These are difficult times, each one of us waking up to news of ceaseless crises at home and abroad. On top of personal challenges like parenting, caregiving, and the demands of work, we dread the potential impacts of warfare, climate change, and economic instability, in addition to broader social issues such as hunger, homelessness, gun violence, and rampant incivility. The compounding effects of these stressors on our mental, emotional, and physical health place a tremendous burden on employees and employers alike.
Many companies are experiencing skyrocketing healthcare costs, increasing workplace violence, employee disengagement, decreasing productivity, and high turnover, adversely affecting profitability. Employers generally address workplace health issues through the corporate wellness program, but more is needed. According to a 2019 Harvard meta-analysis, the programs yield no decreases in absenteeism, no improvements in job performance, no reductions in healthcare use or spending, and no significant advances in health outcomes.
During the pandemic, employee health and wellbeing worsened from the virus and the added stress of remote work, children at home, the economic downturn, and social unrest. Many people lost their jobs in non-essential businesses. With fitness centers closed and refrigerators nearby, keeping weight in check was a challenge.
Work-related stress has not abated, producing cognitive weariness, emotional exhaustion, lack of motivation, and physical fatigue. Worse, more than 25% of Americans experience mental illness each year, more than 50% have at least one chronic health condition, nearly 50% are obese, and almost 70% are stressed financially. These outcomes adversely affect relationships with family members, friends, and colleagues. Clearly, employee health and wellness is an area ripe for innovation.
