Managers need to watch for symptoms of stress
By John Challis
WebMd Feature
Stress is a constant in the workplace, and people often ignore the minor symptoms of stress until they become major
problems. Employers who are able to read those symptoms in their employees will avoid lost work hours due to
stress-related illness.
That was one of the messages from Beverly Beuermann-King, a specialist in stress and depression, at a day-long
workshop on workplace stress run recently by the Parry Sound Health Unit.
Stress and depression cost United States $24.4 billion in lost time and health care each year, Ms. Beuermann-King
said.
"Simple things like irritability or changes in behaviour are signs that an employee might be under too much
pressure," said Ms. Beuermann-King. "In time, those little symptoms can turn into real physical problems, like chronic
pain, immune system failures, cancers and heart attacks.
"As employers, you need to be able to recognize your employees stress signs. Accident claims to the Workplace Safety
and Insurance Board have shown that workers under stress have the most accidents. "
The top work stressors include job dissatisfaction, physical working conditions, impossible work schedules or
workloads, unclear demands from management and fear over job security.
Ms. Beuermann-King suggested three options that employers could use to ease the stress on their workers: Remove the
stressful situation; modify the situation; or set up some buffers between the situation and the people being stressed.
As well, workplaces should have levels of social support that help people cope with stress load.
"A workplace needs to make a long-term commitment to improving the health of employees on an ongoing basis," she
said.
(John Challis is the Communications Officer for the Parry Sound Health Unit.)
WebMd Feature
Stress is a constant in the workplace, and people often ignore the minor symptoms of stress until they become major
problems. Employers who are able to read those symptoms in their employees will avoid lost work hours due to
stress-related illness.
That was one of the messages from Beverly Beuermann-King, a specialist in stress and depression, at a day-long
workshop on workplace stress run recently by the Parry Sound Health Unit.
Stress and depression cost United States $24.4 billion in lost time and health care each year, Ms. Beuermann-King
said.
"Simple things like irritability or changes in behaviour are signs that an employee might be under too much
pressure," said Ms. Beuermann-King. "In time, those little symptoms can turn into real physical problems, like chronic
pain, immune system failures, cancers and heart attacks.
"As employers, you need to be able to recognize your employees stress signs. Accident claims to the Workplace Safety
and Insurance Board have shown that workers under stress have the most accidents. "
The top work stressors include job dissatisfaction, physical working conditions, impossible work schedules or
workloads, unclear demands from management and fear over job security.
Ms. Beuermann-King suggested three options that employers could use to ease the stress on their workers: Remove the
stressful situation; modify the situation; or set up some buffers between the situation and the people being stressed.
As well, workplaces should have levels of social support that help people cope with stress load.
"A workplace needs to make a long-term commitment to improving the health of employees on an ongoing basis," she
said.
(John Challis is the Communications Officer for the Parry Sound Health Unit.)
