Media Room
World Wide Epidemic Affecting Corporate and Business Profitability
Slumping Economy plays a part in more ways than one.
By: Heidi Cowie
January 19,2009
The World Health Organization describes stress as a world wide epidemic and it is implicated in 70 – 90 percent of medical problems, costing company health plans millions of dollars a year. And that is when the economy is booming. But add tough times to the mix and the results are compounded.
The American Psychological Association shows the declining economy is causing stress levels to skyrocket. APA found that almost 80% of those surveyed say that the economy is a significant source of stress. And when people are stressed – they suffer long and short term illnesses resulting in missed days at work and costing the average company thousands of dollars in productivity.
“Employees experiencing stress are 25 percent more likely to miss work” says Heidi Cowie of Stresschat.ca. Cowie, a Burlington based counselor reports that over 70 percent of her clients suffer from stress causing not only physical health issues but also affect their ability to function at sometimes even a basic level.
“When someone is suffering mentally as a result of stress they often miss work – a day here and another there. Or if they continue to work, they function at a much lower level than they normally do”.
According to statistics Canada it is estimated that workplace absenteeism cost Canadian companies 16 billion dollars a year. Add that to a slow economy and it could spell disaster for any business.
According to Cowie the best way to deal with stress is to address it early. Unfortunately many people are afraid to admit just how much stress they are under.
“Many people do not want to let their bosses know that they are as stressed as they are for fear that they may be labeled. Add to this the financial stress of an unstable economy and their stress levels rise even further. The best course of action, of course, is counseling”
For this reason, Cowie came up with the idea of StressChat.ca – confidential instant access to a trained counselor. Employees of a participating company can access their computers any time during working hours and communicate directly with the counselor, immediately reducing their stress levels.
“This program helps employees and managers address stress related feelings as they happen – without lost time for appointments away from the office. It’s the next step in Employee Assistance Programs that will cost a company much less than the absenteeism that the stress causes.”
StressChat.ca was launched as a program here in Canada in XXXXXXXXX. Companies or media wishing more information can visit www.stresschat.ca or contact Heidi Cowie BA, BSW at 905 634 – 9291
About Heidi Cowie:
Since 2001, Heidi has operated a private practice offering everything from marriage and family counseling to individual counseling; - growing her practice from a home location to her current office in Burlington Ontario. Skillfully combining her corporate experience of 25 years with good old fashioned common sense, Heidi is an expert in dealing with the many issues her clients face. She has been quoted as a relationship expert in The Hamilton Spectator, The Toronto Sun, Readers Digest, Parenting Magazine, CH Television and Rogers Daytime.