According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an estimated 1 in 5 adults experience a mental illness each year. 83% of U.S. workers are estimated to suffer from work-related stress and 54% of workers report that work stress affects their home life. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes that managers and supervisors can “play a big role in reducing and preventing job-related stress.” The CDC recommends implementing a program designed to reduce work-related stress that includes:
- Implementing policies that provide employees with increased control over their work and schedules.
- Providing training for supervisors on strategies to reduce stressful working conditions.
- Providing access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
- Allowing employees breaks during their shifts to rest, stretch, or check in with their support systems. Per the
- Mayo Clinic, a support network is one of the best ways to combat stress.
Workplace wellness committees should promote self-care. Employees should be encouraged to meet their own basic needs: sleeping, eating, drinking water, and taking downtime. GoodRx suggests things like:
- Reading a book
- Deep breathing – When you take an abdominal breath and increase the amount of oxygen in your blood, your brain detects the increased oxygen and responds by decreasing the concentration of stress hormones in the blood.
- Taking a break from social media
- Dancing
- Listening to music
- Spending time with family
- Learning something new
- Listening to a podcast or an audiobook
- Watching a sunrise or a sunset
- Scheduling and attending a therapy session