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quochoantbBirthday : 28/03/1990 Join date : 22/12/2011
Admin  Birthday : 28/03/1990 Join date : 22/12/2011
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|  10 Ways to Reduce Stress in the Workplace
In our continuing quest to unlock the mysteries of workplace stress, our resident cardiologist here at StopStressingNow.Com looks at how stress at the workplace can negatively affect your heart health.
Here’s Dr. John M. Kennedy, the medical director of preventative cardiology and wellness at Marina del Rey Hospital.
Give Your Company a Much Needed Breather: 10 Ways to Reduce Stress in the Workplace
There’s a large body of literature showing how workplace stress negatively impacts employee health, and unhealthy employees can greatly affect the company bottom line. Making matters even more difficult, the current economic crisis has forced companies to lean down, which has placed a larger burden on the existing workforce.
When employees are stressed, they are less engaged, less productive, and more likely to miss days at work due to stress-related illness. Research suggests that stress weakens our immune system and increases inflammation which makes us more prone to illnesses ranging from the common cold to heart disease. In fact, some studies show that two specific types of workplace stress can take a toll on our cardiovascular system.
The first type of stress involves the physical strain of having to do more with less. Taking on additional responsibilities and having to accomplish more work in less time is a common example.
The second type of stress occurs when employees feel socially isolated and unacknowledged for their extra work. Despite increased efforts, employees often feel their hard work goes unrecognized, and is unappreciated which leads to feelings of apathy, and as though they have little or no opportunity for career advancement.
Both types of stress cause a release of stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, which if neglected can have deleterious affects on our health. Recognizing the health dangers associated with workplace stress, here are 10 steps employers can take to help defuse stress in the workplace and create a healthier and happier work environment:
1. Acknowledge that everyone feels stressed at times and that no one, whether an employer or employee is spared. Realizing that stress affects everyone, provide your company with simple, helpful, cost-effective, self-directed stress management tools like the B-R-E-A-T-H-E technique which is described in The 15 Minute Heart Cure: The Natural Way to Release Stress and Heal Your Heart in Just Minutes a Day
2. Frequently, acknowledge employees for their extra work, and make them aware of how valuable they are and how much they are appreciated.
3. Provide employees with support to excel and succeed in the workplace and encourage them to inquire about career advancement and inspire and motivate them to achieve these goals.
4. Encourage employees to take short time-outs. Rather than ruminate and stew over your workload, sometimes just taking short walk down the hallway can help us rejuvenate and refocus.
5. Meet regularly (weekly) as a group to discuss stressors in the workplace and come up with solutions to help mitigate the stress rather than sweep problems under the rug. Even if the stressful problem is unavoidable, regular meetings will foster feelings of trust and improve team building.
6. Encourage, acknowledge, and reward employees for exercising (pedometers at work, riding a bike to work, parking further from the building, taking the stairs instead of elevator)–when we get stressed we are less physically active.
7. Reward and encourage employees to eat healthy (provide healthy food choices in kitchen or cafeteria at work and acknowledge employees for making healthy dietary choices)–when we get stressed we tend to eat comfort foods.
8. Organize after work activities such as a walk or hike or a meeting at a healthy restaurant. Studies suggest that people tend to drink and smoke to mask the feelings of stress.
9. Encourage employees to join local gyms at subsidized cost (if possible) and enroll as a company group for an evening spinning, kick boxing or aerobics class (improves health and promotes camaraderie).
10. Provide, encourage and acknowledge employees for taking pilates, tai chi, chi gong and yoga classes.
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Cho Ðiểm Chủ Ðề Này - 10 Ways to Reduce Stress in the Workplace 
