With Las Vegas named one of the most stressful cities for work, businesses must act

Arecent survey serves as a warning sign for Las Vegas businesses: Workers in the area are under especially high levels of stress. Considering factors such as commute times, length of the average workweek, single-income families, lack of health insurance and more, Llc.org named Las Vegas the fifth most stressful city to work in, after Houston; Arlington, Texas; Dallas; and Memphis, Tenn.

Workforce stress is a global problem, so these cities are far from alone. The COVID-19 pandemic increased stress levels, and they have not subsided. As analysts from Gartner explained in the Harvard Business Review, “our collective adrenaline is wearing off, leaving employees to contend with long-term physical and emotional impacts. Employees’ stress and worry in 2022 grew above even 2020 peaks — nearly 60% of employees report they are stressed at their jobs every day.”

Similarly, in Gympass’ study, “The State of Work-life Wellness,” about half of employees in various industries said their overall well-being declined in 2022.

While this problem is widespread, each city has a unique combination of factors that can exacerbate or help to alleviate stress. In Las Vegas, the size of the leisure and hospitality industry, the largest sector, brings its own challenges.

I come at this from a unique perspective. Through my work, I focus on efforts to improve employee wellness across numerous industries, which has given me the chance to see what works best. And because of my background, I know how stress can take root in the hospitality industry — and how to help tackle it.

Financial incentive: Stress isn’t just bad for people, it’s bad for business. Higher stress levels lead to more absenteeism and lower productivity. A recent study from Gallup estimates that poor mental health among workers costs the U.S. economy about $48 billion in lost workdays alone each year.

The solution to this is not simple. Many well-meaning businesses offer after-work yoga classes and access to therapists. These are helpful, but just the tip of the iceberg. Gympass research has found that a holistic wellness program is needed to make real improvements in employee wellbeing. All sorts of factors contribute to wellness, and people need a wide range of options.

For example, Gympass’ study found that often people’s preferred method to relieve stress is physical exercise. Which type of exercise varies greatly. They may want classes, outdoor activities, solo workouts, virtual training sessions and more. Giving employees access to as many opportunities as possible is key.

So is, when possible, giving them the flexibility to take advantage of these opportunities during typical work hours, as long as they get their work done. Of course, people who do shift work (such as many hotel employees) can’t have as much flexibility in their schedules as those who do some office work. But offering the maximum level of flexibility makes a big difference.

The hospitality sector: Serving the needs of a constant stream of new people, with their own desires and challenges, can be exhausting.

So it’s little surprise that even before COVID, hospitality already had one of the highest burnout rates of any industry. When the pandemic struck, the tourism industry was among the worst hit. This led to layoffs, additional work for those who remained and fears of getting sick from travelers. As tourism returns, the stresses have not gone away. Many hotels are understaffed — which means more work and stress for employees.

The hospitality industry needs to take special steps to address stress. For example, offering employees a more comfortable environment is key. A study in the Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism found that even the way hotel employees perceive the physical environment of a breakroom affects their psychological well-being.

No matter the industry, businesses have every reason to prioritize wellness. When they do, they’ll reap rewards — and help turn the tide on stress.

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