Dr. John Articles
| Staff needs help to deal with stress in workplace |
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| Written by Dr. John McFerran |
| Saturday, 20 June 2009 00:00 |
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Stressed out? If so, you're not alone. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, there has been a 30 per cent increase in people complaining of anxiety, sleeplessness, irritability and muscle tension within the last year. The effects of riding the economic roller-coaster, along with job uncertainty, increasing workloads and rising expectations from the boss are weighing heavily on many shoulders. A separate poll conducted for the Globe and Mail reports that 36 per cent of Canadians rate their jobs as high-stress while another 41 per cent consider their work to cause a medium amount of stress. Today, stress is widely accepted as a normal part of our working lives. It is a factor in most things we do, and stems from the way we evaluate a situation. We first decide what skills we can use to deal with the situation. But if the demands outweigh our skills, we are unprepared to handle it or it is simply beyond our control, we label the situation as stressful. That's when the body's physiological response mechanisms (like increased heart rate) kick in as a way to cope. But as much as we commonly experience pressure, worry or anxiety at work, there are still several myths surrounding stress: Myth No. 1: Everyone is affected by stress the same way. We each have our own tipping points when it comes to stress. An event that deeply irritates one person will simply roll off another's back. That's why at work some of us crumble in high pressure situations while others thrive under the gun. Because every individual's personality and situation is different, reactions to stress are unique and must be managed in their own way. Myth No. 2: Stress is always a bad thing. Just as a guitar's strings must be tuned with a degree of tension, most people perform better while under some pressure. Stress from looming deadlines, performance benchmarks and target goals can actually be a good thing and can help invigorate and motivate productivity. The key is in knowing how to manage the situation and deal with the stress. Myth No. 3: You can't avoid stress. Negative stress may be prevalent at work but that doesn't mean that you have to succumb to it. That's like saying that because you drive, you will surely be in a car accident. Proper stress management, including setting priorities and solving simple problems before tackling the complex ones, will help you cope with stressful situations that would be otherwise overwhelming. Myth No. 5: It's obvious to see when someone is stressed out. Everyone needs to be aware of their own stress symptoms as well as recognize signs of distress in others. While many people display stress in more obvious physical ways, there are those who internalize or try to camouflage it. It's important to keep in close touch with all employees and co-workers and especially keep close watch for those who may be overwhelmed, disorganized or unable to focus, yet do their best to hide it or try to cope with the problem alone. Employers, you can help minimize stress in employees before it negatively affects their mental, physical and social well-being. When stress persists, it can be manifested as headaches, ulcers, sleep loss and sore muscles. That directly impacts your organization in terms of absenteeism, lost productivity, poor morale, disability claims and high turnover. The first step to take is to identify the root cause of an employee's stress. It may not be a work-related problem that's bothering them per se, but a change or pressure point in their personal world that's taking a toll on their work. Regardless, it's important to step in and help them deal effectively with the problem. An employer can also minimize the stress of their people by: Communicating with employees regularly, taking genuine interest in their work, life outside of work and their personal well-being. Monitoring workloads and schedules and pacing tasks so that the demand is reasonable, but not overwhelming. Allowing employees to make their own decisions and providing opportunities for them to continuously learn and grow professionally. Encouraging social support in the workplace as well as a culture where employees can enjoy occasional downtime, refresh their outlook, get fresh air and physical activity or otherwise have some fun, a good laugh and blow off steam. Emphasizing that asking for help and support is not a sign of weakness. Encourage employees to talk to you when they are feeling overwhelmed or see potential problems arising in others. You could also implement a wellness program to educate employees about managing stress and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It's far less costly than dealing with the effects of not listening to your people before they reached a breaking point. -- With reporting by Barbara Chabai John McFerran, PhD, CMC, F. CHRP, is founder and president of People First HR Services Ltd. For more information, visit www.peoplefirsthr.com. RESEARCH: |