Dubai,Feb.5th,2008 (WAM) -- Managers of Human Resources working for UAE oil and gas companies asserted at their annual meeting the need to put more emphasis on creating a healthier working environment within their organizations.

The focus of their discussions was centered mainly on various daily work pressures that result from social, economic, psychological and environmental aspects. These factors, the managers agreed, directly affect the productivity and profitability of their organizations.

They also emphasized on the need to retain their human resources, being the major assets behind the development, progress and success of their organizations.

The conference, which was held in Dubai under the sponsorship of Emirates General Petroleum Corporation (Emarat), discussed a number of presentations., prepared by In her presentation, Dr. Mariam Matar, Assistant Undersecretary of Ministry of Health (MoH), highlighted the impact of the location, venue and work environment on the health of employees. She emphasized on the elements that should be in place in order to provide a proper working environments.

She called on companies to be selective in their choice of office furniture, which helps in creating a comfortable and satisfactory work environment, where employees can find harmony and peace of mind.

She indicated that the requirements of employees differ depending on their assignments and personal traits. For example, a married woman should be seated in an office with a different setting than an unmarried woman and men because of her physiological and physical characteristics.

She addressed the importance of carrying out various physical exercises, even during working hours to help them relax and relieve the work pressures.

Abdullah Sambij, Emarat?s Human Resources Manager, expressed his own point of view, which resembled human resources managers to ?Doctors of Emotions?, knowing that they must possess skills and special competency to enable them predict employee?s morale from the pressures they fact at work.

He called on responsible individuals and institutions to give priority to the human aspect in their well-being and wellness programs, knowing that it forms the basis for a better working environment where employees enjoy a high spirit and increased motivation.

On the other hand, Dr. Yousef Al-Bader, Managing Director of the Al-Bader Group, and Founder and Chairman of Al-Bader Nutrition Consulting Center, addressed the issue of daily routine pressures and the role of alternative medicine in that respect.

He explained that daily work pressures lead to frustration and internal conflict within ''our lives'', which result in health deterioration and decrease in productivity at work.

He emphasized on the need to control our behavior and emotions to lessen those pressures and adapt to the demanding nature of tomorrow?s markets.

He added that alternative medicine engenders various types of science and medical treatments, which assist in preserving health and prevent diseases using natural healing processes without the use of chemicals.

He explained that alternative medicine has its own philosophical medical treatment, which is different from common medicine. In fact, alternative medicine has proved its viability in treating various chronic diseases, which proves the success of various alternative medicines schools and colleges in the West.

He stated that a large number of officials at alternative health departments in ministries of health are now more convinced than ever about the success of alternative medicine and the need to introduce it in curriculums at various medical colleges.

Meanwhile, Hassan Al Bashil, an international consultant in health training and Chinese medicine, addressed in his paper entitled ?The Health Initiative to Reduce the Costs of Healthcare and improve its Quality? the deteriorating health conditions in various organizations and its impact on productivity due to work stresses.

He believed that many officials now understand better the need to take action realizing that the problem has been aggravated to the extent that it has affected the health and productivity of employees.

However, he stressed that those officials have not taken any action to minimize the impact. This is mainly due, he said, to their concern with safety at work and the avoidance of health hazards at work such as accidents, chemical and petrochemical pollution.

Other problems, he added, which are more serious in nature and more likely to occur, have not been given priority, which led to health problems as reiterated by his colleagues.

He pointed out that those who oppose steps to set up dedicated health programs for employees should be aware that the organization will not face the same health issues as employees, such as neck and back pains, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart conditions and other health problems which result from work pressures.

''However, what they will have to face sooner or later is decreased profitability as a result of lower productivity levels and work missteps which could eventually lead to catastrophes.

Therefore, he insisted that those officials should demonstrate more commitment to health issues among employees and work on rectifying the related job related problems that would affect the work flow and environment. These include taking radical measures to rectify the situation, such as flexible work hours, decreased work pressure and more off time.

He believed that this will not only help in minimizing corporate losses but will also assist in improving employees health conditions.

He added: ?To prove that point, a marine insurance company has conducted studies on the effectiveness of stress resistance programs at hospitals; and the results were encouraging?. In one of the studies, the number of repetitive gaffes was reduced by half after introducing a program for facing work pressures and overcoming them. Those hospitalized reached 700.

In another study, the number of law suite cases resulting from medical gaffes decreased by 70% in 22 hospitals which applied the pressure resistance program, compared to another 22 hospitals that did not implement the same program.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2008.