Stress-related problems cost Canadian businesses $12 billion a year. An estimated 80% of medical problems are related to stress. The Heart and Stroke Foundation found that close to half (43%) of all adults aged 30 and over are overwhelmed by their jobs, families or finances.

Stress is defined as “an arousal of the mind/body in response to demands made upon us.”  These arousals are also called stressors. Stressors are any demands made on our body or mind.  A harmful physical and emotional response can happen when there is a conflict between demands on a person and the amount of control the person has over meeting these demands. In general, the combination of high demands and a low amount of control over the situation causes stress.

Outlined in this section are recommended initiatives you may use to reduce employee stress and to support employees with mental health. Some initiatives are intended to increase employees’ ability to cope with stress, while others are intended to reduce the organizational causes of stress.

In this section you will find:

• Why Promote Stress Management in Your Workplace?
• List of Stress Management Activities to Try
• Stress Management Information Sheets
• Steps to Healthy Stress Tool Summary    - or -   Healthy Stress Pamphlet
• Best Advice on Stress Risk Management in the Workplace
• Stress…at Work Manual
• Additional Stress Management Initiatives
• Recommended Stress Management Websites
• Reference

One great resource in Haldimand-Norfolk is the Health Unit. For more information please contact the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit at 519-426-6170/905-318-6623 (free from 905)