All You Need To Know About Work-related Stress
By Carole Spiers, Wed Dec 7th

November 2004's publication of the Health and Safety Executive'snew Management Standards for work-related stress has focused theminds of many organisations on this increasingly seriousworkplace hazard. But what are the differences between pressureand stress? What are the telltale signs and symptoms? What's thecurrent legal position? And what role should managers be playingin helping to combat work-related stress?

Pressure or stress? Many people are confused about what stressis, and in particular the difference between pressure andstress: *Pressure is the stimulation and challenge we need toachieve job satisfaction and self-esteem. *Stress is a reactionto continued excessive pressure or responsibility when we feelinadequate and unable to cope.

Ever since prehistoric times, the 'stress response' has been amechanism that our bodies have used to help us cope with danger.As soon as we're aware that something is threatening us, ourbrain sends messages to our nervous system to either get readyto stand and fight, or run away. Unfortunately, whereas in StoneAge times we would usually have time to recover from the life ordeath encounters that triggered the response, in the modernworld we're confronted with a continuous stream of 'stressors'that our bodies perceive as threats, and react to accordingly.

Today, these could include financial pressures, fear ofredundancy, overwork, deadline pressures or an importantbusiness presentation. The constant, ongoing pressure resultingfrom these stressors is different to the more immediate dangersthat our stress response was designed to cope with. And it's atthe point at which our bodies cannot recover from thesepressures that we can begin to experience stress.

The scale of the problem According to the latest figures fromthe HSE: *about half a million people in the UK experiencework-related stress at a level they believe is making them ill *up to 5 million people in the UK feel 'very' or 'extremely'stressed by their work *work-related stress costs society about£3.7 billion every year (1995/6 prices)

Telltale signs and symptoms Depending on the individual, stresscan manifest itself in many different ways. The table provides asummary some of the most common physical, psychological andbehavioural reactions.

Typical Stress Reactions PhysicalPsychological BehaviouralPalpitations, awareness of heart beating, chest painsMoodswingsSusceptibility to accidents Diarrhoea, constipation,flatulencePanic attacksChanges in eating habits IndigestionMorbid thoughtsIncreased smoking Loss of libidoLow self-esteemRestlessness, hyperactivity, foot tapping Muscle tensionIrritabilityOver-dependence on drugs and/or alcohol MenstrualproblemsFeeling of helplessnessChanges in sleep patternsTirednessImpatienceOut of character behaviour BreathlessnessAnxietyVoluntary withdrawal from supportive relationshipsSweatingCryingDisregard for personal appearance Tightness inthe chest Cynicism Loss of confidence

Skin and scalp irritation, eczema and psoriasisWithdrawal intodaydreamsSullen attitude Increased susceptibility to allergiesIntrusive thoughts or imagesClenched fists Frequent colds, fluor other infections Nightmares Obsessive mannerisms Rapidweight gain or lossSuicidal feelingsIncreased absence fromwork Backache, neck painParanoid thinkingAggressivenessMigraines and tension headaches Guilt Poor time management

The current legal position As well as acting as an unnecessarydrain on the economy, workplace stress is also the subject ofincreasing government legislation: *Section 2 of the Health andSafety at Work etc Act (1974) lays out the broad principles ofan employer's 'duty of care' to ensure, as far as reasonablypossible, the health (including mental health), safety andwelfare of all employees whilst at work, and to create safe andhealthy working systems. This general duty of care includespre-emptive action to prevent and control work-related stress. *Many employers do not realise that since the publication of theManagement of Health & Safety at Work Regulations (1999), allorganisations with five or more employees have also had a legalduty to conduct regular risk assessments of workplace hazards,including

psychosocial hazards such as stress. These assessmentsshould then be used to identify and either avoid or reduce suchhazards. *On 3 November 2004, the HSE published its newManagement Standards for work-related stress - designed to helpensure that organisations address key aspects of workplacestress (or 'risk factors') including demands, control, support,relationships, role and change. *While the Standards themselvesdo not impose a legal duty on organisations, breach of theapplicable regulations could lead to criminal prosecution, orclaims for compensation through the civil courts.

So what can managers do? The Management Standards are all abouthighlighting potential areas of stress, and encouragingemployers to take action to reduce these - with the goal ofmatching the performance of the top 20% of organisations thatare already doing this. If you think your organisation may beexperiencing problems due to workplace stress, it will thereforeneed to take a proactive approach to tackling it: *Manyorganisations face deadline pressures or sudden changes in workdemands, and employees need the necessary training andexperience to meet the ever-increasing demands made on them.Examples include training in resilience, time management,communication skills, and - for managers in particular - stressawareness enabling them to recognise the early warning signs ofstress in themselves and others. *Where employees have beenforced to take time away from work as a result of stress, theirrehabilitation back to work needs to be carefully managed. *Forthose employees who require specialist support, EmployeeAssistance Programmes and counselling services are a vitalcomponent in employee wellbeing. *Training in communication(and particularly active listening) skills is essential to helpensure that managers are aware of their team members' problemsand in a position to offer early interventions to resolve these.

Ultimately, reducing workplace stress is largely a matter ofcommon sense and good management practice, and simply requiresemployers and employees to work together for the common good.Both share a joint responsibility for reducing stress - which,when this is successful, can help employees to enjoy their workmore, and businesses to thrive as a result.

About The Author Carole Spiers combines three roles ofbroadcaster, journalist and corporate manager in the challengingfield of stress management and employee wellbeing.

With 20 years as a top industry guru on stress management andwellbeing, Carole's energy and dynamism extends to providingprofessional comment to media including television (BBC, ITV,Sky, NBC, CNN), print (Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, trade andprofessional journals) and countless radio interviews.

A successful entrepreneur herself, Carole is the founder and MDof the Carole Spiers Group - a dynamic, niche consultancy, andthe UK's No. 1 provider of Stress Management and EmployeeWellbeing from the shop floor to the Boardroom

A former Chairperson of the International Stress ManagementAssociationUK, Carole was instrumental in establishing NationalStress Awareness Day™. Carole acts as an Expert Witness onStress Risk Assessment before the Courts, and is the author ofTolley's 'Managing Stress in the Workplace'.

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Contact us to receive our FREE Special report 'The Ten MostFrequently Asked Questions About Stress' please emailsb@carolespiersgroup.com

For more information on CSG'S services, including in-house andpublic training, stress policy, stress audit, risk assessment,attendance management, rehabilitation support, post traumasupport, mediation, impartial investigations, expert witness,nationwide employee counselling team, coaching and mentoringservices, please contact us:

Carole Spiers Group International Stress Management & EmployeeWellbeing Consultancy Gordon House, 83-85 Gordon Ave, Stanmore,Middlesex. HA7 3QR. UK Tel: +44(0) 20 8954 1593 Fax: +44(0) 208907 9290 Email: info@carolespiersgroup.comwww.carolespiersgroup.com

About the author:Carole Spiers combines three roles of Broadcaster, Journalistand Corporate Manager in the challenging field of stressmanagement and employee wellbeing. Carole is frequently calledupon by the national and international media and provideskeynote presentation