You know financial stress can put a strain on your wallet, but you probably don’t think about the strain it can have on your body. The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans recently released their 2017 Workplace Wellness Trends Survey. Over 500 employers were asked to select the top medical conditions that keep company healthcare costs high. Seven of the top ten health problems listed are exacerbated by financial stress.

Not surprisingly, according to the American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America study, one of the largest contributors to emotional stress is financial instability and worry. Of all studied stress-indicators, this area has consistently topped the charts for over a decade.

Here are five of the most common health problems associated with financial stress.

1. High​ ​cholesterol. Thirty-three percent of Americans admit to overeating when stressed out. Even if your employees aren’t reaching for donuts to cope with their financial stress, high levels of cortisol – the hormone released during emotional stress – can increase the amount of fat in a person’s blood (the triglyceride count). On its own, high cholesterol generally doesn’t have noticeable symptoms but it can greatly increase a person’s risk for a stroke, aneurysm or heart attack. The amount spent on cholesterol medications in the U.S. tops over $18.7 billion, annually.

2. Depression​ ​and​ ​Anxiety. The range of emotions associated with and caused by debt (of any amount) can lead to depression and anxiety – two of the most common mental health conditions in the U.S. In fact, depression and anxiety are characterized as the body’s natural physical response to stress. While symptoms will vary from person to person, over time, both depression and anxiety will lead to health problems, which increases the chance for heart disease, chronic respiratory disorders and gastrointestinal conditions.

3. Hypertension/High​ ​Blood​ Pressure. When emotional stress is present, it is immediately followed by a temporary spike in blood pressure, leading to hypertension. The coping mechanisms associated with stress – overeating, drinking alcohol, smoking and poor sleep habits – make individuals with high levels of stress more prone to the disease. About a third of the U.S. population currently suffers from hypertension, with a price tag of roughly $46 billion a year.

4. Heart​ ​Disease. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease accounts for seventeen percent of America’s national health expenditures. By increasing the amount of adrenaline and cortisol in your body, stress increases your heart rate, elevates levels of triglycerides and weakens the walls of your arteries. The current annual price tag for heart disease is at $273 billion.

5. Diabetes. Although now manageable with strict lifestyle changes, a regime of insulin and other medication, nearly one in eight Americans lives with diabetes. The mind’s subconscious response to stress is to physically prepare it for flight or fight. This includes making glucose and fat available to the body’s cells to use as energy. For diabetics, this stress-related elevation of glucose can cause greater insulin-resistance, ultimately making their illness worse and managing their diabetes more difficult.

Knowing how financial stress affects your employees’ health is a great start. Is there anything you can do as an employer to reduce that financial stress and get your team feeling relaxed and healthier? The answer is yes. By taking even the smallest of steps towards alleviating this financial stress, your employees will not only know that you care for their wellbeing, you’ll actually be making a positive difference for their health. You can encourage new behaviors while also using what is already in your arsenal of employee benefits:

• Recommended computer breaks to allow your employees to move around for just a few minutes – at least once an hour. This offers mental as well as physical stress relief.
• Offer healthy food options in the break room and around the office so employees aren’t tempted to reach for junk food. This will keep their energy levels up and their overall health in check.
• Remind employees to use their untapped voluntary benefits that can help with stress, like counseling or discounted gym memberships.
• Encourage your employees to use their unused paid time off. Unused vacation days are at a forty year high, with nearly fifty percent of PTO going unused last year. Paid time off is the perfect way for your team to destress, spend time with family, catch up on personal responsibilities and refresh energy levels.
• Offer financial wellness benefits – whether you promote financial awareness, create a new benefit offering or offer financial education courses, this is going to be the number one financial stress relief for your employees, in the long term.

Considering that financial stress accounts for sixty-one percent of overall stress, helping employees gain access to financial management tools can mean tackling the root cause of the problem – not just managing the symptoms. There’s no universal cure for stress, but investing in your employees’ wellness is an investment for your company, which decreases healthcare costs while increasing productivity. A win for everyone.

The weeks and months leading up to the winter holidays are stressful enough with employees making travel plans, shopping for gifts and cramming to meet deadlines before the holidays arrive. But when financial concerns enter the mix, it’s hard to imagine that your employees are thinking about anything else during their work day. Here are five ways to keep your employees motivated, focused and engaged during the holiday season.

