Assessing stress levels in workers may improve efficacy of wellness programs

Wednesday, 07 September 2011 16:00

Employee wellness programs that provide nutritious meal recipes or encourage staff members to exercise more may be beneficial for overweight or malnourished workers, but what about those who already have healthy lifestyle habits but feel intense pressure on the job?

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic are reporting that asking workers to gauge their stress levels on a scale of one to 10 may help determine which staffers would benefit the most from employee wellness programs that provide stress management tools, according to a study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

"Wellness programs and centers typically initially focus on physical fitness and weight loss," said lead researcher Matthew Clark, Ph.D. "Perhaps by addressing other domains of wellness - stress management, work-life balance, spirituality and resilience - employees might gain the confidence and skills to truly achieve better overall wellness."

Considering that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that an estimated 40 percent of American workers experience high levels of workplace stress, employee wellness programs that promote stress management may be needed in many offices and professional environments.