In the workplace, chronic stress affects everything from quality of work to productivity and engagement. According to a study by Farleigh Dickenson University, sixty percent of lost workdays each year can be attributed to stress. In fact, according to the Global Benefits Attitude Survey, highly stressed employees take almost twice as many sick days a year as their counterparts who report low stress levels. This absenteeism impacts productivity, and ironically, can create more stress as the stressed employee falls further behind in workload. Beyond absenteeism, the same survey found that productivity also impacts “presenteeism,” a phrase used to describe when we show up to work unwell and unproductive. Here, rates were 50% higher in highly stressed employees than in their low stressed counterparts.  Whether an employee is absent or merely present, stress directly impacts productivity in the workplace. Stress also affects the quality of an employee’s work. Simply put, when we are present but unproductive, we are not at our best, and therefore our output won’t be optimal. But stress can also contribute to mistakes, especially as employees become frazzled and have trouble concentrating. Additionally, as stress gives way to frustration and anger, the quality of working relationships can be impacted, ultimately making it harder for teams to achieve high performance.  But perhaps of greater concern for employers is that [...]