Stressed out? Paranoid? Or merely under pressure? Many firms already offer their staff counselling but, reports Joy Francis, this may not be enough. That’s why some employers are starting to look at new age alternatives.

Amid evidence of spiralling stress levels and the unsettling presence of bullying in the workplace, another hidden trend that has yet to generate its own statistics is threatening to change the way businesses are run.

Directors of small companies and multi-million pound enterprises find themselves drawn to the seemingly unfathomable benefits of new age or alternative remedies. For example, the ancient Chinese arts of feng shui – the placement of furniture and plants to harmonise energy flows – and I Ching, a system of divination, are used to enhance profit margins and create healthier working environments.

The motivation for this untraditional search has solid foundations. Last month a survey by Professor John McLeod from Dundee’s Abertay University of 10,000 sufferers of workplace stress revealed they were displaying symptoms similar to those of psychiatric outpatients.

Some 1,000 firms are already offering their employees free stress counselling services to counter the problem, but is this enough? No, argues Kenny D’Cruz, founding director of the Feng Shui Partnership. His clients, made up of estate agents, teachers, architects, computer specialists and management consultants, reveal a lack of fulfilment which, he says is the heart of the crisis. “The traditiona way of doing business was based on being good and uncritical. If you didn’t conform, you could be out of a job. Business is about good relationships with staff, clients and supplier with everyone giving positive energy.”

Sarah McCrum, managing director of the four-month-old Energy “Bank”, run by Satellite 603, finds it hard to disagree with Mr D’Cruz’s assessment. Located near Liverpool Street, London, surrounded by high finance, the Energy “Bank” says it simply provides energy through a range of services from massage to life design consultancy for managers and staff. “It’s a bit like a bank, but where energy is the currency rather than money,” she explains.

Although this definition would possibly cause the Bank of England to balk in disbelief, Satellite 603 isn’t short of high-flying clients.

From advertising agencies and investment bankers to dot.com companies and film producers, these clients are often stressed, exhausted, have recurrent illnesses and depleted energy levels.

Clients make use of relation sessions in any one of the “bank’s” five halls based on natural elements – fire, water, earth, wood and metal. Guided by the principles of feng shui and I Ching, the company’s main aim is for you to relax 24 hours a day, wherever you are, be it at your desk or on a train. Professional business associations are treating very carefully on this new ground. A spokesman from the British Chambers of Commerce says cautiously: “It would be inappropriate for me to suggest or advise that businesses take up or explore feng shui or some other new age option at the more unusual end of the spectrum.” It suits 40-year-old Steve Saragossi. After 20 years in full time employment, he decided eight months ago to launch The Comfort Factor Ltd, a direct marketing consultancy company. Mr Saragossi was introduced to feng shui when Mr D’Cruz and his business partner Kristian Pengkerego did a presentation for the Business Network International organisation. He was four months into his new role as managing director and the business wasn’t looking too promising. “I was struck. There were lots of quotes for jobs, but hardly any commissions.” On a whim he commissioned Mr D’Cruz and Mr Pengkerego who drew up western and Chinese astrological charts based on Mr Saragossi’s date and time of birth.

An extensive consultation was conducted, covering his life experiences, health and relationships, identifying recurring theses. Next was a visit to Mr Saragossi’s office.

“My desk was facing a wall that was overburdened with shelves, and my back was to the door. They said this was making me feel claustrophobic, under pressure and I couldn’t see who was coming in, which was right,” Mr Saragossi admits.

On advice, he bought a new desk and positioned it so that his back was to the wall, creating a feeling of security. Now he could see the door, which reduced feelings of paranoia and a lack of control.

The shelves were removed and their contents were relocated to a box of drawers creating even more space. The dark green oppressive colour scheme was repainted in a light orange creating a sense of calmness.

The positive results were immediate. “Business calls increased and my phone hardly stopped ringing. Quotes I had made months before were coming back as commissions. It was a turning point and it lot more opportunities have presented themselves since.” Before the feng shui consultancy, Mr Saragossi’s biggest contract was £12,500. afterwards it was £38,000. he feels more relaxed, less panicked and is now negotiating his biggest quote ever at £300,000.

Jonathan Miller, the 30 year-old managing director of Alexanders, an estate agent in north-west London, has been using the Feng Shui Partnership for two-and-a-half years.

When he first commissioned them his seven-year-old company was doing quite well, but was stagnating. All four workers including the accountant had a full consultation leading to a change in seating arrangements and décor. A crystal went on to Mr Miller’s desk to suck up the negative ions. A mirror was placed outside the toilet door located at the bottom of the stairs that led straight into the office. “This ensures that the energy bounces back up the stairs back into the office rather than going, quite literally, down the toilet.”

A few weeks before the feng shui session Mr Miller had placed his quarterly VAT return and the company’s turnover stood at £50,000. By the next quarter it had doubled to £100,000, and it hasn’t stopped rising since.

After further consultations, Miller is about to take on more staff, is opening another office next month and has just refurbished his existing branch. His agents’ commissions have regularly increased and clients appear more satisfied, leading to a rise in repeat business. Back at the Energy “Bank” Dominic Richards, 34, is planning a business energy package for key members of his 17-strong staff.

As joint chief executive of Queercompany.com, Mr Richards has been using the “bank” since December, a month after the official launch for the gay and lesbian lifestyle portal.

Virtually every newspaper covered Queercompany’s bold advertising campaign, particularly the one featuring two women kissing in bed with the title “Thank God for Women”. Despite this promising start Mr Richards felt that as a senior manager fronting a £3.5m venture, he had to be effective and calm. He was acutely aware that he had to make £2 by the end of this year. “As the joint chief executive of the company, any change or progress has to start with me. If I’m not calm, sorted, together and clear either I’m not going to make the right decisions.” Since January he has been attending relaxation and life training sessions with an instructor every morning.

Like Mr Miller and Mr Saragossi, Mr Richards had his western and Chinese birth charts produced along with a consultation about his goals and the blocks to his achieving them.

He realised he was panicked, felt he had to control everything and was stressed. Now, he is calmer and is working more harmoniously with his management team in a way that wasn’t apparent before. “People find me more approachable now. We are finding new avenues of income and new partnerships. It has been brilliant,” he says. From his more relaxed position Mr Richards noticed that stress-related illnesses were already an issue among his staff who had been working hard since April in preparation for the launch. It doesn’t help that there are 30 computers in one room and papers everywhere. Which is why he is negotiating a relaxation package for his staff with the Energy “Bank”. Attending it made Mr Richards realise that “I have to look after the well being of my people and my company”.

He plans to refurbish the offices including the creation of three large communal work-stations surrounded by calm colours along with a juice bar “so there’ll be high energy and soft energy spaces”.

Not all of the commercial clients who are seeing positive results from using these techniques are willing to go on the record. Many fear ridicule or unfavourable feedback from their profit conscious shareholders.

Richard Wilson, Business Policy Executive at the Institute of Directors, isn’t surprised at the reticence, but concedes the information they hold could be
“useful if shared more openly”.

That openness may take sometime coming. But as some companies are offering their hard working staff free membership to gyms and dating agencies there is definitely a move away from traditional methods of retaining staff.

Sceptics may want to take Jonathan Miller up on his offer. “Get feng shui done. It it doesn’t work I’ll pay for it.”