Stress. We have all felt the increased heart rate, shallow breathing and sweaty palms that it produces. We seem to live in an increasingly stressful world, and the workplace is no exception. It is estimated that workplace stress costs U.S. employers over $200 billion each year in factors such as lost productivity, employee turnover and medical bills.

Most corporate people recognize that "major egos" in the workplace cause issues that spread stress throughout the organization. For example, that new VP they hired from outside the company generated a lot of stress. The internal people who considered themselves as viable candidates for that VP position were significantly hit with the stresses of not getting the job they were expecting. Their friends worried that maybe they would not get their hoped-for promotion as well. And, of course, almost everyone experienced some level of anxiety on how this new person would impact their lives.

In order to reduce the high personal and financial costs of stress, many businesses are encouraging their employees to participate in stress reduction programs. Some companies even offer exercise programs, meditation periods and massage in the office to help reduce the stress levels. And, of course, there are the time honored means of self-medication including alcohol and drugs.

Will these efforts really help, though? The more we try to reduce stress, the faster and more chaotic the workplace seems to get.

The wisdom of Kabbalah helps us understand why these stress reduction programs can never work in the long run. Kabbalah tells us that everything that happens to us is an opportunity for us to observe our true nature. In reality, we operate on a very simple basis: How do I get the greatest amount of pleasure (or least amount of suffering) for the least amount of effort?

Let’s apply this to the workplace example we used above. Why was the internal candidate for the job upset when he didn’t get the job? Maybe he wanted the extra money to buy a new yacht. Maybe he wanted the prestige and power the new position would have given him. Whatever the specific motivations, the real reason is because it would have given him pleasure.

The same can be said for everyone else who experienced stress when the new guy came on board. In each case, the affected person was reacting because he or she was not going to get some anticipated pleasure, or because the new boss was going to increase their suffering. He might be difficult to work with or more demanding. Some employees might even be concerned about losing their jobs.

Seeing the reality of our human nature is not pleasant, but Kabbalah tells us that it is absolutely necessary. Only by seeing what we truly are, can we be motivated to change. This change is at the root of the great mysteries of life: Why am I here? What is the purpose of life? Why is there so much suffering in the world?

Kabbalah provides us with the key to answering these questions. The first step is to realize that all of our problems and stress are caused by our nature. Kabbalah then provides us with a methodology to change that nature. When we can do this, we will live in balance and harmony. Teamwork in the workplace will be the norm rather than competition. Until that time, the stresses in the workplace and life will keep driving us forward.