The frequency with which UK workers experience stress in the workplace is such that 30.8 million working days were lost in 2021/22 due to work-related ill health. Workplace stress is so common that 79% of Brits have reported that they frequently feel it. It’s important to remember that stress doesn’t just cause psychological distress. Stress can lead to a host of physiological problems, such as high blood pressure, headaches, skin reactions, and chest pains, as well as behavioural changes that also affect health, such as change in diet or substance use.
Knowing how ubiquitous yet debilitating stress at work can be, it is therefore important to identify it as soon as possible and put in measures to manage it.
The Difference Between Pressure and Stress
Stress in itself is natural. It is a human response to difficult situations, with the body giving you a boost of energy to resolve such situations. This is where the concept of ‘pressure at work’ comes into play, and why it’s necessary to distinguish it from ‘work-related stress’ that turns into a chronic issue.
Pressure
Work always exerts a level of pressure. It demands us to complete tasks with limited resources and our own skills and knowledge. Pressure can then be a positive force that lets us accomplish goals quickly and efficiently. It can also push our boundaries to improve our capabilities and accomplish even greater goals.
The lack of pressure can lead to low levels of motivation and performance. Workers that don’t feel any pressure at all may become bored and mentally check out of their job. With no standards or deadlines to meet, workers who are not invested in their work can very easily go down the path of putting little to no effort in their work. They may also feel undervalued or don’t get enough recognition for their skills because they are not given anything that challenges them.
Too much pressure is when it turns into problematic stress.
Stress
When a worker is given tasks that are beyond their capabilities, work becomes stressful. They may not have been given enough resources, they may not have been equipped with the skills or knowledge, they may be in a work environment that is unsupportive or unsafe; there are numerous points of pressure coming from different angles and lasting for too long that can make getting a job done feel impossible.
What makes stress in the workplace even more difficult to handle is that the stress threshold varies from person to person. Some workers can take on heavier workloads or deal with tighter deadlines. They may even find their less organised colleagues to be stressors, while some won’t mind at all. There are many causes of stress in the workplace, but there are six primary causes to consider.
The Six Main Causes of Stress in the Workplace
The HSE has six Management Standards that cover work design and if not properly managed, can lead to work-related stress.
- Demands — Employees should be given workloads that match their capabilities and are achievable within the agreed hours of work. If they have any concerns about their work environment, such concerns should be addressed.
- Control — Employees need a degree of control in how they do their work, including pace, work patterns, and breaks. They should be encouraged to develop their skills to take on new and challenging work.
- Support — Employees need support from their colleagues and superiors. They need to be informed of what resources are available, and how and when to access these resources. Feedback has to be constructive and regular.
- Relationships — Employees should not be subjected to unacceptable behaviour. There needs to be policies in place to prevent, report, and resolve unacceptable behaviour at work.
- Role — Employees need to understand their roles and responsibilities. The organisation they work for makes it as clear as possible what they require from their workers. If there ever are different requirements, there should be no conflicts between those requirements.
- Change — Employees need to be informed and frequently engaged whenever there are changes in the organisation, whether these changes are large or small. They need to be consulted and made aware of any impact on their jobs, with access to relevant support to facilitate the transition.
Managing Workplace Stress
Stress may come with any workplace, but it does not have to be left unchecked.
Managing stress at work starts with adjusting your work design and organisational structure to promote positive mental health outcomes. A workplace that’s safe, comfortable, and conducive to productivity is a solid foundation. Follow it up by encouraging a healthy work/life balance that signals to employees that it’s better for the organisation when they can take breaks and holidays to recharge.
Having an open culture towards mental health allows employees to have important conversations about how stress can get to them and what the organisation can do about it. There need not be any shame in admitting the difficulties employees go through at work.
When employees can openly talk about their workplace stress issues, management can more effectively do a stress risk assessment, which is a legal duty for all employers. The information you collect from talking to employees about stress can serve as the basis for your stress risk assessment.
Provide mental health tools and support such as wellness action plans and employee assistance programmes. Signpost such resources properly so that employees are aware of their existence and know how to access them. Reassure employees that it’s okay to take advantage of these tools.
Finally, conduct stress management training for the entire organisation, so that employees are equipped to handle stress on their own, and managers can take care of their departments and handle such issues with sensitivity.
Identify Stress at Work ASAP
There is no avoiding stress in the workplace. Whilst there needs to be pressure on employees to get their work done well and on time, sometimes that can tip over to the point where they feel overwhelmed. As an employer, you have to be able to distinguish where that line is to properly address the consequences and prevent it from being crossed too far and too often that employees burn out.
Get professional assistance with identifying and managing stress with the help of the Health & Safety Dept’s stress risk assessment service. We are experienced health and safety experts that can develop a long-term stress management strategy for your business.
