employee stress

What do I mean by bounce?  Bounce = Resilience.  Resilience is the one trait that a human being absolutely needs to get through a difficult time.  According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the definition of resilience is:

1 - the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress

2 - an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change

According to the American Institute of Stress, “Numerous studies show that job stress is far and away the major source of stress for American adults and that it has escalated progressively over the past few decades. Increased levels of job stress as assessed by the perception of having little control but lots of demands have been demonstrated to be associated with increased rates of heart attack, hypertension and other disorders. In New York, Los Angeles and other municipalities, the relationship between job stress and heart attacks is so well acknowledged, that any police officer who suffers a coronary event on or off the job is assumed to have a work related injury and is compensated accordingly.” 

Effective Corporate Wellness Programs include user-friendly techniques and promotions to keep your employees able to weather the storms on the job front, at their homes, and in their whole life picture.  Because when your employees lose their bounce, it costs you.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines health as: “1 a : the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially : freedom from physical disease or pain b : the general condition of the body <in poor health> <enjoys good health> 2 a : flourishing condition.”

A conversation about how to keep your company’s bottom line in good health is incomplete if the condition of your employees’ minds and spirits are overlooked.  If an employee isn’t sleeping, is depressed, anxious, or addicted, and they don’t have access to the tools that empower them to fix themselves and their loved ones, then your health and wellness plan may be fatally shortsighted.  When people are hurting emotionally, they may become a liability to your company, as well as to themselves.

These days, stress levels are off the charts.  Employees struggle because they don’t have the same breathing room as in the past; they may be singlehandedly performing jobs that used to require two or three people in half the time.  Everyone is plugged in 24/7.  Human beings are amazingly resilient, but also extremely fragile.  When something happens that affects hearts and heads, people need support, information and education to cope.  That’s a truly comprehensive wellness picture.

Businesses today are increasingly aware of the value of corporate health and wellness programs. Wellness programs benefit your most important assets: your employees. When employees are fit and healthy they are self-confident, and self-confident people are more willing to meet and raise the bar; more likely to set and achieve goals. Fit and healthy employees manage stress better, have better attitudes and higher self-esteem, get sick less and, inspire coworkers to embrace wellness and healthier lifestyles.

We all face challenging economic times.  As a Smart Employer, you know throwing up your hands and taking the stance that stress is unavoidable in today’s working world is not going to get you employees that are the best they can be.  According to studies by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, stressful workplaces increase absenteeism and employee turnover.  A Smart Employer knows that striving to be a “Healthy Company” will benefit your bottom line.