Career

Nightshift may cause cancer

2008-02-06T23:00:00.000-08:00

It was once thought far-fetched to suggest that smoking contributed to lung cancer. Now, increase your cancer risk.

Next month, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, will classify shift work as a "probable" carcinogen.

That will put shift work in the same category as cancer-causing agents like anabolic steroids, ultraviolet radiation and diesel engine exhaust.

Millions affected
If the shift work theory proves correct, millions of people worldwide could be affected. Experts estimate that nearly 20 percent of the working population in developed countries work night shifts.

It is a surprising twist for an idea that scientists first described as "wacky," said Richard Stevens, a cancer epidemiologist and professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center. In 1987, Stevens published a paper suggesting a link between light at night and breast cancer.

Back then, he was trying to figure out why breast cancer incidence suddenly shot up starting in the 1930s in industrialized societies, where night-time work was considered a hallmark of progress.

But in recent years, several studies have found that women working at night for many years are indeed more prone to breast cancer, and that animals who have their light-dark schedules switched grow more cancerous tumors and die quicker.

Some research has also shown that men working at night may have a higher rate of prostate cancer.

Bigger studies needed
Because these studies have been done mainly in nurses and airline crews, bigger studies in different populations are needed to confirm or disprove the findings.

The idea that shift work might increase your cancer risk is still viewed with skepticism by some, but some doubters may reconsider when IARC publishes the results of its analysis, the result of an expert panel convened in October, in the December issue of The Lancet Oncology.

Evidence still limited
The American Cancer Society said it would most likely add shift work to its list of "known and probable carcinogens" when the IARC makes its reclassification. Up to now, the society has labeled it an "uncertain, controversial or unproven effect."

Experts acknowledge the evidence is limited, but the "probable" tag means that a link between shift work and cancer is plausible.

"The indications are positive," said Vincent Cogliano, director of the Monographs program at IARC, which decides on carcinogen classifications. "There was enough of a pattern in people who do shift work to recognize that there's an increase in cancer, but we can't rule out the possibility of other factors."

The research suggests a correlation between people who work at night and increased cancer rates. But the cause of the cancer might still be something else that people who work at night do that is unaccounted for in the research.

Disrupts circadian rhythm
Scientists suspect that shift work is dangerous because it disrupts the circadian rhythm, the body's biological clock. The hormone melatonin, which can suppress tumor development, is normally produced at night.

Light shuts down melatonin production, so people working in artificial light at night may have lower melatonin levels, which scientists think can raise their chances of developing cancer.

Sleep deprivation may also be a factor. People who work at night are not usually able to completely reverse their day and night cycles.

"Night shift people tend to be day shift people who are trying to stay awake at night," said Mark Rea, director of the Light Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, who is not connected to IARC or its expert panel.

Compromises immune system
Not getting enough sleep makes your immune system vulnerable to attack, and less able to fight off potentially cancerous cells.

Confusing your body's natural rhythm can also lead to a breakdown of other essential tasks. "Timing is very important," Rea said. Certain processes like cell division and DNA repair happen at regular times.

But if the body needs to do something at an unusual time - like produce insulin in the middle of the night to help digest food - that can set off a chain reaction of biological mistakes.

Changing shifts even worse
Even worse than working the night shift would be to frequently flip between day and night shifts.

"The problem is re-setting your body's clock," said Aaron Blair, of the United States' National Cancer Institute, who chaired IARC's recent meeting on shift work. "If you worked at night and stayed on it, that would be less disruptive than constantly changing shifts."

Anyone whose light and dark schedule was frequently disrupted - including frequent long-haul travelers or insomniacs - could theoretically face the same increased cancer risks, Stephens said.

Scientists are now trying to figure out what might be possible to reduce shift workers' risk of developing cancer. Melatonin can be taken as a supplement, but experts don't recommend taking it long-term, since that could ruin the body's ability to produce it naturally.

Working in red light
Some companies are also experimenting with different types of light, hoping to create one that doesn't affect melatonin production. So far, the color that seems to have the least impact on melatonin is one that few people would enjoy working under: red.

With no answers at the moment, experts say it's best to avoid shift work in the long-term. But if that is impossible, there may be a simpler solution.

"The balance between light and dark is very important for your body," Stevens said, advising workers to make sure they sleep in a darkened room when they get back from work.

"Just get a dark night's sleep," he said. –

6 ways to generate great ideas at work

2008-02-05T01:51:00.000-08:00

Success at work is often a result of combining knowledge, skills and the ability to inject your work environment with fresh and breakthrough ideas.

While conventional wisdom teaches us to learn skills, and enhance our knowledge for the job, we often forget that we need to keep coming up with new ideas that will help the organisation succeed and also keep our jobs secure in today's competitive landscape.

We offer a few tips towards helping you break out of a routine thought process and generate breakthrough ideas.

Exercise your mind

Your mind, like your body, needs exercise and can get it through challenges and problem-solving. A good way to feed your mind is to read a lot and study the success stories of other businesses and entrepreneurs.

