All working professionals can relate to stress in the workplace. It is extremely nerve-wracking to live up to the increasing work pressures and cope-up with the daily targets at work. Work Related Stress Disorder (WRSD) occurs when this increased work demands and pressures cannot be matched by an employee's knowledge/skill sets and their ability to cope.

No knowledge is complete, without knowing the root cause. So, let's understand what the causes of WRSD are-

There is little/no control over workplace activities-

Employers should give some amount of flexibility for an employee to achieve the daily targets. Employees can be allowed to customize their workstations. This will result in employees having their personal space even in office and have a healthy and a less stressful work environment.

Lack of job security-

Uncertainty about the job or work profile leads to lack of job security. Eventually this leads to attrition in an organization.

Lack of acknowledgment and appreciation-

Employees get stressed when they feel that their efforts are not appreciated or acknowledged.

Office Politics-

In any organization be it big or small, there is always this cliché of "office politics". In the age of competition, some selfish employees indulge in desperate measures for achieving success by hook or crook even if it against ethics and integrity. This impacts an employee who is sincere and hardworking in a big way.

Long Working Hours-

The constant race against time for meeting deadlines means that an employee overworks. Such long working hours at work often lead to stress.

Unfairness-

Employees are not happy when they sense unfairness at work.

Work Related Stress Disorder can affect an employee physically, behaviorally and emotionally. Let's get to know the symptoms or signs of stress at work.

So how will you know if you suffer from WSRD? There are some common physical symptoms that should alarm you-

• Headaches
• Fatigue/tiredness/low energy
• Weight gain/weight loss
• Breathlessness
• Muscle twitching/muscle stiffness
• Insomnia

WRSD affects a person's mind too. When an employee is affected behaviorally, he/she will exhibit the following symptoms-

• Negativity
• Worrying
• Nightmares
• Indecisiveness/ Hasty decision making
• Impaired - judgement
• Hasty decisions
• Confusion

When an employee feels that nothing is going right in office, it reflects on the employee's emotions. Following are the symptoms to know if an employee is affected emotionally-

• Depression
• Loss of confidence
• Anger
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Lack of interest
• Anxiety
• Detachment

When an employee is suffering from WSRD, his/her behavior will reflect it. The person affected from WRSD can show the following behavioral traits-

• Loss of appetite
• Restlessness
• Clumsiness
• Inclination to addictions like smoking and drinking
• Loss of sex drive

In India, almost 46% of the workforce suffers from this condition. Hence, employees need to have an awareness of how to overcome stress at work. An employer could engage or promote workshops for their employees on the how to deal with work stress or stress management.

An employer should always keep in mind that if their employees are happy and healthy, can work to the best of their abilities. This will result in increased productivity and happy customers. Eventually, if the customers are happy it will result in more business from the customers.

To know your employee's complete health and wellness status, you can opt for corporate health check designed and facilitated by COWIN, the Workforce  check specialist, fill the query form and our corporate team will get back to you ASAP.

A woman is known to be multi-faceted and plays some vital roles in our society. There is always a fight against time for a working woman. It becomes seemingly difficult for her to maintain a work-life balance; resulting in very less or no time to think about herself. This inturn results in the added ignorance about her health. Not to forget this, has implications on her family and workplace. As per ASSOCHAM, 68% working women suffer from lifestyle diseases.

Let's discuss some important lifestyle diseases in women.

Obesity-

In a survey, 80% of urban Indian working women in the age group 25-45 years were observed to be fat; due to the sedentary lifestyle and changing food habits. Obesity is also known to affect the mind, and cause symptoms like depression, insomnia, and self-pity. Women in the IT sector spend 10-12 hours sitting at their work-stations in a controlled environment resulting in weight gain. Struggling with the weight management a working woman may suffer from psychological problems which not only affects her eating habits (e.g., anorexia) but could eventually lead to depression.

Depression/General Anxiety Disorder-

75% of working women are known to suffer from depression/general anxiety disorder in comparison to women with lesser levels of psychological workplace demands. It has been predicted that by 2020, depression would be the 2^nd major cause of disability worldwide. The root cause of this problem is associated with the long working hours and strict deadlines. Factors such as poor sleep, nutrition, lack of exercise, addiction to alcohol, and drug abuse also contribute to depression.

Chronic Backache-

The working women usually have a lower back pain as it bears our body weight. This is the most common chronic disease at work which is a result of the long hours of static posture without appropriate support to the back. To top it the excessive and sudden weight gain by the sedentary lifestyle makes your back all the more vulnerable to it. Also, when the work gets the better of you; an anxious mind tends to aggravate the back pain.

Infertility-

These sedentary lifestyle changes are known to be the cause of the increasing infertility rates. The infertility is a result of stress and obesity caused by the long working hours with erratic timings, lack of physical exercise, and changes in eating habits accompanied by conditions like diabetes.

