EXCLUSIVE: Less than half (46%) of respondents have specific benefits and strategies in place to reduce workplace stress, according to research by Employee Benefits.
The Employee Benefits Healthcare research 2013, which surveyed 376 HR and benefits professionals, found that the most common benefits to combat stress in the workplace include a counselling or employee assistance programme (88%), flexible working or work-life balance policies (80%) and policies on bullying or harassment (73%).
Other benefits and strategies used are workshops or training for managers (43%), education for staff (36%), on-site occupational health (23%), on-site massage (21%) and job swapping (12%).
The fact that under half of respondents have specific benefits and strategies in place to combat workplace stress is worrying.
Since the economic downturn many employees have had to cut down on non-essential expenditure and are often being asked to work harder, with fewer resources available to them. This can contribute to increased levels of stress, and so there needs to be more of an active appreciation in the workplace of the importance of downtime for employees.
We have seen increasing demand from employers looking to reward their staff with holidays and leisure activities or experiences. By offering, for example, a family meal out in a restaurant as a reward for an employee who has gone the extra mile, employers are showing that they care and that they recognise both the pressures that employees are under, and the knock-on effect it can have on their lifestyle and wellbeing.
Simon White
Business Development Director
Protravel
Working alongside organisations both in the public and private sector we are seeing employees presenting with increasing
levels of stress and also scoring for risk (self harm / suicide). The economic situation, job losses and insecurity often meant that there are pressures to remain in work when unwell. hence we are seeing a reduction in sickness absence but a rise in presenteeism. Presenteeism is harder to cost and quantify, but industry figures suggest it is around 4 times the cost of sickness absence. It makes economic sense therefore for employers to support those staff who are in work to remain well, and promotion and use of EAP provision, mental health awareness training and supportive workplace strategies are essential.