Read case studies related to your industry or biographies of successful people.

This will not only stimulate your grey cells but also provide you a dose of inspiration. Learn how other successful people generate breakthrough ideas.

Capture your thoughts

When the brilliant spells do come, make sure you capture them. Don't rely on mental notes, you'll surely forget them. Have a notepad, PDA or voice recorder ready at all times, even next to your bed at night (who knows, you may suddenly strike gold at 2 am). Once you've recorded your idea, use it as soon as you can. I read an advertisement for IT company Accenture, which said: "An idea is like a cup of coffee, it's not going to stay hot forever." So remember that ideas are best when they're fresh.

"I always carry a voice recorder with me and tape my thoughts. Listening to them later in the day ensures that I don't deprive myself of the brilliant phases that we all have during the day," says G Rajaraman, a senior sports correspondent with Outlook magazine.

Change your setting

Your mind reacts to its surroundings and has an uncanny ability to generate new ideas when the physical setting changes. You may be thinking in a very linear and academic way while you are at your workstation, so take your laptop/PDA and sit by in your office garden/park or cafeteria and you may see some fresh perspectives. Take a walk or hit the gym. The mind is agile when the body is indulging in a disciplined and rhythmic physical activity like a jog or workout. For all you know, a change of setting may bring you the inspiration you need.

"I am at my best when I am out in the open with my laptop and listening to my favourite music during a lunch break," says Shelly Jain, a Delhi based consultant with NIIT.

You could even take a notepad and jot down your ideas and thoughts and later organise them when you get to your workstation. The time spent thinking would be worthwhile as you will be away from the usual workplace distractions.

Go out of your way to help others

Step out of your job description once in a while and help others with their tasks. Do this without having to be asked. Saying, "Need a hand there?" has a two-fold effect. First, you encourage others to give of themselves, creating a more positive workplace.

Second, you buy yourself a future favour, since kindness always comes back. The people you have helped will become soundboards for your ideas and will be able to give you new ideas and suggestions that may get you thinking on a new track.

"A response such as 'This is not my area of work. Find out from the person concerned', shows that the individual is responding from his own frame of reference, an attitude detrimental for both employee and organisation," says Anil Bhatnagar, a management consultant.

Help people whenever they need your expertise. Offer your support to new emloyees as they usually have the ability to come out with bright ideas. Their minds are fresh and have not been conditioned to think in a linear fashion like most tenured employees, so they may springboard some fresh perspectives.

Know your organisation's and customers' needs

You must know if what you have to offer is in high demand at work. Find out the direction in which your company is headed and the areas in which it needs maximum improvement. This will ensure that you ideas have a business impact and act as a catalyst in your growth within the organisation. There's much strength to be derived from knowing how a company operates as a whole. Tailor your ideas to meet the organisational objectives and you will be in a position to add maximum benefit to your organisation.

Did you ever think that companies would be selling fairness cream for men? Emami, a Kolkata-based company with interests in personal and healthcare business realised the need and launched 'Fair and Handsome', a fairness cream for men in April 2006. The executives at Emami realised that in the age of metrosexual men, who go for manicures and pedicures, a fairness cream, if positioned well, could be a winner in the personal care market for men.

Understand your work environment

In today's teamwork-oriented work environments, no man is an island. You are always a part of the bigger picture that the organisation has in mind. Expose yourself to different realities. If you are a marketing person, go and spend some time with the finance team or the product management team and ask them questions about their nature of work. Learn to see things from their perspective. The best ideas sometimes come from looking outside the familiar and that is what "thinking out of the box" means.

Google.com founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were batchmates at Stanford when the thought of empowering people by creating an easy search mechanism hit them. The Naukri.com advertisement depicting Hari Sadu as the monster boss is a good example of out-of-the-box thinking, because it mixes humour with a message.

So keep your eyes and ears open and indulge in some idea generation activities.

8 ways to get noticed at work

2008-02-05T01:46:00.000-08:00

All of us know businesses thrive on strong relationships, so we do all we can to impress our clients and external stakeholders.

Most people, however, pay little or no attention to their relationships with peers, bosses and co-workers, though this might seem an obvious thing to do. Here's how you can become the 'Go to' person and get noticed at work.

Walk around for 15 minutes everyday

Offices are like mini-families. Most of us spend up to 11 hours a day in close proximity, sharing the same office space, facilities, break rooms, refrigerators, coffee pots, etc, with our work colleagues. Everyone shares responsibility for making the company work, run smoothly and stay profitable. Keep aside about 15 minutes a day to take a round, greet all the people you know with a smile and exchange pleasantries.

A smile and a warm handshake can wear off the stress most of us go through. Besides, making this effort adds to your desirability factor at work. And, even though it is considered a cliche, do remember smiling is contagious.

Give your colleagues importance

Tell a senior management executive how much you appreciate a certain colleague or subordinate. Do this in that person's presence and you would have won his/ her trust as well; besides, it will make your senior colleague respect you.