Diabetes and CVD (Cardiovascular Diseases)-

In a study done, it was observed that 3 out of 5 women were at the high risk of cardiovascular disease even as early as 35 years of age because of this sedentary lifestyle. In another study, the lack of job control was associated with an increased risk of diabetes among women.

In conclusion, we can safely say that risk factors of lifestyle diseases like unhealthy food habits, physical inactivity, inappropriate body posture and disturbed biological clock should be avoided. Hence, women's safety and health issues at work need to be addressed and diagnosed at an early stage on priority. For this, we can opt for regular health checks.

You have to necessarily realize the importance of a healthy body and avoid all the risks factors that contribute to the lifestyle diseases.

fill the query form to know more about our corporate health check packages and we will get back at you at the earliest.

In today’s fast paced world, individuals work really hard day in and day out. While there are many professional career options these days, most of them demand employees to work in rotational shifts or to work in odd timings. Such employees face problems to manage the lost hours of sleep and rest. Some of the common health issues seen in these employees are mentioned below.

Short-Term Health Disorders of Rotating Shift Workers

Following are some of the short-term health effects of rotational shift workers-

• Increased risk of accidents and injuries
• Gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, loss of appetite, constipation, heartburn, and diarrhoea.
• Diminished quality of life
• Lack of physical strength and frequent health issues

Long-Term Health Disorders of Rotating Shift Workers

Recent studies reveal numerous hazardous health issues amongst individuals working in rotational shifts.

·         Cardiovascular Disease

As per recent studies, a rotational shift worker is at 5% increased risk of ailments like heart attacks, strokes, etc. than the regular employees.

·         Diabetes and Metabolic Issues

Studies have also confirmed that employees working in shifts have a risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome which consequently results in high blood sugar, increased blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol levels.

·         Obesity

Working in rotational shifts enforces a poor diet, lack of exercise, and hormonal imbalances, all of which results in obesity.

·         Mood Disorders and Depression

Some studies reveal that shift workers are more likely to experience symptoms of mood disorders and depression. Rotational working hours result in social isolation which directly affects the brain. Working in shifts results in lower levels of serotonin hormone secretion, which plays a key role in causing such health issues.

·         Menstrual/Pregnancy Complications

Shift working hours can affect the reproductive system of a woman. It can lead to severe complications, like irregular menstrual cycles, endometriosis, infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), miscarriage, complications during pregnancy/delivery, low birth weight baby, and premature delivery.

·         Cancer

According to a research submitted by WHO in 2007, shift working hours have resulted in increased cancer patients.

Best Health Prevention Tips for Shift Workers

Employees working in rotational shifts experience much more health problems as compared to the ones working for regular/fixed hours. A corporate setting should opt for the following solutions with the sole purpose of a happy and healthy employee.

·         Employee Wellness Programs

The organizations must introduce appropriate employee wellness programs to ensure the employees are provided with proper health care.

·         Workforce Health Check

Organizations should regularly introduce health check plans to identify any health risk in an employee, before it becomes too complex or difficult to treat.

It is now clear that working in rotational shift is connected to various health issues. Propagating work-friendly environment, employee wellness programs and prioritizing your employees’ health are the best options to have healthy and happy employees.

If you intend to have a healthy workforce, which in turn spell your success, take a step now with introducing employee wellness programs and corporate health checks. Please fill the query form below for more information related to this.

Self-care is not limited to relaxation in your spare time, but it can be extended to the workplace environment too. Workplace health is a concern for all corporate companies. Thus, the employer and employee should both take a few steps to take care of their behavioral health at workplace. Stress, anxiety, and depression can slow down the progress of the company. Here are a few strategies that will help improve your wellbeing and behavioral health in the workplace.

Talk About Your Feelings

Employees feel stressed or troubled at work; and what's the easiest way to go out these feelings? Right! Talking it out is the best way. Identify a colleague or a pal whom you feel comfortable with and discuss your issues. You'll really feel light-hearted.

Limit Working Extra Hours

When there are deadlines and targets to meet you often do not stick to the standard working hours. When this becomes a norm it negatively impacts your behavioral health at workplace.

Eat Well

After being overloaded with work it's easy to skip meals either intentionally or accidentally. If you don't have a nutria-packed meal every day it leads to dehydration and decline of behavioral health. This might lead to a decrease in productivity too. Solution - fuel in during working hours!

Decorate Your Workspace

Let your working place look pleasant and appealing. Hanging a few pictures or inspirational quotes on your walls can be fun. You can also display your own artifacts or paintings around. If you don't have a fixed sitting arena, then try decorating your tool boxes or files or pin enamel to your uniform if it is allowed. Be creative and lift up your mood.