• Think about your office’s holiday traditions in advance.
  Has your company had particularly successful celebrations in the past? Such as a gag-gift exchange, a lunch at a well-loved restaurant or a bake-off? The winter holiday season is in large part about celebrating traditions. By sending out invitations for the office holiday party ahead of time and making plans for events early on, you create an exciting buzz within an atmosphere of community. Make this a special occasion for your employees to look forward to throughout the upcoming month.

• Lead by example.
  Money can’t buy happiness but it does buy gifts. Employees might feel the pressure to spend lavishly on coworkers and supervisors, but you can head off this extra financial stress before it starts. Make it clear that holiday celebrations in the office are about celebrating the accomplishments achieved throughout the year – not about how much money was spent on that novelty desk calendar.

• A little office cheer can go a long way.
  The winter months can leave employees feeling antsy, restless, and unfocused. By decorating and bringing in office treats, employees can shake off the malaise and make a final push before any upcoming time out of the office. Holding desk-decorating contests, cookie tasting events or ugly-sweater days can be a fun way to break up the day and channel some of that extra holiday excitement.

• Be flexible.
  Realistically, you will have employees who are either planning to travel, receive guests or both during the holiday season. Either way, they will have preparations to make in order to ready themselves and their families. Be flexible with employees’ time off. Encourage your team to communicate their plans well in advance so that you have a clear picture of everyone’s availability, to ensure that work is accounted for and projects continue as needed, even when your office is at half capacity.

• Get your employees a gift that keeps on giving.
  Rather than giving employees another company mug, think of increasing employee benefits packages – specifically ones that include financial wellness services – this can help your employees combat debt, increase savings, and make sound financial decisions for their futures. Financial health is integral to employee well-being and by investing in your employees, you will be investing in your company. Strength in financial security affects employee productivity and overall company retention, year-round. That gift that keeps on giving will not only surprise your employees, but the long- term rewards just may surprise you as well.

In this week’s Best Money Moves roundup, we take a look at news stories and new research studies that may impact employee benefits and HR issues. We hope you find this news roundup helpful, and we’d love your feedback.

Unlike generations before them, your Millennial employees are burdened with an extra load of student loans. Not surprisingly, they’re significantly more financially stressed than their colleagues.

How stressed? Your Millennial employees spend more than 12 work hours per month fretting about their personal finances.  

According to new findings from Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s 2017 Workplace Benefits Report Millennial Supplement, Millennials are actively looking to you, their employer, for tools they can trust, educational resources, support and guidance across the financial wellness spectrum. They want employers to provide access to a variety of financial wellness tools, including a mobile-first technology and access to a financial professional who can offer tailored training, personalized action plans and teach financial strategy.

More employers are beginning to understand the direct connection between employees’ financial stress and lowered productivity, poor retention, unexplained absences, and higher costs of healthcare. They’re paying attention to their employees who are asking for a best-in-class solution and are providing outstanding resources. Are you listening to your employees?

Help your employees balance their financial wellness today.

Should you allow holiday shopping at work? The experts say “yes.” This year’s Cyber Monday (the internet’s version of Black Friday) is set to be the most lucrative shopping day in history. Instead of policing, try providing practical guidelines for your team. Create a realistic security and productivity plan.

Virtual reality is already at an office near you. Are you and your employees ready for the impact of 100% immersion? From non-profits to real-estate, customer service calls to job interviews – VR technology will become commonplace before you know it. See how VR technology can benefit your company.

Reverse mentoring just may save your career. Whether formal or informal, reverse mentoring is exactly as it sounds and is meant to expand people’s skill sets and networks. Bring a thought leader on board, pair mentors and mentees appropriately and get to work!  Learn how to start your new program here.

Is work stressing you out? The symptoms of stress can appear suddenly and seemingly without cause. There are over 50 diagnosable signs and symptoms to watch out for and  having a basic understanding and awareness can help you and your employees feel better while working better.  Help your employees be happier, healthier and more productive.

Are you up to snuff on the local culture of your international teams? Bilingual does not always translate to bi-cultural. Don’t underestimate the importance of having cultural awareness in the global workplace and how it can benefit your company. Learn how to implement intercultural competence here.

Disaster preparedness goes well beyond emergency exits. Climate change affects not just the weather around us but also the ability to safely commute to and from work. If your team can’t trek through unexpected floodwaters or 5 feet of snow, should their salary be deducted? What would you do?

Open floor plans are a sign of  hip, hi-tech and elite office culture – and are making your employees miserable.  A new study by the BBC claims that “free range” employees are more likely to be unhappy, get sick, be less productive and miss more work. Facilitate productivity and reduce distraction here.

Have something to add? Email info@bestmoneymoves.com.