Washington: A new study has found that employees who exercise to manage high job stress may actually have reduced levels of work productivity.
Lead researcher Jeffrey J. VanWormer, PhD, of Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, Wis., and his colleagues analyzed the relationship between stress levels, physical activity, and productivity in a sample of 2,823 Minnesota workers.
In general, higher stress levels were linked to greater productivity loss. Workers with higher body mass index were less productive, regardless of other factors.
After adjustment for body mass index, there was a significant interaction between physical activity and stress level.
For highly stressed workers, a high level of physical activity was linked to significant productivity loss. In contrast, for workers with relatively low stress levels, physical activity had less effect on productivity.
For example, for overweight employees who exercised seven hours per week, estimated productivity loss was eleven percent for workers who were highly stressed, compared to two percent for those with lower stress levels.
Worksite wellness programs that improve employee health generally lead to increased productivity. The study provides new insights into how stress affects productivity, particularly in combination with exercise and other lifestyle factors.
“This may indicate that some individuals essentially cope with high levels of stress by exercising more and working less,” the researchers write.
The study appears in the October Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.