Don't talk to me about stress...!

I feel I’m as well qualified as anyone to talk about stress in general – a commuting husband, three children (two of them teenagers!), a psychotic dog and a demanding job. However, in the context of the workplace, genuine stress can have a devastating impact on both the business and the individual employee.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who has produced a comprehensive report on workplace stress, 13.4 million working days are lost per year in the UK due to stress-related illnesses. The cost to businesses was approximately £3.7 billion pounds!

The HSE defines stress as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demands placed on them”.

Apart from the obvious link of stress to anxiety and depression, research has also linked it to heart disease, back pain, headaches, stomach disorders and alcohol and drug dependencies.

The HSE has identified six key aspects of working life which can give rise to stress. These are:-

• The demands made on employees.
• The control employees have over their work.
• The support they receive from managers and work colleagues.
• The clarity of their role in the organisation.
• The relationships they have at work.
• Any changes to the business/their role and how this is managed.

It is important for employers to combat stress by both addressing the underlying causes of it and addressing the symptoms.

From a practical point of view, and as a starting point, the employer should look at tackling various aspects of its working practices, addressing the six key ‘stressors’:

• Look at the way the job is designed, individual training needs and whether flexible working is an option.
• Are employees actively involved in decision making? Look at regularly reviewing their performance to identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Give employees the opportunity to talk about why they are stressed.
• Look at the company’s procedures for handling grievances, disciplinary issues and bullying and harassment. Are the implemented and are they up-to-date?
• Make sure employees have a full job description with goals to work towards. Is the induction process comprehensive?
• Warn employees of impending changes well before they happen and consult with them so they have a real input in the business (team meetings are ideal!)

Ultimately, the real way to combat workplace stress, is for employers and employees to communicate with each other. It is so simple and, better still, it doesn’t cost anything!