it anymore. He wouldn’t bother to hide any longer.† Paul said, â€Å"Oh, God.† He stood, walked to the window, and put his head in his hands. Then he turned back to Hannah. â€Å"Are we talking about †¦ I mean, tell me we’re not talking about†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused and then his voice came out soft and boneless. â€Å"The Big R? You know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He winced. â€Å"Reincarnation?† A long silence. Then Hannah heard her own voice say flatly, â€Å"He hasn’t been reincarnated.† â€Å"Oh.† Paul’s breath came out in relief. â€Å"Well, thank God. You had me scared there for a minute.† â€Å"He’s been alive all this time,† Hannah said. â€Å"He isn’t human, you know.† How to cite Night World : Soulmate Chapter 3, Essay examples

Case Analysis on Low Morale in the Workplace free essay sample

THE ISSUE OF LOW MORALE IN THE WORKPLACE Prepared for Jack Smith Radar Systems Flight Chief Ogden ALC Prepared by Mary White Program Manager Radar Systems Section Ogden ALC February 27, 2011 THE ISSUE OF LOW MORALE IN THE WORKPLACE INTRODUCTION For the majority of the employed population, the workplace can be a daunting environment. There are many factors that contribute to this negative experience including difficult coworkers, lack of appreciation, confined working quarters, long work hours, etc. These factors are the underlying causes of low morale in the workplace. Low morale can have devastating consequences to productivity and work ethic, and therefore must be properly evaluated for possible solutions. Morale is more than people just being happy and eager to work. It is an entire thought process that leaves people feeling appreciated and fulfilled in what they do every day. According to The Free Dictionary, morale can be defined as â€Å"the state of the spirits of a person or group as exhibited by confidence, cheerfulness, discipline, and willingness to perform assigned tasks; or the degree of mental or moral confidence of a person or group; spirit of optimism. These definitions both use some of the same keywords such as group of people and willingness to perform tasks. These factors can be detrimental to mission success, which is why low morale is not something to be taken lightly. It is unrealistic to expect that people are always going to enjoy what they’re doing and not encounter any setbacks. It is when there is a constant feeling of getting nowhere, being underappreciated, and not having the tools to do the job that morale can be affected. The purpose of this report is to analyze the causes of low morale in the workplace, and to hopefully implement solutions to improve morale in our section. First I will explain why morale is so important in a work environment, and what some of the signs of low morale can be. Next, I will use statistics from other workplaces, based on the latest Climate Assessment Surveys, to compare the morale in each work center within the directorate. This will narrow down the causes whether the directorate as a whole is involved or just the section itself. This will provide a starting point on where to implement the solutions. I will also provide examples of other workplaces that have faced the issue of low morale, and some of the ways they were able to overcome it. Lastly I will summarize the overall problems and solutions presented, and propose an action be taken to remedy the issue. ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS I have been a working citizen since the age of sixteen, so I have experienced many work environments, all of them with varying levels of morale. According to Finger (2005), â€Å"morale is more influenced from the top down than from the bottom up. There is no single factor that consistently explains good or poor morale. Rather, a combination of related factors results in good or poor morale. It seems that it is more a collaboration of different events that contribute to the morale of the workplace. I will admit that leadership and supervision play a large role in the welfare of their workers. I am not referring to only next level supervision but also to the upper management that make decisions which trickle down to the workers. As a military member I experienced the worst environment for morale out of any other workplace. The problem in this case was the upper management. They were ordering mandatory 12 hour shifts every day and there was never any reason for people o be motivated because they already felt like they were being punished. The problem with supervision also was that they were not realizing that the fatigue and bad attitudes of the workers was caused by the 12 hour shifts, or if they did they were ignoring it. I believe a good workplace supervisor should be aware of the many signs of slipping morale in the workplace before it is too late. According to Chris Joseph (2008), contributor to Business Weekly, â€Å"Signs of low morale may be obvious, such as an openly hostile employee, or could be more subtle, such as an employees gradual loss of interest in the job. Some of the other signs are high absenteeism, customer complaints, poor attitude, poor work quality, and loss of groupthink. In addition, other leadership related competencies that contribute to low morale in healthcare workers include poor communica tion, lack of empowerment, lack of energizing staff, distrust of management, poor interpersonal relations, and inflexible working conditions (Dye ; Garman, 2006). High absenteeism rates among the most common signs of low morale. If you were to compare the attendance records from 5 years ago to today, it would show a 22% increase in employee absenteeism. If the employees do not feel like they are in a positive work environment, then finding an excuse to take leave or call in sick can be more frequent. One of the other signs I’ve noticed around the workplace lately is frequent lateness for work or extended lunch breaks. Since the Radar Systems require many customer interactions just too keep the systems running smoothly, it is of vital importance to ensure the workers are happy, therefore the customers are happy. Since employees work with customers on a regular basis, a sign of low morale is frequent complaints from the customers. Customer may cite examples of being treated rudely or indifferently, or may complain about a lack of follow-up on a question or problem. This type of behavior leads to dissatisfied customers and, ultimately, a loss of business. Another sign that the flight’s morale is not great is poor attitude among the workers. In addition to being openly hostile or bitter, an employee can exhibit a bad attitude in other ways. Some are not offering contributions during meetings or may be reluctant to help other employees. Some also display a lack of enthusiasm toward jobs and are performing only the minimum duties that are required to maintain employment. Poor work