eePulse Study Shows Workers Stressed About War But Want To Help Employers Take Steps To Improve Workforce Morale

Research study by eePulse, Inc. shows employees are stressed by the war but want to help others. Employers are taking steps to help workers.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - April 4, 2003 - eePulse, Inc., a technology and relationship management research company, recently studied their weekly Pulse survey comments from over 25,000 employees to monitor the effects of the war in Iraq on the workforce. The results indicate that the war has significantly raised workplace stress levels, but most employees want to help those directly affected by the war, and employers have taken steps to decrease workforce anxieties. Respondents suggested ways for employers to improve morale in the workplace such as listening to employees, providing access to updated news and information, and creating activities to promote communication within the organization.

From the months prior to the war to early April 2003, employees from various U.S. companies were asked what was affecting their energy (or motivation, engagement) levels at work via eePulse's Web-based, real-time measurement and communication tool, Measurecom(R). The majority of respondents commenting on the war stated that it was difficult to focus on work, stress levels towards travel were high, and they were worried about co-workers and others directly involved in the battle oversees. The employee comments also indicate that employers took immediate steps to successfully help employees deal with this anxiety. These included:

1. posting a war website with current updates and helpful information specific to employees,
2. creating a support group for employees to share their concerns,
3. communicating with employees on a regular basis to stop potential problems from escalating,
4. encouraging employees to stay informed via various news outlets,
5. promoting fair treatment of all employees regardless of race or religion, and
6. scheduling activities to lift energy levels.

The respondents also suggested various activities to help lift employee morale such as implementing an adopt-a-soldier program, providing cost reductions on products and services for military service personnel and their families, increasing office security, offering work schedule variations, and arranging time for prayer. "I think everyone is down because of the current war in Iraq," states an anonymous survey respondent. "I think we should have a red-white-and-blue day or a support-our-troops day! I think that will bring the morale up greatly!"

Over 17 years of management research by eePulse's CEO Theresa Welbourne, Ph.D. indicate employee energy levels (that are monitored weekly by eePulse clients) are directly related to productivity, turnover rates, stock price, and overall business success. "By providing open communication and a supportive work environment during these difficult times, employers can reduce war anxiety and prevent low morale from significantly affecting the bottom line," states Dr. Welbourne.

About eePulse, Inc.

eePulse, Inc. delivers relationship management tools designed to improve the performance of any organization. Productivity enhancement comes from utilizing Pulse Reports(TM) of issues and trends reported by stakeholders. Pulse Reports provide management with synthesized information that allows them to act quickly on opportunities and solve problems today. The core of the eePulse solution is actionable data obtained through Measurecom(R), a Web-based measurement and communication software package that powers Pulse Reporting and the next frontier in management science, Data and Dialogue-Driven (3D) Leadership(TM).

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