There are many reasons for why employees experience job-related stress. This could be resulting
from such things as responsibility without authority, power struggles, office gossip, staff turnover, repetitive tasks, personality clashes.

Three major sources of stress on the job: relationships, environment and job expectations.

    RELATIONSHIPS: Contact with others at work can be a prime source of job
    satisfaction, but uncomfortable tension or unresolved conflict in work relationships
    generate distress.  Some studies indicate that interpersonal difficulty (with super-
    visors, subordinates, peers or clients) is the primary source of work-related stress.

    ENVIRONMENT:   Many of us work in a stressful physical environment.  Noise,
    smoke, fumes, crowded conditions, poor ventilation, lack of windows and uncom-
    fortable frurniture -- all of which causes fatigue and tension.

    JOB EXPECTATIONS:   When a person's skills are not well matched with the
    responsibilities of the job, stress and a feeling of inadequacy may result.

SOME FACTS ABOUT STRESS:

    *    Stress plays a role in 80% of all illnesses -- from depression to cancer and
          cardio-vascular disease.
    *    Statistics Canada has calculated the cost of work time lost to stress as $12
          billion a year.
    *    Stress is the single biggest issue many disability programs face.
    *    Stress claims rose 30% between 1996 and 1998, and most companies spend
          two to three percent of their payroll on short-term disability claims, half of
          which may be stress related.
    *    In addition to health issues, direct costs of workplace stress include grievance
          complaints, litigation, turnover and reduced performance.
    *    Indirect costs include low motivation, low morale, faulty decision making, poor
          work  relationships and missed opportunities.
    *    Between 70 and 80% of absentee days are related to stress as headaches, back
          pain, asthma, exhaustion and chronic fatigue.
    *    25% of white-collar and 40% of blue-collar workers in Canada have had a
          stress-related absence in the past year.
    *    The causes of stress include over-work, organizational change, unreasonable
          deadlines,  office politics and lack of recognition.

    * At least two or three times a week, spend time with supportive friends or family
    * Ask for support when you're under pressure. This is a sign of health, not weakness.
    * If you have spiritual or religious beliefs, increase or maintain your involvement.
    * Use a variety of mthods to reduce stress.  Consider exercise, nutrition, hobbies,
       positive thinking and relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga.

    * Allow workers time to recharge after periods of intense or demanding work.
    * Important information that significantly affects employees is best transmitted
       face-to-face.
    * Encourage positive social interactions between staff and promote problem solving
       around work issues and increase emotional support.
    * Staff need a balance between privacy and social interaction at work. Extremes
       can generate stress.
    * Avoid electronic monitoring of staff.  Personal supervision generates considerably
       less stress.

TNARS acknowledges the fact that stress is inevitable and can help your
employees build and maintain a healthy working lifestyle with the use of
Employee and Family Assessment Program (EFAP).  This will ultimately
bring your business great returns through increasing employee motivation
and productivity, decreasing employee  turn-over and reducing absenteeism.
One straight-to-the-point approach for reducing worker stress is to teach
employees how to cope with it or how to prevent it.

TNARS
#408 - 153 Seymour Street
Kamloops, B.C. V2C-2C7

Phone: (250) 372-2262
Fax:     (250) 828-2263

1-800-665-1095

E-Mail: tnars@kamloops.net
 

Home Page

Topics Page