Stress is going around

If, as we learned recently, maple syrup trees are stressed and bees are stressed, is it any wonder that Americans are feeling more stressed, too? In a press statement on October 24, 2007, the American Psychological Association (APA) released the findings of their latest survey on this topic. A summary of the report points out that one third of Americans are extremely stressed, and nearly half of Americans (48 percent) reported that their stress has increased over the past five years. Stress in America continues to rise and has become a major health problem. A key factor in the increased stress level is the workplace. The survey showed that 52 percent of employees reported they considered or made a career decision (looking for a new job, declining a promotion, leaving a job, etc.) based on workplace stress. Leading sources of stress in the workplace include: - heavy workload (45%) - low salaries (44%) - lack of opportunities (40%) - uncertain job expectations (40%) - long hours (39%) And what do the APA findings mean for employers? They mean that employers, small, medium, and large, would profit significantly by conducting stress management programs designed to identify and address workplace stress. Exemplary disability management programs have, from the beginning, recognized the need to pay attention to workplace stress and formalize ways to achieve stress reduction among employees. Formal stress abatement programs in the workplace have been shown to be effective in reducing stress, and it is reasonable to pay attention to this reality. Jerry Kramer, an all-star right tackle for the Green Bay Packers, wrote in 1967 with Dick Schaap, three books about his experiences, especially as they related to the great Green Bay coach, Vince Lombardi. Kramer reported that someone once asked him if Lombardi had ulcers (code in those days for a high stress level). The answer was “No, Coach Lombardi doesn’t have ulcers, but he is a carrier.”