Given the wide range of economic, health, social, and political crises actively playing out today, an understandable uptick in anxiety, depression, and stress has been noted in workers across the U.S., resulting in adverse performance indicators.
The True Cost of Work-Related Stress
Work-related stress takes an incredible toll on individuals, families, businesses, and the economy.
For example, police officers in large cities across the U.S. commonly experience an increased rate of heart attacks and hypertension compared to other professions.
The issue is so common and prolific that coronary events experienced by law enforcement (including off-the-job incidents) are considered workplace injuries and are compensated accordingly.
According to The American Institute of Stress;
Numerous studies show that job stress is far and away the major source of stress for American adults and that it has escalated progressively over the past few decades.
Increased levels of job stress as assessed by the perception of having little control but lots of demands have been demonstrated to be associated with increased rates of heart attack, hypertension, and other disorders.
In New York, Los Angels and other municipalities, the relationship between job stress and heart attacks is so well acknowledged, that any police officer who suffers a coronary event on or off the job is assumed to have a work-related injury and is compensated accordingly (including heart attack sustained while fishing on vacation or gambling in Las Vegas).
In addition to serious impacts on human health and longevity, the economic costs of workplace stress are staggering.
A recent study into the results of workplace stress on the employees at two Italian corporations--published by the National Institutes of Health--reported that;
Overall, an estimated 10,000 days of absence were calculated, costing the organization about €1.8 million.
Absence related to work-related stress risk cost the organization about €445 000 (24% of the absence cost).
The weighted average (taking into account the different number of questionnaires per group) was found to be about €41 780, with a standard deviation of €33 900.
The Impact of Stress on Cognitive Functions
Stress negatively impacts cognitive function, including planning, memory, and concentration, resulting in poor workplace outcomes.
According to Cambridge Cognition;
Elevated levels of anxiety at work and prolonged periods of stress can cause overuse of mediators that switch the stress response on and off.
This accumulation of stress is known as “allostatic load” and can adversely affect brain regions such as the medial prefrontal cortex and the caudate nucleus.
Atrophy of brain regions, resulting from repeated exposure to stressful conditions, has a cognitive cost.
At work, impairments in these domains translate to a reduced ability to concentrate, control our impulses, remember and plan.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Workforce Stress
Stress is widely considered the foremost factor negatively impacting workforce performance, job satisfaction, and occupant wellness.
Common stress sources--role overload, ambiguity, and conflicts--have been multiplied exponentially by COVID and responses to the pandemic, resulting in increased workplace stress.
According to Frontiers in Psychology;
The uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic may lead toward disturbance in the flow of work and can result in role overload, role ambiguity, and role conflicts which may lead to increased stress and decreased performance in organizations.
A combination of stressful events, such as the compliance pressures from the organization, interpersonal conflicts, and lack of professionalism, may affect the performance of employees.
Inadequate skills to deal with the job and the mismatch between efforts made and the rewards received are common factors that create stress among employees and affect their [task performance].
Work Stress Hampering Employee Performance During COVID-19: Is Safety Culture Needed?
The Impact of Office Cleaning and Safety Culture on Workforce Stress
High-quality office cleaning programs focused on occupant health are an integral component of workplace wellness programs and critical to office safety culture.
Visible cleaning efforts and communications have been shown to reduce office worker anxiety regarding the existence and potential spread of illness.
According to the Society for Human Resources Management;
While many workers may continue to work remotely, employers should demonstrate to employees who have returned to the worksite that their health and safety is paramount.
Be vigilant in your cleaning procedures and communicate those to workers; practice social distancing in and around your facility and provide PPE where possible to help reduce employee stress about contamination.
Insist employees who have symptoms of infection stay home and adopt employee health screening practices.
How can we reassure employees who are worried about the coronavirus?
Additionally, environmentally preferable or green cleaning methods increase indoor air quality--crucial to a healthy workplace and a feature highly sought after by a majority of the modern U.S. workforce.
According to Forbes;
An overwhelming majority (87%) of workers would like their current employer to offer healthier workspace benefits, with options ranging from wellness rooms, company fitness benefits, sit-stands, healthy lunch options and ergonomic seating.
The quality of air within an office can have a significant impact on your employees’ health and in turn productivity.
Research carried out by the World Green Building Council recorded an 11% increase in productivity as a result of increased fresh air to the workstation and a reduction in pollutants.
Takeaway
The world is becoming increasingly stressful.
To counter the negative effects of stress, businesses must enact policies and procedures proven to improve occupant health and workforce productivity, including regular, high-quality cleaning and disinfection efforts that focus on workplace wellness.
Outsourcing is a proven method for onboarding highly in-demand cleaning and disinfection services and experience for a fraction of the price of maintaining a similar service in-house.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation on-site assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield, CA, call (661) 437-3253
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In Valencia, CA, or Santa Clarita, CA, call (661) 437-3253
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