| According to the Australian Council of Trade | | | | · Improve employer-employee |
| Unions' (A.C.T.U.) 1997 survey, fifty per cent of | | | | communications. |
| workers had suffered some form of stress at | | | | · Provide employees with opportunities to |
| work in a 12-month period. The statistics in care | | | | socialise together. |
| professions were even higher, with the | | | | · Be understanding of employees' personal |
| Department of Education and Training in Western | | | | and family responsibilities. |
| Australia reporting in its 2002 Attitudes To | | | | · Ensure employee workloads suit their |
| Teaching Survey that seventy per cent of | | | | capabilities and resources (provide more training |
| teachers identified workplace stress as a cause | | | | and resources if not). |
| for concern in their teaching positions. | | | | · Provide support (internally or externally) |
| Stress in the workplace is becoming a major | | | | for employees who have complex stress issues. |
| concern for employers, managers and | | | | Employees can reduce their overall stress by: |
| government agencies, owing to the Occupational | | | | · Regularly exercising, as this releases |
| Health and Safety legislations requiring employers | | | | 'happy hormones'. |
| to practice 'duty of care' by providing employees | | | | · Eating a healthy diet, as stress depletes |
| with safe working environments which also cover | | | | vital nutrients. |
| the psychological wellbeing of their staff. | | | | · Getting adequate rest. |
| One of the costs, for employers, of work place | | | | · Using tea and lunch breaks to read, |
| stress is absenteeism, with the A.C.T.U. reporting | | | | listen to a relaxation CD or have a five-minute |
| that owing to stress, nearly fifty per cent of | | | | power-nap. |
| employees surveyed had taken time off work. | | | | · If appropriate, playing relaxing music at |
| Other negative effects were reductions in | | | | work and burning aromatherapy oils. |
| productivity, reduced profits, accidents, high rates | | | | · Being more organized. Get up earlier to |
| of sickness, increased workers' compensation | | | | have more time. |
| claims and high staff turnover, requiring recruiting | | | | · Delegating responsibility where possible. |
| and training of replacement staff. | | | | Say no! |
| While a certain amount of stress is needed to | | | | · Taking time out to laugh by telling |
| motivate individuals into action, prolonged stress | | | | someone a joke. Start a laughter group: by |
| can have a huge impact on overall health. More | | | | standing in a circle and all forcing a big laugh, it will |
| than two-thirds of visits to doctors' surgeries are | | | | soon become real! |
| for stress-related illnesses. Stress has been linked | | | | · Avoiding caffeine and sugar. Although |
| to headaches, backaches, insomnia, anger, | | | | this may provide an instant lift it later depletes |
| cramps, elevated blood pressure, chronic fatigue | | | | the body of energy and nutrients. |
| syndrome, fibromyalgia and lowered resistance to | | | | · Taking time to do things that bring |
| infection. For women, stress is a key factor in | | | | enjoyment and pleasure. |
| hormonal imbalances resulting in menstrual | | | | · Making the work environment |
| irregularities, PMS, fibroids, endometriosis and | | | | pleasurable. Have relaxing sounds in the form of |
| fertility problems. Stress can also be a factor in | | | | music or a water fountain. Have enjoyable smells |
| the development of almost all disease states | | | | by burning candles or aromatherapy oils. Hang |
| including cancer and heart disease. | | | | beautiful pictures or posters on the walls; have |
| Each profession has its own unique factors that | | | | photos or flowers on the desk. |
| may cause stress; below are some causes of | | | | · Taking care of their overall health and |
| stress that cross many professions: | | | | wellbeing by practising good self-care. |
| · Increased workload | | | | · Keep a journal that monitors dates and |
| · Organizational changes | | | | times of stress to detect re-occurring patterns |
| · Lack of recognition | | | | and to help you discover changes you may need |
| · High demands | | | | to make. |
| · Lack of support | | | | Sometimes trying to implement change (even for |
| · Personal and family issues | | | | the better) can itself cause stress and prevent a |
| · Poor work organization | | | | person remaining motivated. In this case it's |
| · Lack of training | | | | important to get support for your stress from a |
| · Long or difficult hours | | | | counsellor, doctor, naturopath, friend, peer or life |
| · Inadequate staff numbers and | | | | coach who specializes in stress issues. |
| resources | | | | The benefits of a systematic and joint approach |
| · Poor management communication | | | | to reducing work stress are: |
| · Lack of control or input | | | | · Increased productivity |
| So what can be done to effectively manage | | | | · Decrease in absenteeism |
| workplace stress? | | | | · Improved morale |
| Organizations can: | | | | · Decrease in workers' compensation |
| · Educate their employees to recognise | | | | claims |
| the signs of stress. | | | | · Reduction in workplace accidents |
| · Where possible, give their employees | | | | The most important benefit in reducing workplace |
| the chance to be involved in decisions and actions | | | | stress is that it will promote a pleasant work |
| that affect their jobs. | | | | environment for all. |