STRESS AT WORK

• 03.01 - Definition of stress
  
• 03.02 - Approaches for the stress at work problem
  
• 03.03 - Stress symptoms
• 03.04 - Examples of stressful factors at the workplace
• 03.05 - Stressful work characteristics – Work content
• 03.06 - Stress Handling Strategies
• 03.07 - Is there a stress related problem in my work place?
  
  

• “One of the ‘sins’ in the area of work related health is the carrying out of isolated extensive research on the causes and the results of stress at work and the lack of any further actions: the diagnosis without therapy and prevention. This attitude not only prolongs the damage on the health of the employees, but constitutes an insult towards them.”
  

Approaches for the stress at work problem

• Primary prevention: identification and reduction of the sources of stress at work and outside work
  
• Secondary prevention: The reduction of the extent of the effects of stress before they lead to serious health problems (‘stress management’)
  
• Tertiary prevention: Provision of therapeutic services to employees
  

In this chapter we will deal only with the primary prevention aspect because it can be identified and managed by the employees themselves.

In order to better understand stress at work we will provide its different symptoms when an employee goes through a stressful condition. These symptoms are easily identifiable.

When the human body is in a condition of stress a number of different changes occur such as:

• The rate of breathing is increased and it usually causes ‘loss of breathe’
  
• The retina of the eye is diluted and the eyes are adjusted so that one can see far
  
• Increased sweating
  
• Reduced excretion of peptic fluids
  
• Increased heart rate
  
• Dilution of the blood vessels in the heart muscle and the muscles of the hands and legs and contraction of the vessels in the rest of the body
  
• Reduced intestinal activity
  
  

Stress symptoms

1. Physiological
   Chest pains, frequent colds (influenza), muscle pains (neck and back), inability to go to sleep, reduced appetite, increased sweating, incompetence, apathy, loss of consciousness, nausea, diarrhoea or constipation, reduced libido, intense or continuous sense of fatigue, frequent dyspepsia, getting tired easily, neural spasms, frequent cramps and muscle spasms, headaches, migraines, colic ulcers, period problems, itching, palpitations, terror and anxiety, lower temperature of the hands and feet, loss of weight
   
   
2. Mental
   Inability to concentrate, reduced memory , confusion, loss of sense of humour, empty mind syndrome, inability to take decisions, inability to complete a task, reduced efficiency.
   
   
3. Behaviour
   Excessive drinking of alcohol, neurotic behaviour (e.g. Nail biting , chewing of hair), braking of things, crying, hypersensitivity to other colleagues, claustrophobia, hypochondriac attacks, accident prone, addiction to pharmacological substances, marriage problems, continual irritation, loud noise and shouting, inappropriate behaviour and swearing, physical violence, partly or total loss of control, loss of interest, unpredictable mood changes, extreme optimism/ pessimism, increased absenteeism, neglecting external appearance, extreme appetite or loss of it, increased intake of caffeine, inability to face the daily problems in life
   
   
4. Emotional – Psychological
   Hypersensitivity with others, anger (real or depressed), depression , feeling of helplessness, pessimistic attitudes, disappointment, resigned, continual and undefined fear, sense of guilt and or shame, inability to express emotions, personality disturbances, lack of interest for life, fear for the future, paranoia and a feeling of loneliness, failure, animosity and incompetence.
   

Not all the above symptoms will be observed in one person under stress but some of the symptoms, depending on the internal resistance of each individual as well as the way each person experiences the intensity of stress.

Examples of stressful factors at the workplace

• Contradiction or asymmetry between responsibility and authority
  
• Confused instructions and role: e.g. a departmental head asking a clerk to make sure that a loan is ‘offered’ to a client
  
• Discrimination and mishandling of employees and clients, incompetence: e.g. acceptance of work that is not compatible with the employee’s competence and competencies
  
• Mistakes that result in financial loss e.g. loss making loans
  
• Confused organisational and personal targets.
  
• Lack of appreciation or award: e.g. the absence of award for an exceptional performance creates the feeling that the whole effort was not worth or was not adequate.
  
• Limiting the scope of activity: e.g. the manager delegates the work to an employee but the manager limits the ability of the employee to act independently in order to carry out the work. The manager decides how the work is going to be carried out.
  
  

Stressful work characteristics – Work content

Stress Handling Strategies

• Control stress,
  
• Redesign of the work programme,
  
• Improved training,
  
• Job enrichment,
  
• Improve the level of employee involvement in decisions at their level,
  
• Develop review and coaching systems,
  
• Career development,
  
• Team work/ social support
  

Basic Principles

• Researchers/ Consultants (suggest, do not impose),
  
• The experts are the employees themselves,
  
• The whole process must involve the approval and participation of the employees,
  
• Support from top management.
  
• Prevention- not just therapy
  
• Training by itself is inadequate, it must be combined with time management and confidence building programmes,
  
• Individual interventions by are not by themselves adequate,
  
• The reduction of risk is only possible through the improvement of the design and management of work,
  
• Organisational interventions are more effective.
  
  

Is there a stress related problem in my work place?

The answers that you are going to give in the following questions will help you to identify if there is a stress related problem at your workplace.

Environment

• Do you have the idea that in order to get promoted or keep your job you are obliged to work beyond the working hours?
  
• The feeling of stress is considered a weakness or is taken seriously?
  
• Is the value of your job or your suggestions appreciated?
  
• Do you have the feeling that you have to do even more in less available time?
  

Requirements

• Are you assigned excess work load that must be carried out in very short time?
  
• Do you think that your work is extremely difficult?
  
• Do you have job satisfaction?
  
• Do you feel bored while at work?
  
• Are you irritated by excessive noise in your workplace? Is the temperature adequate? Is there anything wrong with the ventilation and lighting?
  
• Are you worried by the risk of possible violent action by the customers or people in the area?
  

Control

• Can you affect the way your work is carried out?
  
• Do you participate in the decision making process?
  
• Interpersonal relationships
  
• Do you have a good relationship with your manager?
  
• If you are a manager, what are your relationships with your colleagues or your staff?
  
• Are you harassed in your work place, for example have you been the victim of insults or aggressive behaviour or any of your managers abuse their power?
  
• Have you been mistreated due to the colour of your skin, your gender, national descent or disability etc?
  

Changes

• Are you provided with information that relate to changes in your workplace?
  
• Do you participate in the formation of changes in your workplace?
  
• Have you been provided support during the changes?
  
• Do you have the impression that the changes are too much or inadequate?
  

Role

• Do you have a clear picture about the nature of your work and your responsibilities?
  
• Are you obliged to carry out duties that are not part of your work?
  
• Have there been cases of conflicting roles?
  

Support

• Do you have the support of you manager and colleagues?
  
• Is good work appreciated?
  
• Have you been given constructive comments or you feel that you are continually criticised?
  

Training

• Do you have the necessary competencies to carry out your work?
  
• Are you encouraged to improve your competencies?