De-stressing employees

Long working hours can lead to a sedentary lifestyle and associated illnesses such as obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. A few minutes of physical activity can not only enhance employee productivity but also employee bonding, so crucial for any organisation

A competitive workspace, hovering deadlines and a pressure-cooker like environment are corporate realities of today. Our highly-connected lifestyles have magnified work-related stress with long working hours, disturbed sleeping patterns, sedentary lifestyles and lack of relaxation. As a result, most working professionals today suffer from various associated ailments. Stress is also becoming one of the reasons for declining productivity and attrition rates in some organisations. Additionally, organisations suffer from the loss of millions of working days due to stress-related illnesses.

However, an increasing number of organisations are realising that employees are not a replaceable property but human resource that needs to be valued. Efforts are being made by corporates to help employees achieve wellness, good health and reduce stress. For instance, setting up of gyms inside office campuses, official tours, yoga classes and socially-relevant activities are some ways organisations are improving employee engagement and wellness. Modern organisations can take various steps to reduce employee burnout.

* Reflexology is a non-intrusive treatment to wash away the stress from the body. In the procedure, effective pressure is applied to reflex points in hands, feet and ears by professional reflexologists. All that this treatment needs is a special chair and a 30-45 minute session. Experts say that a once-in-a-month session with a reflexologist can rejuvenate your employees and minimise their mental and physical stress. The treatment has been proved to lead to better sleeping patterns, thereby leading to better focus and high productivity at the workplace.

* Yoga is a form of meditation that synchronises the body, mind and soul. Globally, people practising yoga have discovered various psychological and physical benefits, including improved strength, flexibility and general well-being, apart from relief from stress, anxiety and depression. Arranging yoga sessions once a week can help employees de-stress. All it needs is a large room and some dedication on part of the management.

* Workout sessions, a few minutes a day, have proven to boost employee confidence and performance. Today, an increasing number of organisations are incorporating a gym area within the office premises. Long working hours lead to a sedentary lifestyle and associated illnesses such as obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. A few minutes of working out and stretching can enhance employee productivity. Sometimes, it also leads to employee bonding, so crucial for any organisation. Here, management can take steps by inculcating wellness programmes in the employee schedule.

* Off-site gathering is another employee bonding initiative. Often, hectic schedules distance employees not only from their personal lives but also from each other—competitive work environment is known to create fissures among employees. Thus, arranging occasional off-site gatherings can help employees mingle with each other and help them de-stress by talking everything but work.

Source | Financial Express | 12 October 2015