Keep Active

Workplace health and safety is an important concern when you work in a corporate. Regular exercise is a must to boost your self-esteem. Exercise helps you concentrate on work and make you feel relaxed.

Employee Assistance Program

Corporate employers offer Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or similar programs to assist their employees with health and personal issues at the workplace. Counselling adds to the behavioral and emotional wellbeing of an employee.

Take a Break

Take your step away moments of the day. A change of place is ideal for occupational health and safety. A ten-minute pause from work will refresh your senses and will motivate you to work more efficiently throughout the day.

Behavioral health at workplace is what matters the most, thus you deserve to take care of your wellbeing all the time. At times it is natural to feel too overwhelmed and pressurized at work. It's ok to indulge in pep talks and counselling to relieve stress. Many companies offer employee health check plans that do the needful. To know more about corporate health check package, get in touch with our health executives right away.

Computer use and long sitting hours at work is the leading cause of lower back pain in the workplace. This condition is prevailing in women but men also face pain in the back. Using some simple tweaks and exercises you can avoid low back pain. Different workstation factors that potentially affect your back include-

• Sitting posture
• Chair height
• Computer screen position
• Mouse and keyboard positions
• Desktop layout

Here are some simple tips for back pain while at work-

Maintain Good Posture

Poor sitting posture is the major reason causing lower back pain. The pain may manifest after long working hours or stressful days at the workplace but, the pain might have been deep down since years back. Wrong sitting posture or walking or sleeping positions can be the reason for the back pain to develop. Sit with your back straight and knees bent at 90 degrees angle. This takes off the pressure on the nerves and lowers back pain.

Support Your Back

Pick the best chair for your needs. Supporting the back should be your main focus here. A cushioned backrest with pushes your back forward is essential. Such an ergonomic chair will prevent slouching and aid in lower back pain relief.

Proper Foot Rest

In situations where you have to raise your feet above the ground, you must use a footstool to rest your feet comfortably. Avoid keeping them hanging all day. This will relieve pressure and relax foot muscles all day long, thereby causing lesser strain to your back.

Strengthen the Core

Strengthening your abdominal muscles will help to reduce the slack in the surrounding back muscles. A couple of minutes spent on strengthening your core will work wonders to reduce back pain at the workplace.

Regular Exercise

Back exercises are the best way to lay off the pain. Avoid medicines and indulge in walking, jogging or a few back exercises every day. These have been the best to prevent lower back pain. A few exercises for lower back pain are shown in the image below.

Don't Cross Your Legs

Sitting cross-legged strains your pelvic muscles, and makes it difficult to keep your spinal cord straight and shoulders squared off. This increases the risk of lower back pain. So, uncross your legs and relax.

These are some quick fixes to get lower back pain relief. Many times, employees ignore the pain and it might eventually turn into grieve medical problems. Thus, we recommend you to enroll for corporate health check package offered by your company.

Employers can get in touch with our healthcare experts to know more about employee health check package and corporate health check package at exclusive rates.

Our lifestyle is heavily affected by the way we work, the place at which we work and the surrounding. The stress at the workplace can lead to some serious health problems the one should not ignore. Some direct and indirect common workplace health problems are the lower back pain, eyestrain, obesity, heart disease, noise stress to name a few. Not having enough physical movement, sedentary lifestyle, looking at the computer screen for a long time are reasons behind these problems. However, these health problems can be avoided. The simple strategy of prevention need not require any special changes in the daily routine. You can avoid a few things and follow some essential tips for better work life. We spend the maximum time of a day at their workplace so your office needs to be a part of your health initiative.

Workplace Wellbeing Initiatives Tips-

• Make a habit of sitting and standing in the right posture
• Do basic stretching exercises and eye, neck exercises at your workplace as well
• Opt for stairs, avoid using elevators
• Walk to the coffee machine to get your coffee
• Park your vehicle away from your office and walk to the office
• Avoid cold drinks or frequent tea or coffee in the office
• Take a break from your work whenever you find necessary
• Eat healthy and small meals
• Don't skip your lunch for meetings, you can have a lunch-meeting, everyone would enjoy it.

Apart from these tips, many offices have customized wellness program having many healthy initiatives, which help the employees to maintain to be physically and mentally healthy. A wellness program includes several activities like sponsored exercise trainings, various sessions on counselling, diet, work-life balance, weight-loss competition, seminars on health and fitness, and so on. The wellness program may have financial incentives, gift cards etc. to encourage employees to have a healthier lifestyle.

Another important thing that is an essential part of this program is corporate health check. Regular corporate health checks help to identify various diseases at an early stage and take precautionary measures to stay away from them. A healthy workforce means happy and energetic workforce, augmented productivity, a strengthened bond between the company and the employees and greater success for the company. Most corporate organizations have a well-defined workforce health policy, which includes various health initiatives for the existing workforce and the pre-employment health check for the potential workforce.

