Stress
More workers are absent from work because of stress and anxiety than because of physical illness or injury.1 In small doses, stress can be a good thing, giving the push one needs to do their best and stay focused and alert. However, when the going gets too tough and life's demands exceeds the ability to cope, stress can become a threat to one’s physical and emotional well-being. Over time, stress can lead to mental health problems such as:
- anxiety
- depression
- eating disorders, and
- substance abuse.
In addition grinding away at one’s mental health, chronic stress can also lead to physical ailments such as tension headaches, back pain, body aches and irregular sleep.
Tips for Employers
Value work/life balance. It is not enough to simply state that work/life matters. The entire culture needs to support a separation from work and home life. It is especially important that this be adhered to on all levels of the organization. Employees will take their cues from upper management or supervisors, so all levels of the organization should model health work/life boundaries.
Offer healthy methods for addressing stress. Educate your employees about better ways to manage their time and stress. Create methods to bring those ideas into action at the office. Organize an exercise program for employees to take advantage of. This can be as simple as organizing a walking group, or offering discount gym membership.
Communicate openly. Communicating openly with employees, especially during times of corporate change/difficult financial situations, can dramatically decrease their level of stress. Often the stress of not knowing can be far greater than the reality of a situation.
Promote the use of employee assistance and health programs. Early intervention is key. Remind employees of the availability of resources for staying healthy and productive. Ensure that employees know how to access care confidentially and quickly by providing information on how to do so in multiple places and throughout the year. Heavily push these messages during times of stress, at the holidays, etc.
References
1 Marlowe JF: Depression’s Surprising Toll on Worker Productivity, Employee Benefits Journal, March 2002, pp. 16-20.
Resources
Recorded from a previous event, Families for Depression Awareness invites you to listen to "Coping with Stress and Depression" a webinar for employees and dependents. The speaker, Jon Mattleman, has over 25 years of experience as a mental health counselor.
Recorded from a previous event, this webinar reports on research conducted in collaboration with the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC), and the Partnership. Hear specific examples from employers and strategies for applying best practices at your workplace. In addition, Michael Paolercio, Employee Assistance Director for the San Francisco Giants discusses how he has approached stress and resilience in his organization.
From Mental Health America, Live Your Life Well is a website designed to help you cope better with stress and create more of the life you want.
Seven tips for reducing your stress and enjoying a stronger work/life balance.