Employee stress is basically inevitable. Overall, 94% of Americans feel stressed at work – and that was in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
But while everyone may feel stressed from time to time, burnout – the kind of work stress that leaves employees feeling ineffective and hopeless – can lead to serious mental and physical side effects. And recent studies show that those working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic are particularly prone to burnout.
Luckily, burnout isn’t a foregone conclusion. Taking a whole person approach to health can help lower stress levels and prevent employee burnout. A whole person approach takes physical, mental, social, and financial health into account. By addressing your employees’ holistic wellness needs, you will help your team be more productive and feel more in control of their lives.
Below, we’ve listed 12 ways for how to help employees bring balance to their personal and professional lives by offering support across areas that impact wellness.
Physical Wellness
Thanks to the sedentary nature of remote work in particular, employees are vulnerable to a host of negative health outcomes such as weaker bones, chronic back and joint pain, heart disease, obesity, and stroke. Help employees optimize their physical work environment and take more care of their physical health with these tips:
1. Offer a stipend for a standing desk and ergonomic chair, and share resources on the best ways to set up their workspace
2. Provide targeted corporate musculoskeletal programs to take care of back and joint health
3. Encourage employees to set calendar reminders to take a stretching or walking break
Mental and Social Wellness
Remote work can also take a toll on your team’s mental health. Loneliness, social isolation, and a lack of social support can have detrimental effects regarding productivity and decision-making. Additionally, remote work environments can be challenging for those with anxiety or depression. Make sure your team feels supported with these tips for balancing mental health, which can help reduce employee stress:
4. Help employees avoid negativity and stay positive with appreciation emails
5. Provide scheduling support from managers so that workers can create clear boundaries
6. Offer resources for mental health and allow for mental health days when needed
7. Plan virtual social interactions that are non-work related, such as an ongoing book club or game night
Financial Wellness
A recent survey found that 59% of employees thought it was important for employers to offer financial wellness benefits as a result of Covid-19. Many may be struggling with student debt, medical bills, and other living expenses, and financial wellness benefits can help employees be more productive at work and feel more committed to the company. Start offering financial wellness benefits in these ways:
8. Give financial wellness classes that teach employees how to budget or save
9. Offer benefits advisors to help employees understand what benefits are available
10. Set up a tax free contribution plan for employee student loans
11. Provide access to financial experts for help with financial planning
When employees can bring balance to their lives, it will not only benefit their health but their work performance too. Consider sharing this infographic from Mint below to help your employees identify signs of an unbalanced life and to help them break the cycle.
About the author
Pia De Los Reyes is a writer and content creator. She has an M.A. in Communication and specializes in adapting business, personal finance, and lifestyle content to everyday audiences. She is passionate about health and wellness and loves going for walks in the mountains or at the beach in her home state of California.
