Penelope Ling is an award-winning solution-focused hypnotherapist specializing in phobias. She founded Penelope Ling Hypnotherapy and is the author of the book Driving me crazy – overcome the fear of driving. She regularly contributes to magazines like Happiful and guests on podcasts and BBC local radio.
In today’s fast-paced business environment, anxiety and focus-related issues have become increasingly prevalent workplace challenges. These mental health concerns not only affect individual well-being but also significantly impact organisational productivity and success. While traditional interventions have their place, hypnotherapy is emerging as an effective solution for addressing these challenges. Let’s explore five key areas where anxiety and focus issues affect business productivity and how hypnotherapy can offer relief.
1. Reduced work performance
Anxiety and concentration difficulties can severely hamper an employee’s ability to perform their core job functions effectively. When workers struggle with racing thoughts or persistent worry, even routine tasks become challenging. Meeting deadlines, maintaining attention during important meetings, or completing complex projects can feel overwhelming. This is a worldwide problem and appears to be worse since the pandemic.
Solution-focused Hypnotherapy addresses these challenges by helping individuals access a state of focused relaxation. Through guided sessions, employees can learn to quiet their racing minds and develop stronger concentration skills. The technique works by reprogramming subconscious thought patterns that fuel anxiety, replacing them with more productive mental habits. Many clients report significant improvements in their ability to maintain focus and complete tasks efficiently after regular hypnotherapy sessions. The solution-focused aspect of the work helps build solutions to the problems they face.
A recent client, who had a fear of presenting sales meetings, experienced such anxiety that he would completely forget what he was going to say in a meeting. The anxiety would begin as soon as he received the date for the meeting and stop him sleeping and give him migraines. Hypnotherapy stopped his ruminating and helped him change the way he thought about the process. Worried what customers thought about him and the need to hit targets were the two main areas we worked to change. His migraines went away after only 2 sessions and he was able to have a balanced work/home life again.
2. Increased absenteeism
When anxiety becomes overwhelming, employees often resort to taking sick days to cope with their symptoms. This increased absenteeism can create significant disruptions in workflow and team dynamics. The fear of returning to work can create a cycle of avoidance that becomes increasingly difficult to break. Mental health problems are a leading cause of workplace absenteeism. In 2022/23, about 875,000 workers in the UK suffered from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety, resulting in 17.1 million lost working days.
Solution-focused Hypnotherapy offers a practical solution by addressing the root causes of workplace anxiety. Through therapeutic techniques, such as visualisation and positive suggestion, practitioners help clients develop healthier responses to workplace stressors. The treatment can reduce physical symptoms of anxiety, like headaches and stomach issues that often lead to sick days. Recent research on the use of Solution-focused hypnotherapy used in the Northumbria Police Force proved how successful it was at dealing with stress and PTSD. Staff gained tools which they could use to cope better with stress and build resilience.
A while ago I saw a paramedic with long-term anxiety about returning to work. It was so distressing it caused a relapse in her health. 8 sessions of hypnotherapy with getting her to visualise positive outcomes for going back to work helped reframe the problem, and she could concentrate on all the positives and rewarding aspects of her job.
3. Presenteeism and reduced engagement
Perhaps more concerning than absenteeism is presenteeism – when employees are physically present but mentally disconnected from their work. Anxiety and focus issues can leave workers feeling emotionally drained and unable to engage meaningfully with their tasks or colleagues. This reduced engagement often results in lower-quality work and missed opportunities for innovation and collaboration.
Hypnotherapy can help restore engagement by teaching individuals to manage their energy and attention more effectively. Through deep relaxation techniques and mental conditioning, employees learn to maintain presence and focus during work hours. The practice helps develop stronger emotional resilience, enabling workers to stay engaged even during challenging periods. Regular sessions can help individuals reconnect with their professional purpose and rediscover motivation in their roles.
A client was having problems with bullying at work, and although the HR team had moved her to a different department, just the knowledge of knowing that she was still around sent her off in a spiral of worry. Hypnotherapy helped her to reframe the problem and focus on her new role. In the end, she learned the bully had been picking on others and moved on to another role, which helped her feel better about herself.
4. Impaired decision-making and creativity
Anxiety and focus problems can significantly affect an individual’s ability to think clearly and creatively. When anxiety or a lack of focus affect the mind, individuals experience increased difficulty in making sound decisions. This impairment can affect everything from daily operational choices to strategic planning, potentially leading to costly mistakes or missed opportunities. Pressure to perform can cause mental and creative blocks where creatives find their skills and ideas diminish and they struggle with originality.
Hypnotherapy provides powerful tools for enhancing mental clarity and creative thinking. By accessing the subconscious mind, practitioners can help individuals overcome mental blocks and tap into their natural problem-solving abilities. The relaxed state achieved during hypnosis often leads to improved creative thinking and more confident decision-making. Many clients report experiencing breakthrough moments and fresh perspectives during or after their sessions.
People reputed that the artist Salvadore Dali used the hypnopompic and hypnagogic states to come up with ideas for paintings. I know writers who use similar techniques to create ideas for their stories. When we’re in that nice relaxed zone, solutions often pop into our minds.
5. Financial impact
The cumulative effect of anxiety and focus issues on business productivity ultimately translate to significant financial costs. From reduced output and quality control issues to increased healthcare expenses and higher turnover rates, the economic impact can be substantial. Organisations often struggle to quantify these losses, making it difficult to justify investments in mental health solutions. The financial consequences of mental health issues in the workplace are substantial. Globally, depression and anxiety cause the loss of approximately 12 billion working days every year, resulting in an annual cost of around US$1 trillion in lost productivity.
Hypnotherapy offers a cost-effective intervention that can deliver measurable returns on investment. By addressing both the symptoms and underlying causes of anxiety and focus problems, it helps reduce associated business costs.
If more organisations implemented hypnotherapy programs, they would see improvements in multiple areas: decreased healthcare costs, reduced turnover, fewer errors, and increased productivity. The initial investment in hypnotherapy services typically pays for itself through enhanced performance and reduced operational disruptions. Many organisations have health options included in their HR packages, but many fall short. Opting for telephone counselling or phone apps which are just not up to the job.
In conclusion, anxiety and focus-related issues pose significant challenges to business productivity across multiple dimensions. Through consistent application and proper integration into existing wellness programs, solution-focused hypnotherapy can help create more productive, engaged, and mentally healthy workplaces. As businesses face the difficulties of modern work environments, investing in solutions like hypnotherapy becomes more valuable for staying ahead and supporting long-term organisational success. As Solution-focused hypnotherapy is a cross between therapy and coaching, it can address all aspects of an employee’s life, both personal and professional.
I have worked with HR managers in the past to help their employees improve their performance, productivity, time management and to create a healthier environment. See more about corporate burnout here and call me for a free consultation about how I can help your business.
Penelope Ling, Solution-focused Hypnotherapist
Penelope Ling, BA, is a solution-focused hypnotherapist and author. She became a specialist in phobias, having many as a child and a fear of driving as an adult, which left her unable to drive for 13 years. Having conquered those fears during training, the decision to help others overcome their limitations was simple. She helps her clients overcome their fears and phobias, achieving a more fulfilling, anxiety-free life.