quality can be a sign of low morale, especially from a worker who was once a top performer. These workers may have been passed over for a promotion or are no longer challenged by their jobs and have lost interest. For newer employees, poor work quality could be a sign of low morale, or it could be the result of inadequate training or a lack of understanding of the job requirements. I believe we have both of these scenarios in our workplace. Groupthink in our flight has also been affected by low morale. As the saying goes, misery loves company. In the workplace, disgruntled employees often hang out together to complain. Our cubicle aisles seem to be filled with a lot more whining and complaining people. If you notice several low-achieving employees who are constantly congregating around the water cooler or in the break room and speaking in hushed tones, it could be a sign that the low morale is widespread. Now that I’ve explained some of the indicators of low morale in the workplace, I’ll introduce some of the statistics comparing our workplace to others. The Air Force Climate assessment Survey is a tool used to identify areas in the workplace that need improvement. This is a great opportunity for you to provide feedback about how well your leadership and organizations are functioning, said Gen. John Jumper, Air Force chief of staff. Sustaining the worlds pre-eminent air and space force requires excellence in the work environment. This survey will provide valuable information to all Air Force leaders to achieve that goal. (Solomon, 2003) According to the Air Force Climate Assessment Surveys of 2009 and 2010, workplace morale has plummeted by almost 30%. Survey analysis showed: Forty-two percent of all survey respondents are generally unsatisfied with their jobs, a two-point decrease since the 2008 survey. While up slightly from 2008, civilians indicated they generally don’t have trust in their units senior leadership and direct supervisor.   The 2008 survey showed that the strain on manpower and time continues to be a concern for the total force. The majority of home-station civilians report an increase in levels of stress, workload and hours worked due to personnel being deployed. Despite the perceived increase in stress levels, workload and work hours, overall retention numbers remained steady with the 2008 survey. Most importantly, according to the behavioral scientists at AFMA, among those who completed the survey, civilians whose leaders used the 008 survey results to make improvements within the organization tended to mark slightly agree or higher to questions about unit performance, satisfaction, unit flexibility and unit commitment. This shows that the survey results have actually been used by leadership to make improvements in the workplace. Now based on the results of the Climate Assessment Surveys, I believe supervisors can use these to implement changes in the workplace that can positively impact morale. Here are some other ideas that can improve morale. * Recognize birthdays and personal accomplishments. Most employees appreciate it when their supervisors remember their birthdays or acknowledge personal milestones. Knowing that managers are aware of employees lives outside of work makes them feel like a valued member of the team rather than just anonymous workers. * Treat them with respect. Treat employees with the courtesy and respect they deserve — say please and thank you, ask about their weekend, and take an interested in projects that they’re working on. * Establish an employee-recognition program. Employees want supervisors to be aware and appreciative of their work. Create an employee-of-the-month program or a wall of fame to recognize workers’ notable contributions. Such programs demonstrate an employers appreciation and also offer incentives for other staff members to increase their productivity. * Check in with staff members. Hold meetings with individual workers or groups of employees several times throughout the year to address any questions or concerns that they may have. Ask for their feedback and reactions to new company policies, and be sure to update them on what steps youve taken to solve any problems. Back them up. Though customer satisfaction is important to every business, supervisors must support their employees if they encounter problems despite having followed company protocol. Don’t let your workers get yelled at or mistreated by customers or co-workers. * Get to know them. Ask about hobbies and interests, find out if they have spouses or children, and talk about your respective plans for the weekend. * Offer fina ncial rewards. Performance bonuses are easy ways for managers to show appreciation for employees outstanding achievements. And there is no doubt that workers like them. * Conduct employee-satisfaction surveys. If nothing you do seems to be improving employee morale, conduct a survey to determine what is making workers unhappy. In short, an unhappy employee is an unproductive employee. I believe supervisions needs to pursue policies like the ones mentioned above to help the workplace become a more enjoyable place to work. Not only will employees start to look forward to their workdays, but the organization will benefit from newfound efficiency. Conclusion I have explained why morale is so important in a work environment, and what some of the signs of low morale can be. Then I used statistics from other workplaces, based on the latest Climate Assessment Surveys, to compare the morale in each work center within the directorate. Lastly I summarized the overall problems and solutions presented. In conclusion, employee morale can make or break the organization. Employees with higher morale have a better attitude, maintain higher customer service levels and are more productive. On the other hand, bad morale reduces efficiency and productivity, spreading through an organization quickly from just a handful of disgruntled employees if left unchecked. emeraldinsight. comemeraldinsight. com WORKS CITED Fink, Nicole. â€Å"The High Cost of Low Morale: How to Address Low Morale in the Workplace through Servant Leadership. † The Leading Edge, Retrieved Feb. 2011. ;http://www. roberts. edu/Academics/AcademicDivisions/BusinessManagement/msl/Community/Journal/TheHighCostofLowMorale. htm; Garner, Robert. â€Å"How to Improve Employee Morale. Steps to Success. Retrieved Feb 2011. ;www. humannatureatwork. com/employee-morale-article-3-partII. htm; â€Å"Morale Boosters That Work. † Find Articles. com. 2008. Retrieved Feb 2011. ;findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0IBP/is /ai_110458539/; Rothberg, Deborah. â€Å"HR Execs: Lousy Leadership Is Leading Cause of Low Morale. † CIO Insight. 2006. Retrieved Feb. 2011. ;http://www. cioinsight. com/c/a/Past-News /HR-Execs-Lousy-Leadership-Is-Leading-Cause-of-Low-Morale/; Rowden, April. â€Å"Air Force Climate Survey