Employees are putting in longer work hours, have lousy so-called “work life balance” and a bundle of fear about losing their jobs.That’s the work life landscape in a nutshell according to a number of recent reports including a joint survey by Watson Wyatt Worldwide and the National Business Group on Health.
Part of the challenges are mounting health care issues leading to stress in the workplace. As we recognize National Work & Family Month, workplace wellness is grabbing headlines. Congress is turning up the heat on the health care debate and H1N1 is boiling up a storm on the front burner.
Yesterday, Mr. Obama met with some company chiefs to delve into the topic. From that, the White House released a fact sheet on Innovative Workplace Practices which outlined some of the president’s discussions with corporate heads from Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson and Pitney Bowes, among others.
First, the Delaware Employment Law Blog just released its 50 Best Blogs on Wellness, Women’s Interests, and Work-Life Balance.
In an exceptionally healthy workplace in the 90′s, an on-site gym, cleaner organic food in the company cafeteria, and the occasional chair massage might have been the norm. These days, since workers are more concerned with keeping their jobs than putting on a few extra pounds, it’s a different story. One could argue it ‘s just as important to feel good – as to look good – mentally and physically.
With a Super Bowl lead-in, NBC’s “The Office” took the opportunity to touch upon the growing epidemic that’s sweeping the workplace globally in the wake of the economic meltdown. Stress at work.
Talk of global recession is on the front burner. What heads to the back burner are things we can allegedly do without. Unfortunately, for some companies, that means cutting back on employee assistance programs like flexible working alternatives and wellness initiatives.
