Stress is a now a big problem within the workplace in the UK and is it
being tackled effectively? Many people are concerned about their jobs and many
organisations have to take measures to reduce costs; stress needs to be tackled
from the boardroom to ensure that it is a priority. So often it is now found at
work that one person is trying to do ‘two persons’ jobs. With the impact of
increasing job insecurity and larger workloads on UK workforce this can in time lead
to burnout.
With the most recent Absence Management Survey carried out
by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Simply
Health, it was found that stress is now the No. 1 reason of long-term sickness
absence for both manual and non-manual employees and it is the first time this
has been the case since publication of the first report 12 years ago.
Dr Jill Miller, adviser at the CIPD stated that line
managers have a crucial role to play in tackling this growing problem:
"It's a difficult time for people at the moment. At work there are pay
freezes and job uncertainty, while at home there are increased bills. Employers
need to be approachable and create a culture where they are open about the
situation and are available to answer any questions employees may have. Early
intervention is key when dealing with stress-related health problems and line
managers are well-placed to spot the early warning signs that employees are
stressed. "But to do this they need to be supported by HR, so
they are confident in holding good quality conversations and taking steps like
reducing workloads and offering flexible working," she added.
A high level of organisational change is also a major factor
in the cause of stress according to Dr Miller and is particularly prevalent in
the public sector, where 50% of respondents reported an increase stress-related
absence.
Buy-in at a strategic
level is essential and organisations should have a Stress Policy which has
been fully endorsed by the Board. This requires to be an effective and positive
action which will result in a more productive and effective workforce. There is
clear research and evidence to prove that this works and is the only way that
stress will be reduced effectively. There needs to be a ‘champion’ at board
level to oversee what is happening throughout the organisation and who is also
passionate about a clear strategic direction on how to tackle and prevent
stress within the workplace.
Many organisations
are using the term ‘wellbeing’ or ‘resilience’ as this is more positive than
giving a negative ‘stress’ theme.
When this happens it results in blurring and potential
avoidance of the problem. It leaves those who are under stress not wanting to
say how they actually feel and they may suffer in silence and then show and
demonstrate clear signs of stress. In these instances, managers may not have
been trained on how to tackle stress and are unsure how to manage it
effectively. Training managers should be seen as a top priority from board
level otherwise it will not work throughout the organisation. Only once stress
has been tackled can the next stage be effective to have a more resilient
workforce with a clear wellbeing strategy to go forward.
When managers are not aware of what to look for when someone
is under stress, or they themselves are under stress, can lead to many problems
such as bullying, intimidation and harassment. There are many good managers and
they will work with their staff to help and support them. However, on the other
hand there are managers who are actually causing stress to their team and are possibly
unaware of it. This leads to dysfunctional teams, poor performance and reduced
confidence resulting in an increase in long-term sickness absence.
Managers and HR teams are often so close to an individual(s)
that they cannot look at their case objectively instead they may think the
person is ‘at it’ when they say that they are under stress. This can have a
very negative impact on the individual leaving them in a situation that they go
off long-term sick. Instead the manager and HR professional should look not
only at the individual but those around them to establish if there is a reason
for one person claiming they are under stress. The person may be angry or
showing clear signs of stress which can be part of a more deep rooted problem
within a team.
Stress can have a major impact on our health both in the
short and long-term and it is therefore time to create better jobs which are
more focussed on an improved work and life balance.
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