Anxiety, stress caused by work for over 50% of Americans | Economists deem further job cuts likely in 2023 | Cash bonuses for time commitment might be worthwhile
More than half of Americans report feeling anxious, stressed and sleep deprived, with work cited as the main cause, according to a survey by Calm Business. In addition, 67% say employers should provide mental health support and 40% want managers to receive training to make them more emotionally self-aware and create a less stressful work environment.
Our current cultural, political and medical landscape has made it abundantly clear how much our emotional, behavioral and mental health matters. There is no better time than now to pursue a degree in clinical mental health counseling from University of Western States. Learn more.
Economists surveyed by the National Association for Business Economics expect further job cuts and slowing or abandoned expansion plans as concerns mount that the Federal Reserve's interest-rate increases will usher in a recession this year. Economists also say that the cost of materials has decreased and that businesses think they will have to increase wages to retain workers.
Make a good impression on job candidates by focusing interview questions on competency and creating a transparent, efficient recruitment process, advises Adam Robinson, co-founder and CEO of Hireology. Be flexible when scheduling multiple interviews and maintain a good reputation by never ghosting candidates, Robinson writes.
An International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans survey showed that 22% of US employer plans now cover prescription medications for weight loss, 45% cover bariatric surgery and 32% of employers are offering weight-management programming for staff members. The foundation's vice president of content, Julie Stich, said the shift to covering weight-loss drugs appears to be tied to a growing recognition that obesity is a disease that heightens risk for a number of serious health conditions.
Understanding and relying on your XQ, or "experiential intelligence," can help you increase your influence as a leader by building the know-how, abilities and mindsets needed to solve problems and move teams forward, writes Michael McKinney, drawing on material from Soren Kaplan's book "Experiential Intelligence." "Going deeper into your mindsets is the powerful thing you can do to drive significant change and breakthroughs," McKinney writes.
I participated in a long conversation last night at Bible study about mental health, in particular depression and anxiety. We all shared our own battles with these issues, what we did to tackle them and how we can best support others going through similar experiences.
It was an honest, raw discussion. I was encouraged by everyone’s willingness to lay bare their challenges. One gal shared her struggles with her grandchildren and former son-in-law. Another talked about difficulties with her teen daughter. I talked about my son cutting when he was a teenager. Several shared their experiences fighting with emotions during menopause. “It really put me in a dark place,” one gal admitted.
Being transparent about mental health is hard. It takes courage to trust others with the truly messy details of your life. But as we shared our stories, we were also able to share our weapons of success -- the tactics that helped us navigate through the battles. Prayer. Bible reading. Counselors and medication. Exercise. Getting out into nature and soaking up fresh air and sunlight. We all took away ideas to help our individual situations.
We look at mental health in our top story today. According to a new survey by Calm Business, work is the primary source of emotional strain for people. And workers have a laundry list of ways their employers can help alleviate this, including wellness stipends, mental health days (paid, of course), and training managers to be empathetic and mindful.
What are your thoughts? What ways is your organization looking to support its workforce? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
