3 Coastal Industrial Relations

Coastal Industrial Relations offers a service to companies and their employees. Our business is to help companies explain to their workers all the benefits - and all the opportunities their companies offer them.

Most workers are interested in obtaining better, higher-paying jobs, and they are willing to change companies to get these jobs. But both the worker and the company can gain if the worker stays with the same company. For example, by staying, the worker may have more vacation time and more benefits. The company also profits by keeping its workers because it does not have to spend time airing and training new employees.

Our employees spend a lot of time finding out about the compa­nies who hire us. We use the information to prepare presentations and programs to tell employees about the good points of their current company. Often we explain the benefits, such as insurance and pension plans, that the company offers to its employees, Sometimes we explain to workers how they can advance by staying with the company.

Employees in our office like to work with people. We have to listen to our clients and understand exactly what they want us to do. Workers can be very different: some may be professionals and others may not have completed high school. Some are young and others are near retirement age. We have to be able to com­municate effectively to all these people.

In explaining things, we have to be very careful to get the information right. We do not want to give people incorrect in­formation. It would be very

confusing to try to explain things all over again if we made a mistake.

Questions:

1. What is the business of Coastal Industrial Relations?

2. Why do workers leave their companies?

3. Why is it better for both the worker and the company if the worker stays with the same company?

4. What kind of job do the company's employees do?

5. Why is it important for the employees to communicate effectively with their customers?

4 Danger - Business people at work!

Stress is a perfectly natural part of living. Crossing a road, going to a party, driving a car, these are all stressful activities. We live in a fast-moving age, so we must learn how to relax properly. Here are some of the most common symptoms of stress: sleeping badly, poor appetite or overeating, drinking too much alcohol, difficulty in concentrating. Long-term stress is associated with high blood pressure, headaches and heart disease.

But how do you deal with these problems? The average business person often doesn't have time to sit down and work out the answers. But if you want to survive, you have to know how to cope with stress. So here's a handy guide to reducing the level of stress in your life.

First, take up a hobby, if possible an active outdoor activity. You won't worry about your problems when you are concentrating on a hobby that really interests you.

You must take plenty of exercise. This will keep you fit and should also help you to sleep better. Exercise, combined with a healthy diet, will also help to keep your weight at the right level.

At work, it's important to make lists of tasks that you need to complete during the day. Write down your thoughts and ideas on paper. Set realistic deadlines that you can be sure to achieve. It's essential to take proper breaks during the day, so that you don't become too tired. Learn to say "no”, even to your boss, if you think that colleagues are being unreasonable. And finally, don't forget that laughter is the best medicine.

Questions:

1. Why is stress a perfectly natural part of living?

2. What are the symptoms of stress?

3. What should everyone learn to do?

4. How can one cope with stress?