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Spotting the stress signals

Work-related stress is a big problem in the UK. According to the Health and Safety Executive, over a third of all new illnesses at work are caused by stress, anxiety or depression.1 Each year, over 13 million working days are lost due to work-related stress, anxiety and depression.1

 

Stress at work is on the rise, even more so in the current economic climate, which means employers should understand as much about work-related stress as possible. But what exactly is stress? How does it cause illness, and how do you know if your employees are affected?

Stress stats

  • One in five employees say they are stressed by their job1
  • One in three employees don’t take their full holidays due to work pressure2
  • Four out of ten employees say they cannot "switch off" outside work2
     
 

A natural response

Stress is a reaction to threatening situations. When stressed, areas of the brain and the body react together to produce the hormone cortisol, plus adrenaline and noradrenaline, causing the heart to beat faster and blood pressure to increase.3

Stress and the body

Excess stress takes its toll on the body in several ways, including headaches, feelings of nausea, indigestion, sweatiness, aches and pains and heart palpitations.3

Ability to cope

Some of the causes of stress include:

  • uncertainty and lack of control in a role4
  • lack of support4
  • long working hours and high responsibility4
  • work station problems such as noise levels, poor lighting, lack of space or bad ergonomics4
  • repetitive tasks4

Spotting stress

According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, symptoms of stress can show themselves in:
 

  • work performance: indecision, loss of motivation, errors, not planning or using holidays5
  • regression: sulking, crying or arguing5
  • aggression: criticism, shouting, bullying5
  • withdrawal: poor timekeeping, isolation and absenteeism5
  • physical signs: tremors, stomach problems, weight gain or loss5
  • behaving out-of-character: increased drinking or smoking, taking unnecessary risks5
 

Dealing with stress

To combat the problem, the Health and Safety Executive advise looking at six key sources of stress at work:

  • demands: workload, environment and work patterns
  • control: can a person influence how they carry out their role?7
  • support: what resources, encouragement or sponsorship are provided?7
  • relationships: promoting positive working to avoid conflicts7
  • role: defined duties that do not conflict and which are understood within the context of the organisation7
  • change: how are changes in the organisation dealt with and communicated to staff?7

Next steps

  • 1. Work-related stress. Health and Safety Executive. www.hse.gov.uk, accessed 09.02.09.

    2. National Stress Awareness Day sees Brits plan to work all hours as the credit crunch worsens. Friends provident. www.friendsprovident.co.uk, accessed 10.02.09.

    3. Stress. Mental Health Foundation. www.mentalhealth.org.uk, accessed 30.09.08.

    4. von-Onciul J. ABC of Work Related Disorders: Stress At Work. British Medical Journal 1996; 313:745-748. www.bmj.com

    5. Stress at work. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. www.cipd.co.uk, accessed 09.02.09.

    6. Chandola T, Brunner E, Marmot M. Chronic stress at work and the metabolic syndrome: prospective study. British Medical Journal 2006; 332:521-525. www.bmj.com.

    7. Tackling stress: The Management Standards approach. Health and Safety Executive. www.hse.gov.uk, accessed 11.02.09.

    8. Employee Benefits/Simplyhealth Healthcare Research 2009. Employee Benefits.

Contact us

One in five of all employees say they are stressed by their job.

www.hse.gov.uk

  • In the long term

    some studies have suggested that stressful jobs can lead to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.6

  • 84% of employers use counselling or employee assistance programmes to tackle stress8

Find out more about Bupa Employee Assistance