Stress and Wellness in the Canadian Workforce

What are the actual costs and effects of stress in the workplace? How does stress really affect absences in the Canadian workforce, and what does that mean for the government?

Sick days are costing the economy

In 2013, it was reported that sick days cost the Canadian economy roughly $16.6 billion. In other words, Canada needs to find a way to help prevent people from getting sick. Some statistics say that the cost to economy could be even higher, if people didn't take sick days.

Are people taking sick days because they are physically sick?

In order to reduce sick days taken, employers need to realize that emotional and mental wellness is also a contributing factor. That means that companies can actually save money from having a "wellness program."

The Healthy Workplace Initiative has three strategic areas of focus:

• Health Promotion
• Work-Life Balance
• Mental Health

Let's look over four categories that influence workplace environments. The four categories are:

• Physical Work Environment
• Personal Health Resource
• Enterprise Community Involvement
• Psychosocial Work Environment

Physical Work Environment

Examples of "Physical Work Environment" are:

• Temperature
• Air quality
• Mold in the building

Personal Health Resource

Examples of "Personal Health Resources" in the workplace are:

• Work-life balance
• Availability of health services
• Opportunities to further advance in work

Psychosocial Work Environment

Examples of "Psychosocial Work Environment" (a.k.a workplace stressors) are:

• Negative attitudes
• Disruptive practices that occur on a daily basis in the organization

Enterprise Community Involvement

Examples of "Enterprise Community Involvement" are:

• Activities
• Work days
• Casual Fridays
• Resources provided to both the local environment, and at a larger scale

"If stress on the job is interfering with your work performance, health, or personal life, it’s time to take action. No matter what you do for a living, or how stressful your job is, there are plenty of things you can do to reduce your overall stress levels and regain a sense of control at work."—Jeanne Segal, Ph.D

“I promise you nothing is as chaotic as it seems. Nothing is worth diminishing your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and fear.”—Steve Maraboli(Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience)

"Work-related stress doesn't just disappear when you head home for the day. When stress persists, it can take a toll on your health and well-being."—American Psychological Association

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About the Author

I started blogging about two years ago, and my collection of blogs and articles is getting pretty impressive. I’ve taken online classes for writing, and even some classes about the art of blogging itself. It would be really awesome if you join the adventure and maybe even help me think of what to write about next. If you would like to submit some feedback or ideas, you can always tweet me on Twitter.

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Work Cited

American Psychological Association, Coping With Stress at Work, https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/work-stress.

McGregor, Jena. “The Mental Health Email Shared 'Round the World.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 14 July 2017.

“Sick Days Cost Canadian Economy $16.6B | CBC News.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 25 Sept. 2013.

Statistics Canada. “Perceived Life Stress, 2013.” Government of Canada, Statistics Canada, 27 Nov. 2015.

“Stress in the Workplace.” HelpGuide.org, 6 Aug. 2019, https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-in-the-workplace.htm.

"Stress Quotes.” Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/stress.

“The Evolution of Worksite Wellness.” RSS.