Help Employees Deal with Economic Stress

Economic times are the worst they've been since the depression, the holidays are coming... and if you believe MetLife, Inc.: Don't Worry, Be Happy.

Forty-four percent of employees are living paycheck-to-paycheck and 60% of employees are very concerned about having enough money to make ends meet, according to a MetLife Study of Employee Benefits Trends.

The worst thing you can do is start worrying about the economy, says Ronald Leopold, M.D., vice president, MetLife Institutional Business.

"If a person's stress leads to more serious illnesses, the person could experience an increased likelihood for out-of-pocket costs for doctor's visits, prescription drugs, and absences from work," says Leopold.

Leopold offers three ways to bust stress:

• Pay attention to warning signs: Teeth grinding, headaches, hyperventilation, heart palpitations, irritability and depression are all signs of stress.

• Take symptoms of stress seriously. Otherwise, you can be prone to more serious illness. Take up meditation, walking or other exercise.

• Find out what's available to you at work. Ask about financial protection products, such as insurance products, and financial planners. Using wellness programs, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), gym discounts, child care services, can ease some of the stress.

Wellness and HR specialists: Do your employees know the signs of stress? Send out an e-mail this week identifying symptoms of stress, and the resources your company has to help out employees. And if you don't have those resources to help people deal with stress . . .well, now's the time.