Workplace stress. How much is too much?

Athletes feel it before a big race.  Dramatic and performing artists feel it before a show.  That nervous energy that delivers focus and attention to detail.  That perfect balance of stress and the desire to achieve.

However, if the balance is tipped, our heightened state and preparedness to perform disintegrates.  The performer or athlete chokes.

Some people are naturally more vulnerable and susceptible to the effects of stress.  They reach unhealthy levels of anxiety more easily than their colleagues.  They experience feelings of panic and an inability to cope with their situation.  They become emotional and exhibit signs of being over-stressed.

Workers can also become physically stressed by repetitive manual tasks or movement.  Both physical and emotional stress manifests itself with reduced productivity, disenchantment with the job, irritability with colleagues and excessive sick leave.

HR managers must be adept at finding the balance.  In their job design and function they must be mindful of creating sufficient challenge to stimulate and provide satisfaction without creating unproductive stress.

They must also be able to read the warning signs from staff who demonstrate a vulnerability to workplace stress or from situations likely to create stress.  They must intervene or wear the cost.

A research team at the University of Melbourne has found “compelling evidence that workplace stress is a substantial contributor to the burden of mental illness, cardiovascular disease and other physical and mental health problems”. (Workplace stress in Victoria - developing a systems approach, 2006).

And it is not just workers at the bottom of the food chain who are at risk.  Stress and its associated effects can infiltrate all levels of organisations.  Senior managers who work excessive hours and struggle to find a work/life balance are also at risk.

Apart from the obvious cost to personal wellbeing and the healthcare system, these ailments represent an enormous cost to business.  Along with the increased incidence of occupational stress comes an increase in the cost of work-related insurance claims.

Add in the cost of lost productivity and the permeating effect on the morale and motivation of other workers and employers have a major issue to manage.

HR managers must develop clear strategies to prevent tipping the balance.  They must focus not only on where the greatest cost of claims lies (middle management in high status jobs) but on where the greatest incidence occurs (young workers in low status jobs).

The key levers for managers to focus on, are hours worked, work load, effective management, role clarity and a participative decision making environment.

Visionary managers who take a whole-of-workplace perspective on these issues are more likely to keep stress levels under control.  Make it general practice to reduce the overall stress drivers rather than only dealing with individuals with symptoms.  Closing the gate after the horse has bolted, whilst at least a reaction, does not match eliminating the potential for problems in the first place.