Signs of Stress in The Workplace:
The following are the three stages of stress that can occur at work:
(Stress Arousal Stage)
- Persistent irritability and anxiety
- Bruxism and/or Insomnia
- Occasional forgetfulness and/or inability to concentrate
- Overload and Burnout
(Stress Resistance Stage)
- Absenteeism or tardiness for work
- Tired and fatigued for no reason
- Procrastination and indecision
- Social withdrawal with cynicism Resentful, indifferent, defiant Increased use of coffee, alcohol, tobacco, etc.
(Severe Exhaustion Stage)
- Chronic sadness or depression
- Chronic mental and physical fatigue
- Chronic stress related illnesses (headache, stomach ache, bowel problems, etc.) Isolation, withdrawal, self-destructive thoughts
How stressful is your job?
Every job has different pressures, but the most stressful are linked through certain common characteristics. They include jobs where there a number of changes occur such as health care and teaching, which are often deemed high risk. Other high-risk areas include jobs where there is a lot of downsizing or new technology involved.
Britain 's 20 most stressful jobs: (according by Professor Cary Cooper at the University of Manchester 's Institute of Science and Technology, in 1997)
- Prison officer
- Police
- Social work
- Teaching
- Ambulance service
- Nursing
- Medicine
- Fire fighting
- Dentistry
- Mining
- Armed forces
- Construction
- Management
- Acting
- Journalism
- Linguist
- Film producer
- Professional sport
- Catering/hotel industry
- Public transport
Your rights as an employee
It is very important to know your rights as a member of staff and what you are and aren’t safeguarded against by your company.
Under Section 2 of the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act, employers have a duty to safeguard the health and safety of all members of staff. Under Regulation 3 of the 1992 Management of Health and Safety at Work (MHSW) Regulations, employers are obliged to carry out an assessment of the risks in jobs and reduce these as far as possible.
These legal duties apply to occupational stress so risk assessments must be conducted.
If you think you may be suffering excessive stress levels you should talk to your GP immediately. If you want to find out about your rights in challenging conditions which are causing stress or you feel the need to take up a legal action, you should contact the Health and Safety Executive, which has an information helpline, or the TUC, which also has a helpline and publishes a leaflet outlining your working rights. |
