Healthy Marriage and Business Profitability

Turvey and Olson (2006) build the case that corporate executives have consistently underestimated importance of marriage and family wellness in affecting the financial success of their businesses. Their research shows that employees with healthy marriages can increase the long-term profitability of a company and that employees with failing marriages can do just the reverse. Their research implies that there is an interdependence between the health of business and the health of marriages and families.

Turvey and Olson (2007) review research to suggest that employee marital problems and divorce can impact American business results significantly:

• Marital problems often cause decreased productivity, increased stress and absenteeism
• Divorce can disrupt the productivity of an individual worker for up to three years
• Divorcing employees often have serious health concerns and concomitant rising health insurance costs
• $6 million dollars is lost because of such decreased productivity because of marital problems at home
• And more generally, stress-related family problems cost corporations in America as much as $300 billion per year

These authors write that companies and businesses that invest in family well-ness programs, marital education and relationship coaching for their employees positively impact their profitability.

• Companies with a focus on family and marital well-ness have lower turnover rates and lower rates of absenteeism.
• Happily married employees are healthier and more stable in their jobs
• Happily married couples increase company profits

Companies are well advised to pay greater attention to families and martial relationships by offering educational wellness programs, relationship coaching, marital and family therapy and family friendly employee practices. Turvey and Olson (2007) conclude that relationship issues in the workplace cannot be ignored. To impact productivity, work effectiveness, and their financial success positively, corporate and business executives are wise to make healthy marriage their priority.

References

Turvey, M.D. & Olson, D.H. (2006) Marriage and Family Wellness: Corporate America’s Business? Life Innovations, Inc.

Posted in Partnership Marriage