Promote Employee Health by Targeting Stress

By now, most people know that stress wreaks havoc on health and is known to increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and a multitude of mental health issues. In response to workplace stress, many employers have incorporated wellbeing programs that target health and ways to manage stress.

A recent poll conducted by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that 51 percent of respondents said their workplace has a formal wellness or health improvement program. These initiatives include weight management, diet and nutrition, exercise, and disease-management programs. Many programs also focus on stress reduction, which can go a long way toward creating an environment that promotes health and reduces stress.

Moreover, employee burnout is often more costly than implementing programs to reduce stress. There are a number of steps an employer can take to reduce stress in the workplace, including:

• Implementing a wellness program. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle are two important factors that can lower and help employees unwind. Consider incorporating meditation and yoga classes as well.
• Targeting employee’s financial worries with a fiscal fitness program to alleviate fears surrounding debt, retirement and other financial stressors.
• Encouraging or creating social activity, team building and fun – from team wellness challenges and cooking demos to community service opportunities and celebrations.
• Allowing employees to work remotely or offering flex-time.
• Planning ahead and hiring temporary workers to fill in the gaps when regular employees take time off for stress-relieving exercise or vacation.
• Implementing mandatory vacation time so that employees return to work energized and engaged.

There are many initiatives employers can consider when designing an initiative to target employee stress. Wellness Workdays works with many clients to create comprehensive stress-reduction programs. If you’d like to talk with us about ideas for your organization, contact us.

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Visit Wellness Workdays for more information about our worksite wellness programs.