oleh R. Hardyanta, dibaca: 223 kali

Content

1. What is stress?
2. Signs of stress
3. Spotting the signs of stress
4. Causes of stress at work
5. Take home message

 

What is Stress?

Stress is a normal human reaction when we experience change or challenges, making us feel under pressure. In general, workplace stress is not necessarily a bad reaction, as it helps us stay focused, perform at our best, and reach our goals. However, if it is not dealt with effectively, the discomfort can snowball, and short-term stress can become chronic, impacting our physical and mental well-being, and potentially leading to depression or burnout.

 

Stress is defined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as 'the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them'. Some people benefit from a certain amount of pressure as it can keep them motivated. However, when there is too much pressure it can lead to stress.

 

Signs of Stress

Whether it stems from problems in or out of the workplace, spotting symptoms of stress is an important part of a working day.

Remember, symptoms of stress will vary largely from one person or employee to another, so it’s important not to generalize common symptoms and jump to conclusions.

Workplace stress can have a range of symptoms that can manifest in various ways. Stress-related symptoms generally fall into three categories: emotional, mental, and behavioral.

These symptoms include:

• Mental symptoms such as trouble remembering, cognitive difficulties, such as a reduced ability to concentrate or make decisions, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, depression, pessimism, difficulty sleeping or insomnia, feelings of being overwhelmed and unable to cope.
• Physical symptoms such as fatigue, chest pain, muscle aches or headaches, digestive problems (diarrhea, constipation), panic attacks, nausea, heart palpitations, and 'burnout' (physical and emotional exhaustion). Stress can increase the risk of physical illnesses. For example: heart disease, back pain, digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, skin conditions.
• Behavioral symptoms such as an increase in sick days or absenteeism, aggression, diminished creativity and initiative, a drop in work performance, problems with interpersonal relationships, lower tolerance of frustration, impatience, disinterest overeating or undereating, isolation or social withdrawal.

 

Spotting the signs of stress

Identifying the signs and symptoms of stress, and working proactively to address and resolve problems can reduce the impact that these issues have on the individual and the workplace.

Signs of stress can include:

• Working longer hours. You suddenly start staying at work later and later; or coming in earlier and earlier.
• Poor concentration & memory lapse. An uncharacteristic lapse in memory and concentration could be an indicator of distraction caused by stress.
• Shying away. When stressed, employees might shy away to avoid drawing any attention to themselves.
• Increasingly being irritable or short-tempered. An uplift in irritability, twitchiness, and nervousness could be down to stress.
• Overly sensitive & tearfulness. Increasingly sensitive and emotional – especially when it comes to work-related chat.
• Visibly tired. If you are coming to work visibly tired on a regular basis – and it’s not the result of a heavy weekend session! – it could be a tell-tale stress signal.
• Frequently time off. Reluctance to take entitled time off could be a sign that you are worried about falling behind with the workload. Conversely, if you begin arriving late on a regular basis or start booking more time off than usual, may be avoiding the workplace to avoid the stressful sensations it gives them.
• Lack of energy and low mood. If you are normally full of beans and begin displaying signs of constant lethargy and illness, this could be due to stress taking its toll on your physical well-being.
• Avoiding social events. You might begin to withdraw other employees from anything associated with work – like out-of-work activities, for example.
• Working through breaks. Similar to employees who suddenly begin coming in early and staying late, you stop taking breaks and start using your lunch break to catch up on work, and could be stressed about your workload.

 

 

Employees should look after their own health and wellbeing at work. If they are experiencing stress, they should find out about it, talk to their manager as soon as they can, or seek help from the experts.

If you spot the signs of stress, it can be helpful to have an informal chat. This can help them understand how the person is feeling and what support they need. Getting help could prevent more serious problems.

 

Causes of stress at work

The causes of stress in the workplace can widely vary, from demanding deadlines to difficult coworkers. Being stressed is more than just causing tension, though. It often results in exhaustion and psychological issues when not appropriately addressed.

Why should you care? Employee well-being is directly related to productivity, motivation, and, ultimately, employee loyalty and higher income profits. It is then your own performance that contributes to the workplace.

 

There are many factors that can cause stress at work. These include:

1. Too many or conflicting demands and unrealistic deadlines. When unreasonable deadlines force employees to work long hours, sacrifice personal time, and rush their work.

2. Poor working conditions or physical environment. When the work environment is uncomfortable or inadequate, such as excessive heat or cold, uncomfortable seating, or other factors that may affect employees’ productivity and focus.

3. Lack or little control over how and when work is done or decision-making When workers feel they have no control over their tasks or decision-making processes.

4. Poor working relationships or lack of support or encouragement from managers and others at work. When managers do not provide support or workers feel isolated due to conflicts with colleagues.

5. Bullying and conflict at work, particularly if these are not managed well. Bullying or harassment including verbal or physical abuse, discriminatory behaviors, sexual harassment, etc.

6. Not having enough training or skills to do a job. Employee will not do the best of his/her capability or even afraid to make any mistake.

7. Feeling unclear about roles and responsibilities or lack of communication. When employees are not informed about important decisions, which can create feelings of confusion or uncertainty.

8. Low trust and not feeling able to speak up about concerns. When employee hesitate to talk or report anything he/she notice or something is not right or inadequately work.

9. Change within the organization or adapting to change. It can be in the form of a new team structure, new management or new processes that require employees to learn new skills, adopt new technologies, or adjust their working styles.

10. Inadequate pay. When employees feel undervalued or unfairly compensated for their work.

 

Take home message

Recognizing the signs and causes of stress, shows you are a responsible individual or employee. You can also take proactive steps to reduce workplace stress and promote a healthy work culture. By acknowledging the sources of stress and working to address them, you can be part of an organization that can create a supportive environment that promotes employee well-being, engagement, and productivity.

 

 

Resources:

1. https://www.acas.org.uk/managing-work-related-stress
2. https://www.citation.co.uk/news/hr-and-employment-law/10-signs-employees-might-suffering-stress/
3. https://www.kyanhealth.com/stress-in-the-workplace/
4. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/work-related-stress

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