Employee Wellness Programs: Focus on Stress Reduction

Benefits of Stress Reduction Programs

While stress cannot be eliminated from life, or even from the worksite, coping skills can be developed with relative ease. Stress management skills lead to decreased rates of absence and more effective, more productive workers. Because stress has been shown to contribute to such physical conditions as ulcers, high blood pressure and stroke, stress reduction has a direct impact on improving physical health.

Studies have shown that heart patients who attend stress management initiatives have 42% lower medical costs. Other studies have documented a 50% reduction in medical services use when stress management initiatives are employed. Further, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) experts estimate that 20% of any workforce is affected by personal problems that can influence work performance.

Stress reduction tactics to consider:

• Provide onsite yoga or meditation classes.
• Organize support groups among workers.
• Sponsor stress management classes during the workday.
• Provide an employee assistance program that includes both counseling and referral.
• Provide onsite counseling for workers in the case of a work-related trauma, such as the death of a co-worker.