The purpose of the Workforce Healthcare organizations is to spread awareness across the world to have a healthy life and encourage people to go for such lifestyle. Today, many companies make sure that their employees are healthy and they provide all the necessary provisions for the employees' health.

A Corporate Health Check is the key to a stronger and healthier workforce. Send us an enquiry today to get assistance or a quote on the best Corporate Health and Wellness Programs available in India.

Smoking is the most avoidable and common cause of many fatal illnesses. Smoking is known to affect nearly every organ of the body. Many people treat a smoke break as a favorite stress-reliever, which results in today's alarming increase in the workplace smoking statistics. Smoking harms not only your health but also your productivity. Have a look at the following points, which will make you ponder over a few facts-

Adverse Effects of Smoking in the Workplace

• You tend to take longer and frequent breaks that result in reduced work performance and less productivity. It also increases anxiety and decreases concentration.
• It has a direct impact on non-smokers as exposes them to second-hand smoke.
• There are high chances of fire risk.
• Can destroy the workplace culture
• Smokers are more prone to increased accidents and injuries and get sick frequently due to the physical effects of smoking on the body.
• Smoking increases workplace cleaning and maintenance cost.

Productivity of Smokers vs. Nonsmokers

• Smokers tend to have more sick days than non-smokers.
• Smokers are delayed in submitting their work.
• Smokers will live a few years less than the non-smokers and are also likely to retire early because of illness.

Thus, the employer has to bear the impacts of absenteeism and other factors in the form of indirect cost for smokers. It subsequently results in lesser perks and benefits for the smoker employees.

Smoking Effects on Employee Health-

• Causes stroke and coronary heart disease
• Damages blood vessels
• Causes lung cancer
• If you have asthma, then smoking can trigger an attack and can even worsen it.
• Smoking affects sperm density and causes erectile dysfunction in men and can cause life-threatening reproductive complication like ectopic pregnancy along with reduced fertility in women. Smoking during pregnancy causes congenital disabilities in babies such as cleft lip and palate.
• Bone health is also affected by decreased bone density making it more prone to hip fractures.
• Causes high blood pressure.
• Smoking contributes to type 2 diabetes.
• The study shows that smoking reduces memory; planning and overall mental ability and can also lead to dementia.

Smoking not only destroys your health but also causes problems to your near and dear ones. You can even take part in the workplace smoking cessation program. Nowadays, many companies provide employee health check packages. Make the most of these packages and take care of your health regularly.

Most individuals spend their maximum time at their workplace. There could be a possibility that an individual experiences a sudden heart attack at the workplace. It is therefore essential to be aware of how to handle such situations. However, before that, it is even more important to understand the reasons of a heart attack.

Reasons for a Sudden Heart Attack at Workplace

Stress-

A major reason professional suffer from a heart ailment is the increased levels of stress. This work place stress is induced in individuals who are constantly working hard to meet the deadlines, target the audience, carry on with regular business operations, and ultimately increase the business revenue. Persistence and unaddressed ongoing stress is harmful to the heart and a sudden peak in stress levels can result in a heart attack.

Rotational Working Hours-

A sound sleep is equally important as a healthy eating and exercising. People working in rotational shifts are at higher risks of increased stress and mood disorders which are not good for the heart health.

Improper Diet-

Higher cholesterol levels, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes are all results of a hectic lifestyle. Any of these factors, can aggravate the possibility of a heart attack.

Depression-

is especially observed in employees who are not able to achieve their set goals or are not acknowledged/promoted for their work may experience depression. This can lead to other health-related complication, which may trigger a heart attack.

Symptoms of Heart Attack at Workplace

These are some important warning symptoms of a heart attack.

• Pain in the chest, or discomfort. One can experience squeezing, fullness, sharp pain or pressure on the chest. This pain can sometimes mimic symptoms of heartburn/indigestion.
• A typical warning sign is radiating pain towards jaws, shoulder, particularly towards the left arm and lower back.
• Shortness of breath is another indicator of a heart attack. It occurs as there is a lack of oxygen supply.
• Nausea, sweating, and lightheadedness are physical manifestations during or before the occurrence of a heart attack.

So, if you observe any such symptoms, then you must seek immediate medical help.

Heart Disease Prevention

The ideal way to ward off the possibilities of heart diseases in the workplace is annual corporate health check. It is an important step that every organization must take to ensure that all their employees are healthy and stress-free. With a heart health check, it is possible to timely diagnose, treat and manage various health disorders appropriately. Companies should initiate and plan employee wellness programs which can educate their employees about their health and how any medical emergencies can be handled.

If you are looking for an effective Employee Health & wellness program to avoid any mishaps in your office; let’s connect and discuss, do fill the query form and our representative will get in touch with you soon.