Stress = Leaving? Maybe not...
May 9, 2008 9:07 AM
We read a lot about people leaving their roles due to stress, and it is obviously an emotive subject. I think we all recognise that no person should be ill because of their job.
Sitting down with your manager is a first step. If your manager is unresponsive there should always be a way of escalating things if all is not well. HR should be the next port if satisfactory resolution cannot be reached.
Discussing the things which are making you uncomfortable / stressed / or the environmental factors. Are these things which can be addressed in a reasonable manner, and can the organisation sort this? Is it a person or group of people causing the stress?
I am personally, a bit of a worrier, and I can see in others that is not necessarily just the work itself, but the pressure which comes with it, the worry about "gettting it wrong" and the consequences which might result, which might lead to stress. So there are things one can do to reduce those pressures.
Ask for a risk assessment to be carried out on your work space, or even on your role. Part of this will assess the risk, but also the likelihood of risks occurring. If the likelihood is high then the recommendations from the risk assessment should be to take preventative measures.
Diet and exercise are crucial to maintain a work life balance. If you sit down all day, it is best to try and make the most of the leisure time :0) If the job makes you think a lot, make sure there is some quiet time.
Ultimately there are also some jobs which are not suited to certain people. That sounds a little harsh in some ways, but it is also a fact of modern working environments. Culture fit is important. If it is a fast moving environment, yet an individual prefers working at their own pace, there can be problems. If the organisation or role is heavily reliant on technical expertise and the person in a role is not technically proficient, again there may be issues.
But these are not obstacles which cannot be addressed. Even within fast moving environments there are often roles which require a more considered approach.
We have an excellent Occupational Health support network here which I would urge all employers to become involved in. HR people and Managers can only be experts in a finite number of areas. What happens when conditions are new or unknown? Having OH gives us the comfort of knowing that if there are areas outside of our comfort zone, there are those who have dealt with any number of situations and can point in the right direction. Professionals in work place stress. Even if there is no formal agreement between a person's company and an OH organisation there are ways of consulting one on an ad hoc basis, helplines and other consultative services.
Then perhaps, employees and managers can sit down together, formulate a plan as to how to proceed without allowing the pressures to build up to boiling point.
Stress is covered under the DDA, so will be taken seriously. But don't wait till it gets too late...
Comments
I dont agree, I find companies like to talk the talk but dont actually care about their employees well being as long as they are seen to be going through the motions. I also think companies managers prefer not to have the bother of sorting problems and also you damage your career by saying something as you are seen as bad egg.
Dan - May 9, 2008 4:33 PM
Hey Dan, I think you are right, sometimes. But there are two sides here. The company must care, I agree with you. But the individual has a certain amount of control in his / her working life. He / she can stop things spiralling out of control, in some cases...
Joe Mc - May 12, 2008 6:01 PM
I don't agree either. I've been very stressed at work due to personal reasons and unstable work patterns. This wasn't helped by having a very negative, aggressive boss who others also found difficult to work with. He was very insecure in his abilities but my overall boss would back him up. HR were very unsympathetic to me when I approached them to discuss personal issues.
Helen - May 13, 2008 9:39 AM
All points mentioned apply....but what about the people stuck in a company that has NO structure, the environment where management moan about paying the Basic salaries, a company that is a new start up within the past 6 months, a company that expects to much of you for what they pay you, when they pay you... also the type when the weathers good particular management disapear to drive around in convertible rather than train, graft and grow a company..there should be examples being set not whip cracking and moaning.. if we have a problem or query we get told to sort it out ourselves!!
essex/chelmsford/ town - May 14, 2008 11:01 AM
Dan, I can't disagree more. I have recent personal experioence of something similar, and I have to say, the company (from the board down) have been nothing but supportive and have been more than accommodating in helping me back to work at my own pace and in my own time.
Perhaps this is not as common as it should be, and to be fair, it also took me by surprise, but I honestly think that things are changing.
Nick - May 14, 2008 3:02 PM
This is obviously a very emotive subject. It is sad to see that there are a lot of negative experiences out there. Not good to sse that in some cases "management styles" do not always exist, or at the very least, are not always helpful.
Joe Mc - May 14, 2008 5:59 PM
I think that there are a lot of companies who still do not value their staff. Limited HR practices, bad management is more common than we would like. I left a company after almost 10 because of just this which made me ill.
There is still no real incentive for companies to change when people are too scared of being out of work, so do not challenge it.
Gill - June 10, 2008 10:09 AM