There are many problems that crop up on a daily basis in the nonprofit sector. Whether it's continuing budget cuts on the state and local level or the work it takes to secure new donors, nonprofit work can cause a lot of stress for employees. And that stress can lead to potential health problems.
At a recent conference on fundraising sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, some of the consequences of stress to employee health were discussed:
- For employees that report high levels of stress, health care expenditures are nearly 50 percent according to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
- More than 50 percent of American adults suffer adverse health effects because of stress.
- Stress has been linked to to the six leading causes of death: Heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.
- Women who work full time and have children younger than 13 report the greatest stress worldwide.
- 23 percent of women executives and professionals and 19 percent of their male peers say they feel "super-stressed."
- Signs of stress include headache, sleep disturbance, difficulty concentrating, short temper, upset stomach, job dissatisfaction, and low morale.
