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August 15, 2011

Employees’ Poor Emotional Wellbeing Is Obstacle to Wellness Efforts, According to ComPsych Report

Stress, anxiety and lack of social support may interfere with attempts to adopt healthier habits

DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT HERE

CHICAGO – Aug. 15, 2011 – According to a new wellness report released by ComPsych Corporation, the state of many employees’ emotional health likely will not support healthy lifestyle changes. Aggregate data from health risk assessments across ComPsych’s customer base show that stress, anxiety, depression and poor social support may be hampering employees’ efforts to achieve wellness goals. ComPsych is the world’s largest provider of employee assistance programs and is the pioneer and leader of fully integrated EAP, behavioral health, wellness, work-life, HR and FMLA administration services under the GuidanceResources brand.

“There is strong correlation between high stress/emotional issues and poor lifestyle choices,” said Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, Chairman and CEO of ComPsych. “For example, smoking and overeating may be a means to self-medicate undiagnosed depression.

“To be effective, corporate wellness programs must focus on emotional as well as physical factors of the employee, and include a counseling component to address underlying issues,” he added.

Key Findings of the Report:

  • 40 percent say an emotional or physical health problem has interfered with normal activities with family, friends, neighbors or groups.
  •  36 percent say they are tense or anxious much of the time.
  • 43 percent did not receive good support from friends and family in the past six months.
  • 21 percent said they have felt down, depressed or hopeless in the past month.


In addition, employees’ current habits trend toward unhealthy:

  • 15 percent of employees get zero exercise; another 31 percent only exercise one or two days per week.
  • 34 percent of employees consume one or less fruits and vegetables each day.
  • 23 percent admit to binge drinking within the past six months.
  • Only 16 percent get enough sleep.

For a copy of the full report, including key recommendations for employer-based wellness programs, download report here.

ComPsych HealthyGuidance® programs target employee behavior and lifestyle issues before they become significant illnesses. The “Build-to-Suit” program includes health risk assessments and screenings; wellness coaching with behavioral, health and nutrition experts; online health management tools; wellness seminars/corporate challenges and targeted programs such as tobacco cessation, weight management and more.

About ComPsych
ComPsych® Corporation is the world’s largest provider of employee assistance programs (EAP) and is the pioneer and worldwide leader of fully integrated EAP, behavioral health, wellness, work-life, HR and FMLA administration services under the GuidanceResources® brand. ComPsych provides services to more than 13,000 organizations covering more than 35 million individuals throughout the U.S. and over 100 countries. By creating “Build-to-Suit” programs, ComPsych helps employers attract and retain employees, increase employee productivity and improve overall health and well-being. Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ComPsych.