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Stress on the job is a cause of heart disease and stroke, but there are steps we can take to dramatically decrease such dire consequences. In fact, researchers estimate that up to 23 percent of heart-related deaths could be prevented every year if levels of job strain are reduced.
A new website developed by UMass Lowell’s Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace encourages both organizations and individuals to identify sources of stress and tackle them head on for both health and financial reasons.
“Stressful working conditions can not only lead to heart disease and other chronic illnesses, they cost American companies more than $300 billion a year in health costs, absenteeism and employee turnover,” says Assoc. Prof. Nicole Champagne of the Community Health and Sustainability Department and co-investigator of the Stress@Work Education, Translation, Communication and Dissemination Project.
According to Champagne, just saying “I’m stressed” isn’t enough. People and organizations must determine the root causes of stress so that they can make changes in both their personal lives and within their organizations.
Although being overworked is one source of stress, the real culprits are when employees feel that they have little control of their work environment and no support from their leadership.
“This loss-of-control feeling is crippling to workers,” says Champagne. “Stress causes a physiological response that can contribute to strokes and other devastating diseases but there are ways to prevent this downward spiral.”
The new website offers strategies for both employers and employees that include getting involved in unions or health and safety committees to negotiate improved work design and safety provisions as well as coping skills classes. By clearly defining roles and responsibilities, making sure workloads match capabilities and resources and providing opportunities for workers to participate in decisions and actions that affect their jobs, managers could help prevent illnesses and improve productivity.
For individuals, avoiding tobacco, eating healthy and exercising are all good stress busters. Unfortunately, these healthy lifestyle habits tend to decrease once people feel stressed.
Champagne encourages everyone to use the new website as a resource and inspiration to take charge and make changes: “Research shows us over and over again how easy it is once we’re stressed to get caught up in negative health behaviors such as poor nutrition, lack of exercise and tobacco use. Cardiovascular disease, strokes and other diseases related to stress are mostly preventable, so why not figure out how to make changes in our workplace and motivate ourselves to stay on a healthy course?”
In addition to developing the website, the Stress@Work project team — which includes Champagne, Project Manager Suzanne Nobrega and graduate student Julie Brodie — is working with health professionals and employee assistance organizations to incorporate stress prevention methods into the workplace.
Check out the new Stress@Work website.