The
ability to reduce stress in the workplace has many benefits. Employees that
learn how to reduce or eliminate stress inducing reactions on the job are more
productive which means lower healthcare costs to employers.
I attended
a seminar hosted by the South Bay Organizational Development group (www.sobodn.com) discussing a method to
measure stress reactions developed by HeartMath. The seminar presenter was Catherine Calarco, Sr.
VP of Sales & Marketing for HearthMath who produce the EmWave device
associated with their stress reduction programs and software.
Among the
many interesting stats discussed was the topic of the heart-brain connection. In
particular recent research that shows the heart does indeed have a nervous
system. This helps explain our sometimes irrational response to something based
on an emotional trigger that we reacted to at some point in the past. The heart
“memory” communicates to this brain and a reaction occurs even if we understand
logically that our response is not ideal.
Participants
in the program see many benefits and that translates to lower medical costs for
employers (including pharmacy costs). In fact one estimate provided was a savings
of over $500 per person per year. By training to be calm in the face of
difficult situations, you’re not only calm, but in more control of yourself which
is a win for many workplace scenarios.
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