More Americans Live to Work "and" Work to Live &qu

 

Friday, Mar 27,2009, 1:06:30 PM   Click:

Copyright: Business Wire
Source: Business Wire
Wordcount: 1403

Business Editors / Health / Medical Writers

PHILADELPHIA - (BUSINESS WIRE) - March 26, 2009 - Would you quit your job if you won the lottery? With the U.S. economy in trouble and companies lay off millions of Americans who are eagerly seeking employment, a new CIGNA survey shows that, for most Americans, work means much more to them than the check to cover the bills.

The work is an essential part of most people's sense of self-confidence and emotional well-being. In fact, one in five Americans say they love their work and continue working, even if they won the lottery. And almost all Americans say they find in the value of disability insurance that would protect their income if they could not work if they were sick or injured.

The survey, conducted for CIGNA (NYSE: CI) of Yankelovich, 1 as part of its "health and welfare in America" series of investigations, explored attitudes toward work and disability insurance and effect of the economy on the working environment. The main conclusions are:


The Americans have a strong work ethic and derive satisfaction from their jobs.
Americans feel unproductive, concern, fear, anxiety and depression when they are out of work due to injury or disease.
Ie most of humor in the workplace has changed over the last six months - and most say that these changes were for the worse.

Live to work or working to live

When asked how they perceive their work, 65 percent gave answers that were classified as "Live to Work." Thirty-one percent said they love their work and get a sense of satisfaction to report to work each day, 21 percent said they love their jobs and continue working, even if they won the lottery, and 13 percent said their work gives the structure of their life and purpose. Gender played a role in the responses, and more women than men reported that their "live to work" (71 per cent against 59 per cent). Women enjoy the social aspect of work for more than men, saying in greater numbers as they work colleagues or meet people at work, while more men than women say they are proud of their work.

In contrast, 35 percent of the responses that have been nominated as "Work to Live," saying they only work for wages or benefits, to feel trapped because of the economy, or if you want to retire, but not the means. New kind played a role, more men than women say "work to live" (40 per cent against 28 per cent).

When asked why they "live to work", the most common are they like their coworkers, a sense of accomplishment from their work, are proud of their work, or feel that their work a difference. Only a few cited economic reasons: seven percent cited provide their family, and only three percent of their pay quoted.

Protect the financial security and emotional

However, the survey shows that people feel economically vulnerable if they do not work due to illness or injury. Sixty-two percent said their top concern is their inability to pay the mortgage or bills for a long absence. Underscoring that concern, nearly all respondents - 94 percent - said that having disability insurance would be helpful.

Of those polled, 17 percent said they had been unemployed for a prolonged period because of illness or injury at some point in their career, and most of them (58 percent) said that they had negative feelings about the experience. They felt anxiety, fear, anxiety, depression or unproductive. Others said they felt guilty, because their absence has been a burden to others, or they felt vulnerable and isolated. However, 20 percent said they were happy to have time to get better.

"These survey results underscore the central role that work plays in people's lives and how it contributes to their sense of well-being," said Beth Chiappetta, director of the return to work program operations at CIGNA. "Programs that help people return to work when it is safe to do so, not only help restore financial health, they also provide an important emotional impulse."

Through its vocational rehabilitation services and return to work, CIGNA allows individuals covered by long-term disability insurance to access a national network of vocational rehabilitation specialists who work with disabled people to up return to work and evaluate the objectives of amendment or replacement work opportunities.

With disability insurance has given me financial security and peace of mind that I needed so I can focus on good and on track, "said Mark Evans, manager of engineering Industrial, Texas, who suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle accident in 2007. "Without this financial safety net and a return to the use of resources, I could access through CIGNA, my recovery would have been much more stressful. The accident changed my life completely, but the return to work, do what I like to do, helped me regain a sense of normalcy. "

Coping with the economy

Disability survey also shows that the economic slowdown is affecting the atmosphere at work, with 60 percent saying the atmosphere in the workplace has changed over the last six months. Of these, 34 percent said people are afraid they may lose their jobs or the economy has affected the mood of the people, and 30 percent cited more pressure or stress at work.

"The good news for U.S. employers is that most people say they love their work and derive satisfaction from it," said Jodi Prohofsky, Ph.D., licensed therapist and Senior Vice President of health solutions to CIGNA operations. "On the other hand, the economy is causing more stress and anxiety among workers, and we know that stress can often contribute to or cause disabling diseases, it is important for employers help their employees manage stress and anxiety what happens before. "

Disabled people a great balance sheet and provides financial risk in America. According to the National Security Council, an accident occurs every second. 2 Three of 10 workers entering the labor market of today become disabled before retirement age, and 3 of illness or accident will hold 1 / 5 of workers jobless for at least one year before the age of 65. 4 The Social Security Administration indicates that 70 percent of private sector workers have no long-term disability insurance, 5 and a national survey shows that 40 percent of American adults have put side economies of emergency. 6

According Prohofsky, one of the most effective, an employer can help employees manage stress and anxiety is offering employee assistance program to help employees deal with emotional, financial issues and legal and to help maintain a healthy work / life balance. She also noted that an employee assistance program can help "the layoff survivors" to survive the guilt and feeling overwhelmed by the increase in workload and new responsibilities.

Resources for more

CIGNA tips for a safe return to work
CIGNA tips for stress management
CIGNA disability kit for consumer education
CIGNA Impact white paper
CIGNA live to work / return to work podcast

About the Survey

The investigation of disability insurance, conducted by Yankelovich, a part of the Future, consisted of telephone interviews with 742 full-time employees of Americans aged 18 or older. These interviews took place on 29 January - 2 February 2009. The data are weighted by age, sex, geographic region and race to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the population. The sampling error for this survey is + / - 3.6 per cent.

About CIGNA

CIGNA (NYSE: CI), a global health services, dedicated to helping people improve their health, welfare and safety. CIGNA Corporation operating subsidiaries provide an integrated range of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and the provision of vision care and group life, accident and disability insurance, about 47 million people across the United States and the world. To learn more about CIGNA, visit www.cigna.com. To register for e-mail alerts or RSS feed of the media company, log in to http://newsroom.cigna.com/section_display.cfm?section_id=18.

1 "Understanding the views of disability insurance plans," prepared for CIGNA by Yankelovich, a part of the Future, February 2009.
2 National Safety Council, Injury Facts, 2008 edition.
3 Social Security Administration, Fact Sheet, January 31, 2007.
4 Insurance Foundation for Education, November 2005.
5 Social Security Administration, Fact Sheet, January 31, 2007.
6 National Survey for Consumer Federation of America, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, February 2007.