Recognising stress in the workplace

What is it?

We all experience stress to some degree. A certain level of stress is beneficial, helping to motivate us and keep us alert, but when stress goes beyond a manageable level it can impact daily life.

When stressed, the body responds in a variety of ways that are thought to increase the chances of surviving any crisis or challenge. This reaction is commonly known as the ‘fight/flight’ response.

It is only when the demands placed on us outweigh our ability to cope that stress begins to have a negative impact on us. Stress is not an illness, but when there is a perceived imbalance between sources of stress and our ability to cope, we are likely to develop physical and/or emotional signs of stress; excessive and prolonged exposure could lead to mental or physical health issues.

How does it affect people?

Individuals may experience a range of physical symptoms, such as chest pains, dizziness, breathlessness and stomach upsets; as well as psychological symptoms such as poor sleep, lack of appetite, tiredness, difficulty in concentrating and tearfulness or irritability.

How is it treated?

Stress itself is not a medical condition, and there is no specific treatment. Managing the situation requires identification of the issues that are causing pressure and developing a plan to deal with those. Failure to do so or high levels of stress over a long period can sometimes lead to a more significant mental health problem such as anxiety or depression. For this reason, it is important to address the problems generating stress and not ignore the situation.

What can cause work-related stress?

Stress is one of the biggest causes of employee absence and one of the most difficult issues to manage. It may affect an individual’s performance at work, leading to short frequent sickness absence, poor concentration, forgetfulness, behaviour that’s out of character and poor decision making.

The majority of people who have time off with stress will return to work within a few days. When the stress leads to anxiety or depression the employee is likely to be away from work for longer.

Typical sources of stress within the workplace can include:

Demands of the job – Employees can often become overwhelmed and overloaded if they are not able to fulfil what is expected of them. This could be due to excessive work loads, the type of work, lack of training or insufficient time. These demands may be real or imagined but the effect is the same if not managed effectively.
Control – Having no control over working processes, working hours or the general working environment can lead individuals to become dissatisfied, affecting their performance.
Support – A lack of leadership shown by management as well as poor communication and inadequate training can all contribute to stress in the workplace. Employees need to feel they can talk to their managers about issues that are troubling them, and to feel confident about how to perform their duties.
Relationships – Poor working relationships with colleagues and peers may result in isolation, bullying and harassment, or violence. Failure to build relationships based on trust and honesty could lead to discipline and behavioural problems.
Role – Employees may become anxious if they are not clear about the boundaries of their role, what is expected of them, when and by whom, or if there are conflicting roles. Anxieties may also increase where job content is meaningless or monotonous, lacking in variety and stimulation.
Change – Change in the workplace can lead to the threat of losing something valuable or important, creating insecurities and fear. Change needs to be managed effectively; employees who feel they have no input into the way change is implemented or managed can be left feeling insecure and uncertain about their future.

What do I need to do as the manager?

Below are some steps to consider if an employee reports to you that they are suffering with symptoms of stress:

Take the time to speak to them in private. Many employees may feel reluctant to talk about stress at work, due to the stigma attached to it.
Remember that an individuals’ perception of how things are will differ from yours.
Ask them to identify the ‘triggers’ that make them feel stressed (also known as stressors).
Identify how their ability to perform their normal duties is affected.
Understand that the causes of stress are always multiple, so are likely to include work and personal factors.
Do not pry into those areas that are not relevant to work.
Signpost the employee onto internal or external support.
Consider carrying out a stress risk assessment. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) include a template you can alter as needed. HSE also has guidance on management standards and more information about managing stress in the workplace.
Where work related stressors are identified develop an action plan to address these.
Consider making temporary modifications to an employee’s job role to support them to remain at work.
Once the problem has been identified, work with the employee to look at practical steps that can be agreed to help reduce stress levels.

Supporting a return to work

If an individual has been off work with stress, the symptoms and feelings they’ve experienced can be extremely varied. On their return to work, go through the same checklist above to identify problem areas and whether job modifications are necessary. Consider having a review every two to three days initially, and if all is well, make them weekly after the first fortnight.

Increase their workload in stages to help facilitate their return to work on full duties. Work modifications should only be necessary for a maximum of four weeks, unless you have identified deeper workplace issues using the HSE management standards, which may require a permanent change.

If someone has been off work with stress, it is possible that a recurrence of the same or similar triggers could lead to further absence in the future. If the stress is related to work then you should identify and implement the necessary actions. Most individuals can also benefit from improving their coping skills using techniques such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and developing resilience to stressful events. Access to such approaches can be via their GP or via internal routes if available – such as an employee assistance programme (EAP). Counselling can also be effective in helping employees to deal with workplace stress. There is also online support that you can signpost the employee to, including Mind, Samaritans, and the NHS.

After your initial meeting arrange a follow-up to check how your colleague is coping and whether further changes or support are needed. Keep regular touch-points going forward so you can continue to monitor how they are doing.