Be as specific as you can; for example: "Ram, I want you to know what a great job Vishal did at the presentation yesterday. We are all lucky to have him in the team." Do remember not to sound patronising when you do this.

If a veteran employee is retiring, organise a goodbye party; if someone is being promoted, set up a happy hour with your co-workers. Take initiative and others will take an instant liking to you.

See/ hear your name

Have you thought of contributing to your organisation's newsletter or Website or the journal that gets distributed within the organisation? Since company publications are frequently read by top executives, you'll be increasing your personal PR while establishing yourself as an expert in your chosen area. It's a great way to blow your own trumpet, albeit in a sophisticated fashion.

Join a committee or task force

Join a company-wide committee. Interacting with the same colleagues everyday won't increase your exposure; however, working on a committee with new people gives you an opportunity to make new contacts. It also gives you the opportunity to show your talent and skills to people who matter within the organisation.

Take up a leadership position within a task force and volunteer to lead a project. Behave like a leader and you will move into a leadership position sooner than you imagined.

Mediate a conflict

Workplace conflicts are most common and therein lies the opportunity to demonstrate your leadership and management skills. When done correctly, it can give you amazing results.

If you are trying to resolve a workplace conflict, do not get judgemental and take sides; rather, just serve as a facilitator and establish the ground rules for professional conduct at work. Keep resolution of the conflict in mind at all times; do not get involved or become emotional.

Offer a helping hand

Fill it up. If you've used the last piece of paper in a shared copier or printer, fill it up again even if it means going to the supply room to get another ream. After you've poured the coffee into your cup, take a minute to make another one for the next person in the queue.

Offer to mentor that new recruit at work or share a trade secret -- something that will help a colleague look good before his/ her boss. Often, these small gestures help you build relationships and also spread a good word around about you at the workplace.

Remember -- 'what goes around comes around'. The people you help will advocate for you when it matters the most.

Your best performance

There is nothing that will give you more exposure than getting the employee of the month or quarter award at the Rewards & Recognition event. Since these awards are often given by the top management, it gives you an opportunity to put your name before the key decision makers in your organisation. Remember, you won't get ahead with mediocre performance, regardless of how many other steps you implement.

Stay updated

Read industry publications, reports and magazines, and be aware of market trends. Your knowledge will reflect when you communicate with colleagues and they would look up to you for advice and information. They will also talk positively about you with other members of the team. There is nothing better than third party publicity, as it establishes you as a thought leader within your organisation.

Don't shy away from self promotion and PR at work. If done well, it can have a positive impact and help you get ahead at work.

How to identify the right mentor at work

2008-02-05T01:38:00.000-08:00

It is often said that if you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there!

On a serious note, lack of proper direction and guidance can slow down your career growth.

It is therefore imperative to identify that one person who has the ability, time and dedication to give you necessary advice, which could make all the difference in helping you reach your career aspirations -- faster and more effectively.

This person is known as a mentor. In simple words, a mentor is a wise and trusted counsellor or a teacher. He or she can act as a catalyst to nurture your potential and talent.

How a mentor can help

Just like a mathematics student needs a tutor to help solve difficult problems, you need someone to help you tackle the bigger challenges at work.

Some of the things you can learn from a mentor are:

Gain in-depth knowledge about the industry and the culture of the organisation you are working in especially, if you are new to both.
Improve your leadership and communication skills.
Build a network of contacts within and outside the organisation.
Get a real world perspective and keep you sharp when you've become complacent, by creating some challenges for you.

How to identify a mentor

Keep your eyes and ears open, and observe your seniors keenly, at work. He or she could be a:

A senior executive from your organisation.
An experienced colleague.
A senior professional from the industry.
A professor from your college/university.

Raghav Pandit, a training consultant with WCH Training Solutions in Delhi says, "A majority of professionals restrict their search for a mentor to their immediate boss or senior management. Good mentors often come from the most unlikely places and executives should stay open to all possibilities."

For instance, a senior human resource professional could make a great mentor for a young IT executive.

Domain expertise helps. But so does an understanding of interpersonal communication and other typical challenges that most professionals face.

Qualities of a good mentor

You are the best judge of what you require in a mentor. But here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing one. He or she must:

Be easily accessible.
Be a good listener.
Possess skills that you wish/need to develop.
Encourage and motivate you.
Be able to suggest new/creative ways to approach a problem.
Have experience and foresight.
Be honest and open to feedback.
Be ready to share his or her experiences.

While having a strong or immediate rapport is good, remember that a mentorship is not a friendship.

You're not trying to widen your social circle so make sure that you are aware of the mentor's availability so that you are not in conflict with his or her schedule.

Making the most of your relationship

~ Approach your mentor with trustworthiness and confidence. There should be openness and transparency between the two of you.

Both of you must not hesitant to discuss a concern or issue.

~ Identify your strengths and weaknesses, so you can focus on the areas you need to develop or improve.

~ Accept feedback constructively.

~ Approach your mentor to develop contacts and references, as and when you require them.