Peak stress hormones of working moms equal to soldiers going into battle.
An ABC special on stress reported that moms’ stress levels peaked when they we they were trying to manage too many things at once.
A few things to note about stress. First, once activated stress hormones take hours to return to normal leaving the individual in a hair-trigger state. Two, stress reduces problem solving ability, makes the person more closed-minded and more likely to avoid facing issues head-on. Three, stress is most prevalent underlying reason for a patient to visit a doctor.
There is no double that our 24/7, always on world has contributed to the stress of most everyone, not just working moms. This impacts employee productivity, health and quality of life.
Now, a growing number of companies are offering free services to employees to reduce the impact. And, the reason isn’t to squeeze out more work. They offer the services to attract and keep employees.
A company called Errand Solutions customizes the offering to fit the company. They range from arranging for on-site car washes, massages, hair cuts, mailing services, dry cleaning, and child care to researching vacation options.
Call them perks if you like. I think these forward looking companies are acknowledging the dynamics of life and are offering employees something they find valuable and meaningful.
Companies striving to be customer-centric could learn a lesson here.
