Stress in the workplace
Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life.
A certain amount of pressure is healthy, but in excess, can become debilitating and lead to:
- Tiredness and lack of energy
- Inability to work effectively due to lack of concentration
- Breakdown in relationships at work (and at home)
- Decreased motivation and interest
- Physical illness, resulting in absenteeism
- e.g. digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure and coronary disease, chronic back problems, headaches and migraines, reduced immunity to viruses
Do you want to avoid litigation before the courts?
Do you have a stress management policy in place for your employees?
Work-related stress is increasing.
13.5 million working days were lost to stress in 2007/08. The Health and Safety Executive estimates the costs to society of work-related stress to be around four billion pounds.
It is your duty in law to make sure that your employees are not made ill by their work, and stress can make your employees ill. Employers who do not take stress seriously leave themselves open to compensation claims from employees who have suffered ill health from work-related stress.
The long term ill-effects from stress can be prevented by early intervention with a stress-management programme.
The benefits to the employer are:
- Reduced absenteeism and staff turnover
- Increased performance and productivity
- Improved relationships at work, this improves morale
- An effective and satisfying workplace
- Financial gain and reduced liability to litigation
The benefits to individuals are:
- Recognising and understanding the negative effect of stress
- Discovering how to prevent stress by acquiring coping skills
- Learning relaxation techniques to reduce tension at work and at home
- Improved well-being, increasing ability to manage and enjoy work