{"id":16413,"date":"2020-03-06T06:41:15","date_gmt":"2020-03-06T06:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dbhids2021.wpengine.com\/?p=16413"},"modified":"2021-01-04T21:22:41","modified_gmt":"2021-01-05T02:22:41","slug":"how-employers-can-support-their-employees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthymindsphilly.org\/dev\/blog\/how-employers-can-support-their-employees\/","title":{"rendered":"How Employers Can Support Their Employees"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the workplace, chronic stress affects everything from quality of work to productivity and engagement. According to a study by<\/span> Farleigh Dickenson University<\/span><\/a>, sixty percent of lost workdays each year can be attributed to stress. In fact, according to the<\/span> Global Benefits Attitude Survey<\/span><\/a>, 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond absenteeism, the same survey found that productivity also impacts \u201cpresenteeism,\u201d 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.\u00a0 Whether an employee is absent or merely present, stress directly impacts productivity in the workplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stress also affects the quality of an employee\u2019s work. Simply put, when we are present but unproductive, we are not at our best, and therefore our output won\u2019t be optimal. But stress can also contribute to<\/span> mistakes<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But perhaps of greater concern for employers is that stress also impacts employee engagement and ultimately retention. The same Global Benefits Attitude study reports over half of employees claiming to be experiencing stress indicated they were disengaged; whereas half of their low stressed counterparts claimed to be highly engaged. The<\/span> Wall Street Journal<\/span><\/a> reported that one third of people surveyed considered quitting their jobs because of stress and a full 14 percent actually did. Recruiting and training new employees costs companies money, and so the impact of stress on engagement and ultimately retention can\u2019t be ignored.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another aspect where chronic stress affects the bottom line is with respect to healthcare costs.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s estimated<\/span><\/a> that at least three-quarters or 75% of all doctors\u2019 visits are due to stress. This costs employers ultimately in their health insurance expenses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stress can lead to<\/span><\/a> an increase in inflammation due to elevated levels of the hormone cortisol. \u00a0 Chronic stress can therefore lead to chronic inflammation<\/span>.\u00a0 Inflammation leads to any number of health issues including:\u00a0 heart disease and blood pressure, gastro-intestinal and autoimmune issues, diabetes, and Alzheimer\u2019s. \u00a0 Stress also impacts our immune systems, increasing the likelihood of catching a cold, the flu and other viruses. \u00a0 Stress also impacts mental health as it can lead to depression and anxiety. It\u2019s easy to see why at least 75% of all doctors\u2019 visits have stress as the underlying cause.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you see the danger now in simply accepting stress as a way of life, especially in the workplace? \u00a0 The good news is we are not without solutions.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Solutions for Addressing Stress in the Workplace<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Companies are increasingly creating roles designed to look after the wellbeing of their employees. \u00a0 In fact in 2018,<\/span> Morgan Lewis, LLP<\/span><\/a>, a global law firm with offices in Philadelphia, hired its first Director of Employee Wellbeing. While not every company has the ability to hire its own Director of Wellbeing, there are things any company can do to address stress in the workplace:<\/span><\/p>\n