Employee Wellness Programs: Stress Management

Stress continues to drive workers’ work-related health concerns, which is probably why most respondents (78 percent) in a recent survey claim they would take part in a Company Health Promotion Initiative to help their overall health and wellness.

In a recent study commissioned by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN), 500 full-time workers nationwide were interviewed by telephone.

“Today’s workers are clearly dealing with a lot of pressures such as the effects of 9/11, an unstable economy, national security threats and work/balance issues. There is a real opportunity for corporations to serve as an ally to their workers by providing them with resources to better manage their physical and emotional health – anything from stress management lunch and learns to nutrition and exercise counseling,” says Deborah V. DiBenedetto, president of AAOHN.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents believe their health would improve if they were offered the right information and tools through a viable Employee Wellness Program.

Topping the list of most interesting Employee Wellness Initiatives cited by workers is stress management (85 percent), closely followed by screening initiatives (84 percent), exercise/physical fitness initiatives (84 percent), health insurance education (81 percent) and disease management lunch and learns (80 percent).

More than 50% of workers (61 percent) would prefer to receive health and wellness information from a health care consultant or worksite nurse, compared to pamphlets or brochures (18 percent) or human resources staff (15 percent).