It’s no secret: When people work in a stressful environment, they are less productive. But the cost goes far beyond that. In the U.S. economy, studies of high stress organizations have shown:

• Health care expenditures are nearly 50 percent higher.
• The American Psychological Association estimates more than 550 million workdays are lost because of stress each year.
• Sixty to 80 percent of workplace accidents are attributable to stress.
• More than 80 percent of physician appointments are stress related.
• In hierarchical organizations, the lower an employee’s rank, the higher the chances of cardiovascular disease and death from heart attacks.

Stress also contributes to disengagement or emotional detachment. For more, click here.