Employee health benefits more important than employers think

Posted on | by HeartMath

More than three-quarters of employees who say they have good healthcare benefits also report high job satisfaction, and 71 percent of those workers are loyal to their employers. Conversely, only about one-fourth of staff members who are dissatisfied with their benefits are happy and loyal to their organization.

Additionally, retirement benefits are highly important to 64 percent of the surveyed employees, while only 38 percent of companies reported that they believe such extras contribute to loyalty and satisfaction.

“Employers need to look at their benefits offerings differently – through a new holistic lens – in order to maximize their effectiveness as a retention tool for their unique workforce while meeting other business objectives,” said Dr. Ronald S. Leopold, vice president of U.S. Business at MetLife.

Results of the survey point to a need for employers to review employee health benefits in order to retain staff members, improve employee performance and reduce workplace stress.

Job burnout manifests itself in several ways

Posted on | by HeartMath

Today’s workplace imposes higher demands on employees without necessarily giving them adequate rewards, which may lead to a condition known as job burnout.

The signs that an employee is reaching his or her breaking point are outlined on the San Francisco Chronicle’s website.

When workers find themselves lagging behind or constantly putting off tasks, it may be a sign that they have lost interest in their job and are close to burnout, according to the news source.

Taking any excuse to call in late or sick may indicate that something is seriously awry, along with constant negative feelings about the workplace.

Feeling cynical and overreacting to small conflicts or obstacles may signal that a worker is feeling resentful about office operations.

The website states that employees who no longer take part in office activities or engage with their coworkers may be close to burnout. This is also a sign of depression – which is the final and most detrimental sign of job burnout.

Wellness programs increasingly necessary as public health worsens

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An article on BusinessWeek.com has underscored the necessity of employee wellness programs as public health gets worse – especially in terms of obesity – and Americans spend more time at their desks.

The Society of Actuaries reports that businesses risk a total loss of $127 billion due to excess medical care stemming from overweight or obesity, and an additional $49 billion in lost productivity caused by early death, the article states.

As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that an estimated one-fourth of people in the U.S. get no physical activity, the U.N. International Labour Organization says that Americans work more hours than any other industrialized nation.

The CDC is also using the recently-coined medical term ‘obesogenic’ to describe modern American society. The adjective refers to a culture wherein people consume vast quantities of unhealthy food while leading sedentary lifestyles.

The Business Week article says that organizations may help halt this unhealthy trend by implementing employee wellness programs that include tools and resources to help workers get in optimal physical shape.

Sleep deprivation may lead to mood swings

Posted on | by HeartMath

Individuals who choose to re-live college and go without sleep for a night may end up feeling strangely euphoric in the morning, but the positive emotions may soon be followed by bad decisions, addictive behavior, and irritability.

Researchers divided a group of 27 young adults into two groups: one that had a good night’s sleep and another that pulled an all-nighter. When examining brain images of all participants, the team found that those who were sleep-deprived experienced stimulation that caused short-term dopamine release.

Also, the tired participants were more likely to rate pictures of puppies and ice cream cones more positively than those who were well-rested.

This optimism may lead these individuals to overlook the consequences of decisions, study authors said. The results of the trial support findings recently reported by researchers at Duke University.

“We need to ensure that people making high-stakes decisions, from medical professionals to airline pilots to new parents, get enough sleep,” said Matthew Walker, lead researcher at the University of California, Berkeley.

Even low-level stress may lead to disability

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While it’s common knowledge that high levels of stress have detrimental effects on an individual’s mental and physical health, a new study shows that even moderate anxiety may increase a worker’s chance of disability by 70 percent.

The study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Researchers examined the data of more than 17,000 employees over a five-year period. They found that the results supported long-held beliefs regarding the health of those under intense stress but were surprised about the effects of everyday anxiety on individuals, a number that was high even when they corrected for lifestyle habits.

Authors of the study said its results may have major implications for modern employers, who seem to be putting more stress on workers than ever.

“Are the strains and demands of modern society commonly exceeding human ability?” asked the researchers.

Stress accounted for one-fourth of disability claims related to physical illness, and two-thirds of those stemming from mental issues.

Certain personality types contribute to workplace stress

Posted on | by HeartMath

A Santa Clara University psychology professor said that supervisors and co-workers who are narcissistic, aggressive, rigid or impaired present obstacles for other staff members, but there are effective ways of dealing with these types of people.

Narcissistic people are easily offended, so try not to criticize them when it isn’t your place to do so, said Professor Katerina Bezrukova. If the self-centered individual is a co-worker, just sit back and focus on your own work, making sure to document what you do.

When dealing with aggressive types, it may be best to stay out of their way and avoid unnecessary confrontation. Try to find a constructive way to show them that acting hysteric during conflicts does nothing to solve the problem, Bezrukova added.

Individuals who are rigid do not like to change their ways. However, a little reverse psychology may make them think that your ideas are actually theirs, making them more open to accepting new methods.

People who are impaired – whether it be due to attention disorders, depression, burnout or substance abuse – may require professional help or intervention by an employer, the expert further stated.

Besrukova’s advice to reduce workplace stress and improve working relationships may be especially effective when supplemented with employee wellness programs to manage stress and anger.

Happiness may lead to longevity

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In a review of more than 160 studies on mood and health, a team of researchers at the University of Illinois found that the vast majority of the trials led to the conclusion that happiness leads to a longer life and reduced risk of disease.

