Employees Have A New Reason To Stress Le ss At Work (NAPSA)—Employees rank time pressures, deadlines, office politics and their bosses as the most stress-inducing factors at work, according to a workplace wellness survey conducted by Eclipse gum and the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4ep). “The ability to cope with stress plays a large role in employee performance. We found that 65 percent of respondents do not feel their organization is effective in helping them managestress. That leaves stress managementto indi- viduals,” explains Mary Key, workforce leadership expert for the i4ep. While alleviating the time pressures or getting a new boss may not be an option, Key says people can use small tools to beat daily stresses at work, such as going outside for a breath of freshair, closing their eyes while slowly counting to 50 or chewinga piece of gum. Chewing gum may not have the same effect as a vacation, but new research suggests it is an easy tool that employees can turn to when they’re feeling stressed. A recent study examined the effects of chewing gum in response to a stressor and found that the use of chewing gum wasassociated with reduced stress, improved alertness and relieved anxiety. Whether working at homeor in the office, chewing gum can help employees reduce stress and improve focus and concentration. The Eclipse Big-E-Pak is the perfect desk accessory—Eclipse gum has the added benefit of containing a natural ingredient scientifically proven to help kill the germs that cause bad breath, giving people one less thing to stress about during the workday. Something as simple as chewing gum could help relieve stress in the workplace. Workplace Wellness Tips Productivity experts at the i4cep recommend a few simple tips to help relieve office stress and increase employeeefficiency: e Lighten Up: Companysponsored social activities can help take the edge off. Survey results showed that the more social activities employees attended, the less stress they reported. Take a Break: Re-energize before the next task by taking a walk aroundtheoffice. Bring it On: Chew piece of gum. Research shows chewing gum results in an improvementin overall performance on multitaskingactivities. Take Advantage: Organizations provide hundredsof resources to help employees stay healthy and manage stress. Learn what pro- grams your employerhasto offer. For more information about the benefits of chewing gum, visit www.wrigleygumisgood.com.
