How to protect your employees’ health from the effects of financial stress

Worrying about money is a horrible feeling, but did you know that it doesn’t only impact a person’s emotional well-being? It can also have a major effect on physical health, and has been linked to heart attacks, strokes, and many other serious medical issues.

It’s not hard to understand how it happens. We all know stress can cause health problems, so when people spend their whole lives worrying about how they’re going to cover the costs of the roof over their head, feeding their family, keeping their car on the road, and paying their bills, it’s going to eventually take its toll.

In an ideal world, the solution would be to stop stressing over finances, but that’s far easier said than done. Money makes the world go round, and if people are not taking care of the pennies, the pounds soon go awry. This is not good news for them or their employers, for after all, healthy employees are present, happy, and productive ones, as opposed to absent, ill, and distracted.

But what can you do to help? Let’s find out…

How to prevent stress-related illnesses

Financial strain can cause or worsen all sorts of health problems, from insomnia to gastrointestinal issues, high blood pressure, and even heart attacks, so it’s important that you learn how to help your employees get on top of it.

The best place to start is by giving them some money management skills – something our workshops can help you with. By being proactive, you can enable your workers to combat the source of the stress, and instead of turning the nervous energy they’re feeling inwards, they can project it outwards and use it to begin making plans.

You may want to encourage each of them to write a budget so that all of their financial incomings and outgoings are down on paper. Although the numbers may at first be worrying, this gives people a great tool to assess their priorities and re-focus these where necessary. From there, they can jot down more comprehensive steps, make a list of useful people to make a list of action and begin re-balancing their books for the better. We have a range of financial planning resources, from weekly food planners to regular and yearly budget planners to help your employees keep better track of their money.

To help further alleviate their stress, you could also advise them to try the following:

• Speak to their doctor

If you know that one of your employees is stressed about money, medical professionals are ideally placed to help take care of their mental and physical well-being.

• Meditation

Some people find that pursuits such as meditation or yoga allow them to get their mind in order, so perhaps organise some office-based classes.

• Exercise

Exercising is not only good for physical health, but the endorphin rush it releases can also help people to de-stress.

• Talk to someone

A problem shared is a problem halved, and those who you encourage to speak to someone may even gain some tips and tricks to try themselves.

Help your employees combat financial stress today with one of our courses and create a happier and more productive workplace.