| The Current State | | | | presenteeism (being physically present but mentally |
| We have the highest rates of marriage and divorce in | | | | absent), decreased health, increased anxiety, and |
| the world. According to the 2003 Census Bureau, | | | | stress. |
| annually, there are about 2.3 million marriages and | | | | Presenteeism can affect an employee for days or |
| about 1.2 million divorces in the US. Think of all the | | | | longer causing decreased productivity and profits. Lost |
| people those divorces affect. You know some of | | | | productivity on the average is a half times greater then |
| them, and you know how destructive the whole | | | | that lost to absenteeism. The Harvard Business |
| divorce process can be. | | | | Review estimates that presenteeism costs American |
| Divorce effects the workforce -- a real concern for | | | | Business $150 billion annually in direct and indirect costs. |
| management. For example, in the year following | | | | (Dixon, Weighing the Costs of Presenteeism, The |
| divorce, employees lose an average of over 168 hours | | | | Chief Executive, June 2005) |
| of work time - an equivalent of being fully absent four | | | | Workers in Happy Marriages |
| weeks in one calendar year. In addition, before divorce, | | | | We can conjecture that employees who enjoy |
| high marital stress is associated with increases in work | | | | relational health at home, in their marriage, and among |
| loss days - a person with marital distress will lose | | | | their peers are more productive, more effective team |
| more than 38 more days of work per year than | | | | members and make better leaders. They are happier, |
| someone with average marital stress. Can employers | | | | healthier, more confident, positive, and motivated. |
| prevent this sort of negative impact? | | | | Studies show that individuals in happy and successful |
| Until now, we all thought that marriages and | | | | relationships have greater skills in areas such as |
| relationships were the responsibility of the couples | | | | communication, flexibility, closeness, personality |
| themselves, clergy, coaches, and healthcare | | | | compatibility, and conflict resolution. The connection |
| professionals. However, with companies taking on | | | | between these skills and the workplace are obvious - |
| more of the burden of healthcare costs, plus the loss | | | | and are worth cultivating. |
| of productivity due to relationship stress, business | | | | According to a 2006 study, when dual-income couples |
| owners and corporate executives are beginning to | | | | are happy in marriage, they are more loyal to their |
| take an active part in promoting happy, healthy | | | | employers, thus turnover is lowered. The cost-saving |
| relationships and marriages for themselves and their | | | | benefits of not having to train new employees leads to |
| employees. | | | | greater profitability. |
| Investing in, and building direct and indirect relationship | | | | We found several studies that break down the returns |
| wellness programs improve a company's overall | | | | on investment (ROI) in employee wellness programs. |
| financial health, while ignoring these opportunities can | | | | While most companies report initial losses because of |
| decrease a company's productivity and profitability. | | | | having to find the "right fit" for their employees, |
| Workers in Unhappy Marriages | | | | long-term results show savings of $1.40 - $4.90 per |
| Workers in failing relationships often have serious | | | | every dollar spent, and an ROI of up to $6.85 for |
| health concerns - like stress, anxiety, depression, and | | | | every dollar invested in employee relationship wellness |
| substance abuse. We don't need to tell you that these | | | | programs. |
| directly effect healthcare costs and the bottom line. | | | | When your company invests in such relationship |
| Indirectly, relationship problems and divorce impact | | | | wellness programs, like those that "I-TO-WE" |
| overall worker productivity more frequently than death | | | | Relationship Coaching offers, you will benefit by |
| in the family, serious illness, problems with children, | | | | greater loyalty of your employees, reduced turnover, |
| substance abuse, and depression. In addition, an | | | | more effective teamwork, increased sales, productivity |
| inefficient and unprofitable work environment results | | | | and positive morale of the workforce. Who wouldn't |
| from the many factors experienced by employees in | | | | want that? |
| failing relationships: increased absenteeism and | | | | |