People now work longer hours and more days a year than ever before, leading to an unparalleled rise in employee stress. So it's up to companies to take the initiative to promote workplace relaxation--for the good of both their employees and the bottom line.

Numerous studies show that office stress is associated with susceptibility to illness such as cold and flu and musculosleletal disorders including carpal tunnel syndrome. Norwegian scientists presented research at Work, Stress and Health '99, a conference sponsored by the American Psychological Association and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, demonstrating a way for employers to take the lead in creating a kinder, gentler workplace.

Aslaug Mikkelsen, Ph.D., of Norway's Rogaland Research Center, and Per Oystein Saksvik, Ph.D., of the University of Trondheim, asked employees at local health care institutions to identify factors crucial for pleasant working conditions. The researchers then created a steering committee of workers that met weekly to discuss these factors with their employers and submitted a report of their progress to co-workers each week for 12 weeks. Because employees were actively involved in determining sources of job stress, reported Mikkelsen, the stress decreased and their social support and office harmony increased.

Workers could labor more productively because they felt healthier and enjoyed being in the office--which only works to employers' advantage.