Thursday, December 27, 2007
Progressive Companies...
To Beat Stress at Work Stretch It Out
When under stress, people don't turn to granola for comfort. Instead, they skip the gym, head for a double cheeseburger and fries at the nearest fast food joint and have a smoke, according to a 2006 random national survey of more than 2,000 people conducted by the American Psychological Association. Of those questioned, 59% said work was a leading source of stress and 47% said they were concerned about stress in their lives.
It's also not great for the bottom line, often resulting in absenteeism, lowered productivity, turnover and health claims. Research has shown that people who are stressed out are more likely to experience hypertension, anxiety or depression and obesity.
Just ask Beth Superfin, the senior manager for AOL Media Networks. Beth was skeptical at first about the idea of doing yoga in her office conference room. But she quickly got over it when she saw how easy it was to pop down the hall for a free, hour-long class at 6 p.m. with sought-after instructors, then return to tie up loose ends afterward.
Her company contracts with Balance Integration, a corporation that provides an array of on-site services to foster balance and creativity in and out of work. Fees range from a couple hundred to more than $10,000 a month, depending on what a company wants to accomplish, says Balance Integration president Tevis Gale.
"If I don't have a break to go to the gym, I get very thrown off," Superfin says. "It would impact my stress level, anxiety, focus, and overall I think my well-being."
When under stress, people don't turn to granola for comfort. Instead, they skip the gym, head for a double cheeseburger and fries at the nearest fast food joint and have a smoke, according to a 2006 random national survey of more than 2,000 people conducted by the American Psychological Association. Of those questioned, 59% said work was a leading source of stress and 47% said they were concerned about stress in their lives.
It's also not great for the bottom line, often resulting in absenteeism, lowered productivity, turnover and health claims. Research has shown that people who are stressed out are more likely to experience hypertension, anxiety or depression and obesity.
Just ask Beth Superfin, the senior manager for AOL Media Networks. Beth was skeptical at first about the idea of doing yoga in her office conference room. But she quickly got over it when she saw how easy it was to pop down the hall for a free, hour-long class at 6 p.m. with sought-after instructors, then return to tie up loose ends afterward.
Her company contracts with Balance Integration, a corporation that provides an array of on-site services to foster balance and creativity in and out of work. Fees range from a couple hundred to more than $10,000 a month, depending on what a company wants to accomplish, says Balance Integration president Tevis Gale.
"If I don't have a break to go to the gym, I get very thrown off," Superfin says. "It would impact my stress level, anxiety, focus, and overall I think my well-being."
Labels: Balance Integration, Holistic Health, innovative, living holistically, stress, yoga
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