HOW TO TACKLE WORKPLACE STRESS by Lee Ann Atwater WORKPLACE HEALTH T he Holidays are over, and we are all back to the grind again as it is the new year. Now that we are back to work, we know that shorter days and longer work hours can add to our stress levels, but did you know that stress not only affects your mental and physical state, but it also has an effect on the country’s overall economy.
engaging in workplace politics played a part in advancing their careers, and 50% said that social- izing outside of work figured into the mix as well. Making these challenges even worse is the fact that many employers may not be as focused on support for employees’ mental health as they need to be. Only a third of employees reported being encouraged by their employers to use their paid time off, and a mere 11% said that they are encouraged to take mental health days. All this stress has led many to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, with 34% saying their job has increased reliance on caffeine, 9% saying they had increased their sugar intake, and 7% stating they rely on antianxiety medication. These are some simple tips to keep in mind when dealing with stress and you need to always remember that your mental health and wellness should be a priority:
Nomatter howmuch you love your job or whether you are an employee or the boss, workplace stress is part of your job description. According to The American Institute of Stress, until around 1995, Japan held the record for the number of hours employees worked each week. Today’s numbers show Americans work almost a month more than their Japanese counter parts and three months more than German counterparts. According to some estimates, the financial impact on our economy may be as high as $300 billion a year when accounting for diminished productiv- ity, absence from work, employee turnover, and health-care costs associated with treating and managing the debilitating effects of workplace stress. Nearly all of us have experienced feeling stressed or burnt out at work and are well aware of how paralyzing it can be at its worst. The increasing demands placed on employees to do more work in less time have proved to be a major factor on the stress levels and pressure felt by employees. Survey data from employee development solutions Bridge by Instructure, a national survey of more than 1,000 office employ - ees, sheds some light on some of the biggest stressors. For example, 78% of respondents said that working longer hours was an important factor in being promoted. Meanwhile, 53% said
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JANUARY 2021 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2021
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