Stress at work

Pressure is part and parcel of all work and helps to keep us motivated. But excessive pressure can lead to stress, which undermines performance, is costly to employers and can make people ill.

If you begin to feel that the amount of stress at work is getting to you then you should speak to your manager or someone else you feel comfortable talking to in your organisation. If it is work-related, your employer has a duty to take reasonable steps to try to resolve the problem. If it is not work-related they may be able to support you in some way or help to take some pressure off you at work while you resolve the stress in your personal life.

It is important to take action at a personal level and to review your lifestyle to see if you can identify any contributing factors. A simple checklist might include:

  • making sure your not always eating on the run between meetings
  • cutting down smoking, or drinking excessively
  • not always rushing around to me available to everyone
  • not doing several jobs at once
  • not always missing breaks or taking work home with you
  •  making sure you have time for exercise and relaxation

In some cases, prolonged stress can lead to physical and/or mental ill health. If you think you are currently experiencing stress-related ill health you may benefit from a discussion with your GP.

If thigs get more serious and you could face disciplinary action then, depending on the circumstances you will need to consider who else it would be appropriate to involve. For example a Trade Union/employee representative or if you have been off work for some time due to excessive pressure  you may wish to involve a GP or psychiatrist.

The key to resolving such issues at work is to make sure that all relevant parties are working towards the same goals which bascically boil down to:

  • understand the situation, including causes and possible solutions
  • provide support to the individual
  • develop a plan to tackle the causes of stress that is acceptable to all, particularly to the individual and their line manager.