‘Life’ part of work-life balance crucial

Posted On: Feb 23, 2007 Reader Feedback

Reader Feedback

Re: Depression causing havoc in the workplace, by David Hatton, Business Edge, Jan. 12, 2007, and online at www.businessedge.ca.

I appreciated David Hatton’s article because it included workplace stress that arises from both psychological problems such as depression, and everyday domestic challenges such as childcare.

A relatively more stressful area is serious life-changing events such as divorce, bankruptcy, grave illness or death of a loved one, and domestic violence.

Workers living through such experiences may have difficulty concentrating, are easily distracted and irritated, and may take time off from work.

Considering that more than 40 per cent of marriages end in divorce and that 70 per cent of us spend more than we earn, it is no wonder that the workplace is rife with tension, stress and ongoing conflict.

A recent initiative of the B.C. Men’s Resource Centre and the Whyte-Horst Dad’s House Society is a worksite outreach project. We believe that emotional health is as important as physical health, and that when workers have both of these, the workplace will be safer and there will be fewer injuries.

In this project, we visit work settings to make people aware of the personal problems that they may bring to work and, as a consequence, compromise their own and others’ safety. In addition, we provide information and resources to prevent or ease personal problems.

Companies that pay attention to the “life” part of the work-life balance could very well see a more satisfied workforce, retention of employees and increased productivity.

Dr. Jerry Arthur-Wong, executive director, B.C. Men’s Resource Centre, Vancouver