Corporate Employment, but at What Cost?

By Harshroop Singh, University of Virginia

Each day, millions of employees across major corporations in the United States work hard to keep Corporate America alive. Although individuals across the nation benefit from Corporate America, the toll on the working body, with long, stressful hours to meet high demands, ultimately has its consequences. Such is the experience of many corporate employees across the globe. Working in stressful and high-pressure workplace environments over a period of time can lead to the development of chronic health issues—such as cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and psychological disorders—directly impacting the quality of life experienced by corporate professionals.

A major contributor to the increased susceptibility of health issues for corporate workers is stress. The term “job stress” can be used to define this correlation. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in 1999, “job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Job stress can lead to poor health and even injury.” Stress can come from numerous internal and external factors. Internally, factors such as how one deals with a high workload, what financial responsibilities one has, and one’s relationship with their coworkers and/or employers can potentially increase stress. Externally, long work hours, workplace environments, position demand, competition, and low compensation are also factors that can increase stress. A combination of these habits can lead to unhealthy lifestyle habits (such as insufficient diet and exercise and increased painkiller and alcohol consumption), which, in the long term, can make one more prone to developing a disease.

A 2016 study conducted across the U.S., Australia, and Europe found that employees of a lower socioeconomic status working at least 55 hours a week were at a 13% increased risk of having an incident of coronary heart disease. Employees were 33% more likely to get a stroke, regardless of their socioeconomic status. These results are significant, considering that the individuals in their study had a baseline of no prior risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. In a different study, conducted in India, 1000 IT employees in Chennai were surveyed over the span of two years. Their health and stress levels were monitored. High levels of stress translated into employees developing diabetes, hypertension, and depression. Their health screenings and questionnaires displayed that “around 56% had musculoskeletal symptoms, 22% had newly diagnosed hypertension, 10% had diabetes, 36% had dyslipidemia, 54% had depression, anxiety and insomnia, 40% had obesity.” These results show that there is a strong correlation between the acquired stress from working and developing major health concerns.

Developing diseases and disorders such as hypertension and/or depression can not only impact job performance, but jeopardize the daily life of the employee. In the subculture associated with Corporate America, there is no distinction between work and personal life. It is this way of living that has exacerbated and normalized a high-pressure and demanding lifestyle. Corporations can take initiatives to ensure that excessive stress can be prevented. Firstly, restructuring work schedules, implementing more breaks, organizing daily tasks, and providing work from home options are ways in which employees can work without added pressure. To target how individuals deal with all kinds of stress, both from the workplace and in their individual lives, the corporation could partner with a wellness organization. Wellness partnerships are a great tool that companies can employ to encourage and support their employee’s health. For example, major wellness companies, such as Peloton, provide specific corporate wellness programs to empower employees with the tools they need to embark on their health journeys and establish a healthy work life balance. Ultimately, it is important to recognize that building a livelihood should not come at the expense of your personal health.

Cover photo taken from Rawpixel.