a stressed out workforce

The impact of stress is often misunderstood by organizations in a Western culture, and may mistakenly be seen as a necessary evil that influences better performance and higher productivity. Often, organizations fail to distinguish the difference between that stress that causes harm or threat and stress that creates a challenge. A leading source of stress is job design, including noise, pressure, lack of control over decisions, role ambiguity, demanding work schedules, excessive work loads, and poor job security according the American Psychological Association, 2008.

 

The 2010 American Psychological Association survey found that fewer adults than in previous years were happy with the way their organization helped them with work-life balance and fears regarding job security are on the rise

The American Institute for Stress has implicated stress as the cause of nearly 90% of doctor visits in the United States

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, two thirds of reported cases of occupational stress are experienced by white-collar workers

The National Science Foundation reports that over 30% of American adults experience enough daily stress to impact their performance at home or at work

 

Companies large and small have incorporated awareness and mindfulness into their wellness programs with great success.