Stress: The Problem Without the Solution?

Healthcare survey points the way to providing solutions in workplace wellness 

By: Bill Zolis

We have all experienced stress, we have a pretty good general idea of what stress is, we talk about stress all the time, and yet most of us would have a hard time putting into words exactly what stress really is. 

That, I think, is a significant part of the whole issue of stress. It’s hard to deal with a problem that we can’t exactly define. 

The 2024 Healthcare Survey from Benefits Canada has some interesting findings with relation to stress as a driver of mental wellness – or lack thereof – in the workplace. I’ll get to that in a moment, but first I’d like to try to pin down what we’re talking about when it comes to stress. 

When I looked up the definition of the word, I found that there were a lot of different meanings listed, but the one I found that sums it up best was this: “A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.” 

The important thing to understand here, I think, is that the stress we’re talking about is not the pressure, or the workload, or the “adverse or demanding conditions” we have to deal with.  

Stress is the “emotional strain or tension” that results from how we deal with those external conditions and forces, and how we internalize them. 

Another definition I like is that stress is the problem without the solution. So, it follows that the way to deal with stress, and its effects on mental wellness, is to identify solutions. Of course, there isn’t one big solution to the rather vague issue of stress – we have to break it down into all of the component issues that are driving the problem. 

That’s where I think the Healthcare Survey can be particularly helpful. It lists the top 10 drivers of stress as identified by survey respondents. Here’s how it breaks down. 

1. Personal finances – 43%
2. Workload – 30%
3. Health concerns, personal or family – 27%
4. Balancing work and life – 26%
5. Personal relationships with spouses, family – 26%
6. Interactions with people at work – 20%
7. Shift work, job security, etc. – 17%
8. Parenting – 15%
9. Commuting to work – 14%
10. Caring for elderly family members – 11%

Not surprisingly, respondents who described themselves as less connected to the community and to the workplace reported higher levels of stress in all these areas, and the top three were particularly revealing. Personal finances topped the list at 54%, followed by personal relationships at 42% and health concerns at 36%. 

So, what does it all mean in practical terms? In other words, what can we do with this information that will make a difference? 

I think the answer to those questions is that we can use the data and the insights provided to inform our workplace wellness thinking and programs. Which wellness programs should we be promoting? Where should we concentrate our efforts? 

Well, how about addressing the issues that employees have identified as being their biggest concerns? 

For example, since 43% of people who completed the survey list financial concerns as the main source of stress in the lives – and an even higher number for people who are struggling with issues of connectedness – it follows that this is an area in which a useful workplace wellness initiative would do the most good. 

Easier said than done, right? Not really. Offering and promoting programs in the workplace to help people understand financial planning, money management and budgeting can greatly reduce the anxiety employees feel with regard to their personal finances – and I’ll tell you why. 

Let’s remember the definition of stress: simply put, it’s not about the finances, it’s about the anxiety. 

If a workplace wellness initiative can engage employees in a financial management program, a couple of things will happen. First, they will learn some useful things about getting control of the finances. But much more important, it will give them the reassurance that they are dealing with their problem, that they are getting it down to size, that they are working on getting it under control.  

Now personal finances become the problem with the solution. 

The same thinking can help us focus on other issues as well. Workload, work-life balance and relationships with people at work all made the top 10 list of issues. All three suggest programs that promote team building and inclusion. 

The survey also asked survey participants what improvements in lifestyle they wanted to make to improve their overall health and well being. Almost all, or 93% said they were interested in making some changes. The top five were fairly consistent with the results of previous surveys. 

1. Increased exercise and physical activity – 49%
2. Improved sleep – 41%
3. Reduced weight – 37%
4. Healthier easting habits – 36%
5. Better stress management – 32%

We can look at those numbers and apply the same logic in terms of offering and promoting workplace wellness programs. These are the issues, as the survey notes, that come up in survey after survey – and all it takes to turn good intentions into practice is a little help and encouragement from workplace programming. 

As I read through the survey, which is extremely rich in detail, I get the feeling that most of the issues examined have a common denominator: stress – and, of course, the anxiety and pressure it brings to all other issues. 

This stress, as shown by the survey results, is driven by a range of other concerns and issues, but if we can break it down into its component drivers and address them, one by one, we can make progress on all of them. 

*** 

I really appreciate comments, ideas, suggestions or just observations about the blog or any other topics in benefits management. I always look forward to hearing from readers. If there’s anything you want to share, please email me at bill@penmorebenefits.com. 

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