January 3, 2024
Associated Press published an article on Dec. 28th with statistics on declining levels of wellness, both physical and mental, among employees and recommendations for employers. Some of the striking research findings presented in this article are:
- "50% of workers reporting poor emotional health also assessed their physical health as low, compared to only 5% of those with high emotional health."
- "Nearly 29% of workers rated their oral health poorly, with significant consequences for their mental well-being."
- "Of those, 45% say they do not smile often, 41% have a lack of confidence, 38% have low self-esteem, and 21% experience depression. This not only impacts mental health and overall quality of life but could also impact work performance and careers, as 12% of workers also say they avoid speaking up in meetings because they're self-conscious."
- "Only 39% report that their organization offers adequate mental health support."
- "Lost productivity due to mental health issues costs employers approximately $48 billion annually."
The article shares the following recommendations for employers:
- Foster work-life balance with flexible work options.
- Clearly communicate benefits your organizations offer for staff.
- Openly discuss mental health to help reduce stigma and encourage individuals to seek help when needed.
- Offer comprehensive wellness (physical and mental health, as well as financial) programs and promote healthy habits.
Click here to read this entire story.
The New York Times (Dec. 28, 2023)published these tips for everyone to support their own mental health with links to relevant resources:
- Try a proven way to sleep better.
- Learn how to tell whether your anxiety is protective or problematic.
- Stop the worry cycle.
- Practice '5 things tidying.'
- Embrace gratitude.
- Be optimistic about aging.
- Participate in the arts.
- Look for a little bit of awe every day.
- Take a tech break.
- Take a deep breath.
Click here to read this article.
