The annual Stress in America Survey was released by the American Psychological Association (APA) last month and polling shows that 78% of those polled say that the COVID-19 pandemic is a significant source of stress in their lives. The chaos caused by this pandemic includes job loss, financial distress, and uncertainty about the future.
“This survey confirms what many mental health experts have been saying since the start of the pandemic," says Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, APA’s chief executive officer. "Our mental health is suffering from the compounding stressors in our lives. This compounding stress will have serious health and social consequences if we don’t act now to reduce it." The survey shows that many Americans are dealing with a variety of mental health issues during this health crisis, including depression, loneliness, and concentration problems.
When I see statistics and warnings like this, I feel obligated to blog about the importance of financial education for everyone – and especially for your employees. When an employee is dealing with things like depression, financial insecurity, and an inability to focus and concentrate, you run the risk of losing that employee to health-related problems and absenteeism. And in the time of COVID, when so many employees are working alone at home, it can be more difficult to notice when employees are feeling stressed.
The good news is that there is help and it’s free. The financial education seminars provided by Hanscom Federal Credit Union are offered at no cost. We have one-hour "Lunch and Learn" seminars we can bring to your office for your employees who are working onsite. Each is less than an hour long so that it fits into a lunch break, and – as a bonus – we provide lunch for everyone who attends. For those employees who are working from home, we host virtual webinars on a variety of topics.
What do we cover? Well, that varies. We have a number of programs to chose from, including our popular seminars on managing personal finances, buying a home, preventing identity theft, and understanding social security benefits.
You can be the hero for employees in this situation. Start by contacting me to set up a Lunch and Learn or to learn more about our webinars. Once we have a program scheduled, share the good news with everyone in your company – and be sure to tell them it includes a free lunch, one less expense to worry about.