Over the last several decades, several studies have shown that stress is a significant source of concern for American workers. According to a new survey from Colonial Life, more than 20% of workers spend more than five hours on the clock each week thinking about their stressors and worries. An additional 50% of workers said they lose between one and five hours of work to stress each week.
When stress weighs on employees too long, the personal and professional costs add up. Unmanaged stress can have disastrous consequences in the workplace. Stressed employees often have trouble concentrating, struggle to stay productive, and are susceptible to burnout.
Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to address stress at your workplace. Traditional methods include anything from increased vacation days to flexible work hours to a positive office environment. All of these can help to tackle stress issues at work. But sometimes employers want to go a step further and truly make stress management a priority for their organization. Here are four specific ways that employers can reduce employee stress levels:
Massages
Massages in the workplace are a great way to fight the stress and anxiety that can build up during the workday. Some of the benefits of chair massages include reduced stress, decreased anxiety, improved overall mood and increased energy. Showing employees that they are valued with onsite massages is also good for business. It creates an atmosphere of teamwork, trust, and loyalty in the workplace.
Today, massages have never been more accessible. For example, Zeel, is an on-demand massage service that brings chair massages to your employees with just one click.“We just launched a self-booking tool that can have therapists onsite at your office or corporate headquarters in just a few hours," said Samer Hamadeh, CEO of Zeel. The massage therapists from Zeel bring and set up their own equipment, and you can plan ahead based on employee interest to make sure you get the right number of massage therapists and chairs to best suit the size and schedule of your team.
Mindfulness
Research has shown how practicing mindfulness regularly can help regulate emotions, change the brain to be more resilient to stress, and improve stress biomarkers. So it’s no surprise that many employers are now offering mindfulness programs.
One of the most popular meditation apps for companies is Headspace. Headspace helps its users to train their minds. Through meditation, employees can build up areas of their brains and actually rewire the brain to enhance positive traits. This can mean less stress, better sleep, focus and improved relationships. Research from Headspace has shown impressive results, including:
- A 14% increase in focus after four weeks of using the app
- A 32% decrease in stress after using the app for 30 days
Sleep
We all need quality sleep. When the body is in sleep mode, it repairs cells and supports healthy brain function. When employees deprive themselves of sleep for too long, the results are disastrous. When the body is in a sleep deficit, it impacts everything from mood to physical reaction times. According to the World Sleep Society, 46% of individuals with regular sleep disturbances report missing work or making errors at work. Similarly, just as certainly as stress interrupts sleep, the lack of sleep can be a large source of stress. Better sleep can alleviate feelings of worry and anxiety.
Sleepio, a research-backed sleep therapy app, takes a personalized approach by allowing users to set goals, test their sleep and build a program to improve the amount of sleep they get. According to Sleepio data, their program helped 76% of people achieve healthy sleep. Large employers such as LinkedIn, Boston Medical Center and The Hartford are offering Sleepio to their employees.
Healthy Snacks
Stress can affect your employees eating habits by increasing the levels of stress hormones circulating in the body. These hormones can cause people to have higher cravings for high fat, calorie-dense foods, which can lead to weight gains over time. During times of stress and hectic days at the office, employees may think they don’t have time for a healthy meal. However, consuming fast food and sugary snacks will contribute to feelings of stress and anxiety even more.
Eating healthily is one of the best things you can do for your body during times of stress, so employers can support their employees by providing free healthy snack options. With a variety of healthy snack box subscriptions now available from SnackNation, NatureBox, Eat Club and WorkPerks, this is an easy strategy to implement. Workplaces can receive an assortment of snacks each month, satisfying employee hunger and boosting company morale.
There are plenty of ways to address stress among your workforce and it’s best to pick a variety of options and choose initiatives that will work best for your culture. Regardless of which strategies you implement, helping your employees manage their stress levels will have an impact on productivity levels and overall organization performance.
