STRESS IN THE JOB

There are many reasons 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 supervisors, 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 uncomfortable furniture -- 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.

SOME TIPS FOR FIGHTING STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE:

    * 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 methods to reduce stress.  Consider exercise, nutrition, hobbies,  positive thinking and relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga.

FOR THE WORKPLACE:

    * 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.

CVCCS 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.