Work-related Stress
10 May 2024
Work-related Stress is the reaction people have to excessive work-related pressures or other types of demand placed on them. While there may be some disagreement over an exact definition, most people believe that it is a serious problem in their organisations.
Work-related Stress Surveys
Various work-related stress surveys found that stress is a significant issue at work. Majority of surveyed employees claim they had taken time off work due to stress. Basically, stress is thought to pose a relatively high risk. However, it is often the least well controlled of all risks at work.
Pressures exist in all aspects of people’s lives. There is even some evidence that we need pressure to be able to function at maximum effectiveness. Be that as it may, the responses to pressure, physical and mental, can be damaging if required to continue beyond the short term. Psychological, and physical illness caused by work-related stress can result in anxiety, depression, heart diseases and other serious medical conditions.
Work-related Stress Contributing Factors
Factors which may contribute to stress in the workplace include:
- The physical work environment (e.g., noise, cold, heat, etc.).
- Working conditions (e.g., salary, long hours, unsocial hours, travel requirements, etc.).
- Change in practices and techniques.
- Volume of work (e.g., overload).
- Work design and pace
- Roles within the organisation.
- Tension between pressures of production and safety requirements.
- Relationships with other people at work.
- Organisational style and office dynamics.
- Lack of job security.
- Poor communication, training and involvement in decision making.
There are a number of additional factors which can be a cause of work-related stress. Isolating one or more of these factors as a cause of a particular stress problem is difficult. This is because most of these factors are inter-related.
Dealing with Work-related Stress
Stress at work is believed to reduce the individual’s effectives, increase absenteeism and labour turnover. In addition, it may increase the likelihood of injury.
Each employer has an obligation to ensure that, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health of employees is not endangered in the course of their work.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has a number of useful resources that can be used in managing work related stress. For instance, one of these resources is WorkpositiveCI. WorkpositiveCI has been developed by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), State Claims Agency (SCA) and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Network Ireland. It is a free, easy to use, innovative, confidential, psychosocial risk management process that provides feedback on workplace stress. In addition, it looks into employee psychological wellbeing and critical incident exposure in the workplace. As a matter of fact, it is designed to deliver structured guidance enabling organisations to develop an action plan to mitigate against these stressors.
In addition, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has published a number of useful guidance, publications and resources on workplace stress.
Another beneficial course is a fully online Working Safely course. Working Safely is a 2 hour online course for people at any level, in any sector, that will boost business performance and staff motivation. Simply by showing how everyone can enhance their safety, health and wellbeing through everyday behaviours. The topics include importance of working safely, definitions of hazards and risks, common workplace hazards and how to improve safety performance.
Online Health and Safety Training
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearnsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
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