To help employees better manage stress in their work, health and personal life, Morneau Shepell Ltd., through the Shepell·fgi brand, has launched a new online stress management program.
Interactive features in the program include action email reminders, a three-month goal overview calendar, an area to record thoughts and evaluate one’s thinking patterns, stress-busting games and activities and status indicators showing goal progress.
Based on individual stress assessments, users can learn techniques, set goals, create an action plan for behaviour change and monitor their progress.
“We’re finding that stress is one of the top three issues of which people are accessing our employee assistance program for support, year after year, and these levels are on the rise,” explains Barb Veder, clinical director with Shepell•fgi. “Unless individuals are provided with immediate, proper care, these issues can develop into more serious and longer-lasting mental and physical health conditions.”
According to Statistics Canada, in 2010, almost one-quarter (24%) of Canadians aged 15 or older felt that most days were extremely or quite stressful.1 Employers also have reason for concern; mental health problems can result in lost productivity, absenteeism and burnout, costing the Canadian economy an estimated $14.4 billion.