Winter is in full-swing, which has many people excited to either hit the slopes or hunker down for the next few months. While the dead of winter is a great time for reflection, it can also lead to burnout for even the most productive employees. Between the cold weather, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and short days, winter…
No doubt about it: 2020 has been a year for the record books. We’ve faced the most serious public health threat we’ve seen in more than a century. We’ve experienced months of lockdowns, travel bans, closures, and restrictions. As a result, we’ve seen the global economy teeter on the verge of collapse, even as we…
After weeks, months, or even years of searching for answers, a diagnosis – even a challenging one – can be a relief. There’s something extraordinarily powerful about being able to put a name to your symptoms and the cause behind them. However, that relief brings a hefty dose of its own fear and uncertainty with…
Hygge may not be a household world in the States quite yet, but it’s currently experiencing a popularity growth spurt and influencing the way many Americans live their lives. With origins in Denmark, the word—pronounced “hoo-gah”—roughly translates to “coziness” in English, although most Danes will argue that hygge has more to do with well-being than anything else. It’s thought to…
It’s a new year, a new beginning. We’re feeling refreshed after a season of holiday cheer and celebrating with family and friends. Maybe some of us ate and drank a little too much. And maybe we spent our entire year-end bonus on presents that the kids are already tired of playing with. But we all…
When we think back to how “stressed” we used to feel during the holidays, we might long for a bit of that back…especially as we look ahead to what might be an isolated holiday. With your employees coping with burnout and COVID fatigue, the “holiday blues” may be stronger this year than ever. Here are…
A Canadian-based employee assistance plan provider, Morneau Shepell, conducted a study in 2017 in partnership with The Globe and Mail to better understand the one in five residents who experience a mental health problem or illness within a given year. The results indicated that 72 percent of surveyed employees who reported mental health challenges to…
By Diane Russell, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategy, Lincoln Financial Group If you have children, you know there’s no shortage of advice from family, friends and sometimes even strangers. Yet, mothers dealing with postpartum depression often feel like they have no one to talk to about what they’re going through. At least, that’s…
Dan Jolivet described the importance of return-to-work programs for employees with behavioral health and substance abuse disorders in his first post along with two key elements associated with program success: a holistic approach and the services of a return-to-work consultant. In Jolivet’s second post, we consider the importance of stay-at-work services and program metrics. …
Prior to the pandemic, the United States saw a decades-long epidemic of “diseases of despair” with increasing rates of depression, suicide, addiction and overdose deaths. Mental health and substance use issues—and the economic and human costs of those conditions—were a focus for employers. Then came the pandemic. Rates of anxiety and depression tripled and remain…
