The impact of holiday stress on mental health and productivity
Employees may struggle to balance the expectations of the holiday season with their professional responsibilities — here are 3 ways employers can help support them.
The holiday season, while often a time of joy and celebration, can also bring significant stress to employees and their families. The demands of hosting gatherings, the pressures of gift-giving, and navigating complex family dynamics can take a toll on mental health. In fact, nearly 90% of U.S. adults report an increase in stress levels during the holiday season.1
The financial strain from holiday spending alone can add to this stress, especially when faced with the reality of credit card bills in January. In fact, financial concerns are the number one stressor during the holidays. Nearly 6 in 10 adults worried about spending too much or not having enough money to spend during the 2023 holiday season.1
Holiday stress can manifest in various ways, including feelings of being overwhelmed, anxious or irritable, which may negatively affect an employee’s mental health. This can lead to decreased motivation, reduced concentration and overall lower productivity in the workplace.2 Poor mental health can also affect an employee’s physical health,2 which may lead to an increase in absenteeism.
Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer at UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual explains, “Left unchecked, that stressed-out feeling that can get your mind spinning may end up contributing to physical health problems.” Randall explains further that those problems can include digestive issues, headaches and high blood pressure.
3 resources for managing holiday stress
The majority of Americans believe that the U.S is in the middle of a health crisis.3 Perhaps that’s one of the reasons that 92% of employees believe it’s important to work for an employer that supports their mental health.4 That support is important throughout the year, but even more so during times of heightened stress, such as the holiday season.
- To help employees manage holiday stress and maintain their mental well-being, employers can start by educating employees about Employee Assistance Programs. These can often be the first step for employees seeking mental health support. At UnitedHealthcare for instance, specialists are available 24/7 for $0 unlimited, In-the-moment support and/or confidential assessment of the employee’s situation and subsequent referral to a licensed professional appropriate for their needs. These specialists can help employees address the stress and anxiety that can spike around the holiday season, can help find community resources and also help connect them with financial assistance if needed.
- Another way employers can help is by offering access to on-demand, self-service behavioral health solutions, which can be a great option for employees who may not be able to fit an in-person or virtual appointment into their busy holiday schedules, or who are dealing with lower severity issues. These solutions offer on-demand and convenient resources for employees to address their mental health needs, right at their fingertips. For instance, UnitedHealthcare recently made the Calm Health app available to 13M members, which provides personalized mental health education, resources and tools that employees can access any time, any place. This flexibility allows employees to engage with mental health support when it is most needed, with the goal of helping them to manage stress, anxiety and other mental health challenges that may arise during the holiday season.
- UnitedHealthcare behavioral health solutions follow a continuum of care to help people get the right care for their personal situation. An assessment of risk level — from low to moderate to high severity — can help determine what level of care is appropriate for that member. That includes integrating behavioral health with medical care as well. For instance, employers can also educate employees on the advantages of choosing and establishing a relationship with a primary care provider (PCP). PCPs get to know an employee’s overall health history and the health goals they want to meet and can serve as advisors for when to see a specialist, including mental health providers, and giving referrals if needed. A PCP may help employees stay healthier throughout the year by providing routine care like annual wellness checkups and preventive screenings, which may catch potential health issues sooner leading to earlier treatment and potentially better health outcomes.
By empowering employees with these resources, employers can support their workforce in maintaining mental well-being and productivity during the holidays — and beyond.
