Stress Management

Research confirms that occupational pressures and fears are the leading source of stress for American adults, costing employers millions of dollars annually in productivity and medical costs.1 To help your accounts' employees manage the stress they face, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina offers the Stress Management program.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that 40 percent of workers state that their jobs are very or extremely stressful. Twenty five percent view their job as the number one stressor in their lives. NIOSH also states that job stress is very costly for businesses with estimated costs more than $300 billion annually from:

  • Accidents
  • Absenteeism
  • Employee turnover
  • Diminished productivity
  • Direct medical, legal and insurance costs
  • Workers’ compensation awards

An estimated one million workers are absent every day due to stress. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work reported that more than half of the 550 million working days lost annually in the U.S. from absenteeism are stress related and that one in five of all last minute no-shows are due to job stress. Job stress is more strongly associated with health complaints than financial or family problems.

Solution

The Stress Management program offers participants techniques and support to help effectively manage and reduce their stress. By providing employees with these tools, your accounts can help lower employees' stress levels, which may result in lower absenteeism and higher productivity.

Participants are identified as potential candidates by completing a Personal Health Assessment, or they may self-enroll by calling a toll-free number. Employees are invited to enroll in the program through a letter sent to their homes. To enroll, members must complete a short online or telephone survey. After enrolling, participants receive*:

  • A stress management guide that includes techniques for managing stress triggers
  • Counseling from and unlimited access to their personal health coach, who will assess their levels of stress; review the guide and tools they receive in the mail; provide encouragement and support; and reinforce use of the stress relief tools and techniques
  • Referral to existing employer-based Employee Assistance Program services or behavioral health program, if favorable and offered
  •  A relaxation guidebook that targets both audio and visual stress relieving techniques and a CD that compliments the guidebook
  • Many other tools designed to help employees reduce their stress

Integration and Tools

Stress Management is a stand-alone product focused only on stress reduction. If your accounts offer other My Health EssentialsSM programs, Stress Management can be partnered with them. Stress Management targets members with no other chronic health risks. Members who have a chronic condition will have access to Stress Management information if they are enrolled in one of our disease management programs. 

Employers receive aggregate data of the participants’ results to help them understand the health status of their employees.

For more information, please contact your BlueCross marketing representative today.

*Contents of the participant program materials are subject to change

1. American Institute of Stress