Positivity, a lack of stress and good mental health were all factors that contributed to a longer lifespan and optimal physical health among human and animal participants.

“Current health recommendations focus on four things: avoid obesity, eat right, don’t smoke, and exercise. It may be time to add ‘be happy and avoid chronic anger and depression’ to the list,” said Ed Diener, lead study author.

One study took into account the autobiographies of nuns written in their 20s, and found that those with positive moods toward their life lived longer than those who viewed their experiences as negative. Additionally, it was found that in married couples who fight, the partners had weaker immune systems and took longer to heal from physical wounds.

Results of the study suggest that employee wellness programs that include the tools and resources for stress relief and anger management may be effective in keeping a workforce healthy and happy. Employee performance may also be strengthened through these efforts.

Low socioeconomic status may lead to poor mental health

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A poor economy appears to hit lower income individuals much harder that the rich when it comes to mental health, according to a study that was published in the journal World Psychiatry.

A team of researchers conducted interviews among South Korean people and found that those with low incomes were significantly more likely to have depression and attempt or think about suicide.

The study participants were followed from 1998 to 2007, during which time the global economy took a dive. Authors of the study noted that rates of suicide doubled during this time, from 13 to 26 people out of every 100,000.

They also called the disparity between mental health of the wealthy and the poor a “pro-rich inequality.”

Results of the study suggest that low pay and a negative environment may have major detrimental effects on employees. Organizations should keep this in mind, and consider offering employee wellness programs to manage stress, especially for employees on the lower end of the company pay scale. Additionally, employers should offer comprehensive employee health benefits that include care for mental health.

Stress, conflicts at work may prompt employees to call in sick

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Employees who get into conflicts with co-workers and bosses are more likely to take a sick day even if their illness is not severe enough to warrant missed work, according to a study that was published in the journal BMC Public Health.

Additionally, workers who expect a stressful day at the office are more prone to call it in when experiencing only a minor headache or cold symptoms.

Researchers interviewed 400 employees from six different sectors for the Swedish study, examining developments in the workplace in the days before people called in sick.

“We found that problems in relationships with colleagues and superiors were more frequent in the days just before sick leave than on other days. We also found that individuals with a minor ailment were more likely to report sick when they expected that the following workday would be particularly stressful,” said study author Hanna Hultin.

Authors of the study noted that about one-third of the 8 million sick days taken each year in the UK are the result of non-serious illness.

Results of the study suggest that employee wellness programs that focus on anger and conflict management as well as stress relief may be effective in reducing absenteeism.

HeartMath technologies may provide effective, non-medicinal treatment for stress

Posted on | by HeartMath

In an article on PatrickHolford.com, author, nutritional therapist and HeartMath practitioner Susannah Lawson wrote about the detrimental effects of stress and how gaining a coherent heart beat may be the solution for those under daily pressure.

Stress can be as bad for the heart as factors like smoking and out-of-control cholesterol, Lawson said. It can accelerate the aging process and promote inflammation, which has been shown to lead to a number of diseases, including cancer.

The author compiled research on the physical effects of stress and revealed that it increases risk of cardiovascular disease fivefold, doubles the chances of diabetes onset in men and may even cause dementia and breast cancer.

Additionally, a survey conducted by nutrition expert Patrick Holford suggests that the majority of people feel powerless over their stress, have frequent feelings of anxiety or tension and easily become impatient or angry.

“Stress has become so common in our society that it’s easy to forget its symptoms are our body’s way of warning us that something is out of balance,” Lawson wrote.

She said chronic stress taxes the body’s emergency coping mechanism, which is not meant to be stimulated on a daily basis. Those who are at risk of desensitizing their built-in survival tool will often feel distracted, negative, anxious, tense, irritated, overwhelmed and worried.

These emotions may cause an imbalance in heartbeat, leading it to beat erratically and irregularly.

“Just as your emotions influence the behaviour of your heart, the action of your heart communicates with your brain and the rest of your body,” she said.

HeartMath researchers have found that when individuals are in touch with their heartbeat, their thinking becomes clearer and they are better able to solve problems and complete tasks. By regularly focusing on the heartbeat and achieving the calming benefits, the body will release less of the stress hormone cortisol. Many serious diseases are linked to high levels of this hormone in the body.

There are three steps that people can take to improve their heart coherence, and they may even be done while sitting at a desk. First, one must focus on the physical location of the heart. Second, imagine even breaths emanating from and being taken in by the heart, and breathe along with that. Concentrate on these first steps for a few minutes. Now, as you take a breath, recall a positive or calming memory.

HeartMath specialists say this technique should be practiced for five minutes each day for optimal results.

Studies have shown that HeartMath technologies and techniques may help keep hormone levels in balance by lowering cortisol and stimulating DHEA, a hormone that has been shown to have anti-aging properties.

Additionally, research on individuals with diabetes, stressed employees and hospital patients suggested that HeartMath methods may have significant benefits.

HeartMath technology has been shown to help individuals gain coherence of their heartbeats. The device tracks one’s heart rhythm by measuring pulses in the earlobe, and signals to users when they have a healthy beat pattern. Also, a breathing pacer helps individuals synchronize the heart and breath.

While powerful in controlling negative thoughts, HeartMath technologies may also be useful in treating eating disorders, insomnia, chronic pain, anger issues, obsessive compulsive disorder and addictions. The methods may also be useful in alleviating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and stress in kids.