DECEMBER 2017 | 23
News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
THE COST OF STRESS
IN THE WORKPLACE
Pressure is part and parcel of most work environments and to an extent, our modern way of
life. At an appropriate level, pressure can help us to maintain our motivation and the ability
to get things done. But unquestionably there is a tipping point. Workplace psychologist
Jackie Casey discusses how sustained excessive pressure can have a detrimental effect.
Stress is right up there
amongst the biggest problems
encountered in British workplac-
es - with the cost to the economy
being estimated at a staggering
£3.7 billion per year - according
to government statistics.
In 2015/2016 there were
488,000 workers who sited stress
as a reason for absence - meaning
that for every 100,000 workers
approximately 1,510 workers
suffered stress, anxiety or depres-
sion. This is an increase of 48,000
reported cases on the 2014/15
figures.
Taking into consideration the
immeasurable personal cost, both
emotional and physical - com-
bined with the financial impact
on businesses, healthcare services
and ultimately the economy - then
the effect on the country and our
workforce is immense.
The origins of stress and anxie-
ty lie deep within our DNA - our
genetic self-preservation mech-
anism. Our brains respond to a
perceived threat by sending a
signal to the adrenal cortex which
produces adrenaline and cortisol.
Both do slightly different things
but cause us to be able to respond
very quickly and at the same time
signalling the body to increase ox-
ygen and glucose to areas of the
body that need to be mobilised.
The heart rate and blood pressure
will increase in order to fight, run
or freeze. At the same time, these
neurotransmitters reduce any
non-essential body functions.
If we cannot use this energy
and respond to events as the
body expects, the chemicals stay
in the body reducing our ability
for higher level thinking, affect-
ing our digestive system, our
immune system, our mood and
sleep pattern - all of which can be
identified as a primary cause of
the body becoming sick.
The law requires the employer
to take action when harm to an
employee’s health is foreseeable.
It is expected that an employee
can cope with the normal pres-
sures of a job unless companies
are aware of a particular prob-
lem.
There is a strong business
rationale for promoting good
mental health and well-being and
minimising work-related stress.
Most companies have work relat-
ed stress problems even if they
and their employees do not refer
to them as such.
It is good business practice to
make sure your organisation has
effective policies and procedures.
Your Health and Safety policy,
which is a legal requirement,
could have a section devoted to
stress and mental health. Business-
es also have other legal duties,
including the responsibility to do
suitable and sufficient risk assess-
ments.
Organisations have a duty of
care to employees and whilst
trips and falls and other physi-
cal ailments can be tracked and
checked, it is much more difficult
to mitigate for stress. It is use-
ful and appropriate to provide
guidance and training on handling
stress - being willing to commit
sufficient resources to run any
health and wellbeing project prop-
erly and implement interventions
resulting from action plans. A
good first step is training at board
level - commitment from senior
management