Reference no: EM133392694
Assignment:
Cases
1. Managing Anxiety at Work
After just six months, you are settling in to a great job opportunity you landed right out of college. Your work aligns with what you studied in college, and overall you like your new co-workers. Your manager, however, is a different story. She is a highly respected manager, but you find her work style intimidating. She has very high expectations of you, and some mornings you wake up feeling stressed just thinking about getting ready to go to work. You just received a positive mid-year performance review, but it is clear that your work is going to become more challenging now that you have been trained in your job
In college, you struggled with anxiety and you are concerned that the stress you are under will lead to a recurrence. You know that you will be taking on more responsibility at work and you are not sure how you will manage it. Because of her management style, you don't think your manager will be helpful to you. But you know you will need help.
Your concerns are escalated by the results of a health assessment conducted by your company that you recently received. The health assessment is conducted on annual basis, and the results suggest that you are doing worse than you thought. It highlighted several health concerns, including high blood pressure. You aren't surprised by the assessment. As you have struggled with your stress and anxiety over the years, you have not engaged in healthy habits to manage. Overeating and sedentary behaviors are commons ways that you cope. You also tend to drink more alcohol when you are feeling stressed.
The health assessment has opened your eyes to the reality of your behavior. If you are going to be successful in your career, it is time to start addressing your health issues. You know you can manage your stress and engage in behaviors that can lessen the impact of anxiety, but it will take some effort on your part.
You aren't sure where to start. During the new hire orientation program that you participated in upon hire, the Human Resource Director discussed many benefits available to employees. While you were overwhelmed with a lot of information at the time, you recall that resources to help with stress and anxiety were highlighted. You are a little concerned about your manager finding out about your history of anxiety and your overall health concerns. But you recall confidentiality was mentioned as well.
As you read over your health assessment results again, you decide you should log in to the benefits portal page on the company website. You see the benefits you have already signed up for including the health insurance program and retirement benefits. As you continue looking you find explanations of other benefits including an Employee Assistance Program and a wellness program. There is a lot to review, but you feel a little relieved because you think you can get the help you need.
- What kind of benefit programs might be beneficial to you in managing your anxiety and other health issues?
- What are some of the consequences for your company if you do not get help and your health continues to decline? That is, why do companies provide these benefits?