Stress and Work
Stress and Work Stress is defined most often as "the non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it". In other words, stress occurs because of our response to demand and not in the situation itself that is creating the demand.
It follows that effective strategies to reduce stress need to consider helping individuals learn to change their response to one that does not lead to stress. Integral to this educational process is first learning an individual's current response to a demand.
The Size of the Stress Challenge Facilitating methods for helping individuals cope with stress are becoming increasingly vital, as stress is reported more frequently as part of the experience of working in the new millennium. Work-related stress is estimated to be one of the biggest occupational health problems
Our Workplace Wellness Programs use Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an educational program that uses intensive training in mindfulness to help people learn to respond to stressful situations with calmness and stability.
MBSR strategies facilitate learning about the triggers for individual stress, a person's stress reaction, and changing the stress reaction to a mindful response. Because a person's stress reaction is often automatic and beyond individual awareness, mindfulness-based stress reduction programs allow for time for this knowledge to be acquired.
Industries are relying on the health of their workers to keep themselves on top, and health and wellness promotion has emerged as a necessity in business success strategy.
Workplace wellness should not be construed as a means of making company leaders solely responsible for their employees' health. But corporate leaders can create a work environment that fosters well-being and can target lifestyle choices made by employees in the hopes that healthier behaviors are learned and adopted. This helps the company meet their business goals, which then gives the company a competitive edge.
The evolution of workplace health has moved from crisis intervention, personal assistance and prevention to health promotion. It incorporates the World Health Organization's definition of health which is the extent to which an individual or group is able to realize aspirations, satisfy needs and to change or cope with their environment. The employee is recognized as a whole person, requiring a variety of health supports and environmental adaptations in the organization.
When considering the implementation of a comprehensive wellness program, it is essential to first ensure that these ten fundamental principles and values are a part of the corporate environment and internalized by the leadership team.
Fundamental Principles and Values
- People are an organization's most important resource, and each has a unique, value-adding contribution to make.
- Concern and care for the health of people is essential to the achievement of business success.
- Healthy employees enhance an organization's competitive position.
- A company with healthy employees has a positive impact on its community and customers.
- A change in individual employee health metrics can be an early indicator of changes in other aspects of business performance.
- Optimal employee health is compatible with and supportive of excellence in other aspects of business activity.
- Health, like other aspects of business, can be managed and self-managed.
- People adopt values that are emphasized by their organizational leaders.
- Employee health is an integral part of the business and is built on the belief that all injuries -- and most illnesses -- are preventable.
- Every employee at every level has responsibility for creating a healthy work environment and promoting healthy lifestyles.
These fundamental values and principles affect every aspect of the corporate functioning. Some of these values are formally addressed in company values and mission statements, but are often disregarded when making difficult business decisions. Not understanding or truly internalizing these values and principles will make the success of a wellness program much more difficult to achieve.