In March 2000 the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) released a CD-Rom entitled Business Excellence 2000. The CBI invited Gill Tree to be the advisor on Stress and Stress Management. Please see her report below;

The industrial diseases of the 19th and 20th century, such as asbestosis, are thankfully on the way out, but another insidious hidden problem has taken their place; stress.

The mines and pits have been replaced by the call centre and the trading floor and so serious has the problem of stress and mental ill health become in the streamlined, downside workplace of the 21st century, that there is a growing call for the Health and Safety Executive to introduce specific legislation to manage it.

Employers currently do have a responsibility to their staff to ensure their safety under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and this includes minimising risks to health due to stress.

Dr Peter Graham, Head of the Health Directorate at the HSE, is urging companies, for their own good, to move well beyond their legal obligations.

There is no doubt that stress in the workplace has increased. The facts speak for themselves;

“Stress in the workplace may be costing businesses £12 billion a year” -The Health Education Authority 1999

“Stress is likely to become one of the most significant risks to businesses and employers in the short term” says a big insurance company quoted in a recent survey. British Safety Council 1999

“A survey of more than 300 organisations showed that one in five companies, with more than 1,000 staff, described stress as a major problem”- Gee Publishing 1999

“ 30 times more working days were lost as a result of stress-related mental illness than industrial disputes” - C.B.I 1995

“80 million workdays are lost each year through emotional difficulties” - Department of Health

“70% o f GP visits are for stress-related complaints” - International Stress Management Association

“Two thirds of trade-union health and safety officers said stress was their biggest concern” when surveyed by the TUC in 1996. The TUC is currently quoting 470 union-backed cases related to stress currently being pursued.



Three causes of stress have been identified by Essentials for Health:
Organisational
Life events
Ourselves!!

Organisational Causes of Stress

Increased workload/excessive workload Job insecurity Rapid change Long working hours Work intruding into home life Continual crisis management Poor communication Lack of recognition Personality factors No work culture or support Bullying Sexism Employee complaints Managers Not enough work Harassment Too much work Racism

Work too repetitive People who don't deliver Too many rules Lack of interest Appraisals Lack of trust Fear of redundancy Being isolated Fear of redeployment Boring work Threat of others being better No involvement in decision making Lack of promotion opportunities Lack of interest of manager Lack of support from manager

Environmental Factors

Poor work environment Air-conditioning Central Heating Noise VDU'S

Lack of space Light Phones Travelling

Working with managers to develop a heightened awareness of stress within your organisation and developing strategies to reduce it will help ensure that you are complying with legislation

Life Events
No matter how professional your staff, it is sometimes impossible to prevent their private lives from encroaching on their work.

Employee assistance schemes (EAP’S) and counselling have been in place in the UK for more than twenty years and are proving cost effective, according to the EAP Association. A third of the US workforce is now thought to be covered by a programme and in the UK, where programmes are available, usage varies from 2 per cent to 30 per cent of the workforce. A usual EAP will consist of up to eight one hour sessions, covering issues such as financial and legal problems and one to one counselling.

Ourselves
We all have moments of courage, confidence, certainty, productiveness, joy, contentedness, achievement, inspiration, creativity..... Yet sometimes along the way people lose their direction, drive and commitment.
Stress management for your staff can help to "unpeel layers of the onion"; blocks and barriers that have developed over time to quash a person's potential, for example:

Negative or set ways of thinking Stressors Loss of confidence Loss of direction

Loss of motivation Lack of self belief Poor communication Loss of energy

Stress at work can lead to any number of problems including:
Accidents
Absenteeism and lateness (often masked by other health problems)
High staff turnover and recruitment problems
Low production and missed targets
Grievances, aggression and conflict
Poor decision making and frequent mistakes
Reluctance to take risks and lack of creativity
Poor communication and interdepartmental relations, a lack of team-working
Poor customer care, surly or churlish service
Resistance to change, short-termism and 'fire-fighting'
Low moral, anti-organisation feelings, destructive criticism
A blame culture and lack of learning


Although stress is becoming a constant factor in our daily lives, its effects can be reduced with the aid of sensitive training in stress management techniques. Many organisations are realising this and are taking positive steps to reduce stress in the workplace. The costs of addressing stress will usually be recouped in savings from reduced absenteeism, lower staff turnover and higher productivity. There is a greater sense of staff loyalty, teams become more effective, and the working environment feels happier as people are better equipped to enjoy their work.

Providing your staff with the opportunity to gather the tools necessary to combat stress is a valuable investment in your workforce, not only because of the direct benefit to your organisation, but also as a way of showing your staff that they are acknowledged and appreciated. Something as simple as this can go a long way to creating a happier and more productive working environment.

Essentials for Health can provide your managers and staff with the ability to reduce stress, both at an individual and organisational level.