Stress reduction in the workplace is beneficial to employees and employers alike. Stress is often linked to increased development of musculoskeletal pain, headaches, sleeping disorders, fatigue and absenteeism in otherwise healthy individuals, and is known to complicate the management of most chronic conditions. In the United States, it is estimated that over $300 billion per year is lost to medical treatment and absenteeism due to workplace stress-related issues. Close to 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related complaints, and up to 80 percent of industrial injuries are linked to stress.

High-stress occupations are defined as those in which workers face a fast-paced work environment with high demands, little chance of relief and limited individual control. It is estimated that up to 46 percent of current work environments meet such criteria.

Management of workplace stress can be relatively simple and cost effective. Some companies provide wellness programs that may include services such as yoga classes, weight management and smoking cessation groups. On-site chair massage is also an effective means of helping employees reduce workplace stress. Several studies conducted in the past decade have shown that 15-minute chair massages offered to workers on a once- or twice-weekly basis significantly lowered their stress perceptions and improved productivity. Approximately 18 percent of large employers in the United States offer on-site massage therapy to reduce stress and absenteeism among their employees.

Other complementary alternative medical (CAM) practices can also play special roles in helping reduce stress. Drawn by the desire for a more holistic approach to wellness and less reliance on medications, an estimated 48 percent of adults in the United States spend over $27 million on alternative healthcare. Chiropractic medicine, acupuncture and massage therapy are among the most popular of the alternative therapies and, consequently, are becoming the best researched of the nontraditional modalities.

In 1998, the National Center for Complementary Alternative Medicine, a federal agency that researches such practices, was established. As more clinical trials are published, it can be expected that these alternatives will become increasingly more mainstream. It is estimated that adding CAM benefits to health plans would account for only 1 percent to 2 percent of total healthcare premiums. Health savings accounts are another way to pay for such services with pre-tax dollars.

People who utilize CAM treatments regularly tend to have less prescription and over-the-counter medication use overall. In addition, treatments for common conditions such as back pain tend to be less costly when CAM practices are used. This is due to an overall reduction of high-tech diagnostic studies, medication use and surgical intervention. A 2004 study showed a 28 percent reduction in cost per episode of treating back pain for employees with chiropractic insurance coverage than for those without it.

As we move forward with revitalizing Michigan’s economic environment, we must attempt to appropriately manage the stress that comes with multitasking and high-stress workplace demands. Employers and employees can find creative ways to work together to provide cost-effective stress management strategies, which will lead to greater job satisfaction, less absenteeism, improved overall health, increased productivity and less employee burnout.

		Lynn Beatty, MD, MT currently practices massage therapy at Creative Wellness Holistic Health Center in East Lansing, and teaches in the health sciences department at Baker College.