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STRESS & WORK RELATED DISEASES


“45% OF STAFF AT ARE EXP WITHOU


BEATING EMPLOYEE STRESS


One in five of us have called in sick due to stress at some point in our working lives. Beate O’Neil, Head of Wellness Consulting at Punter Southall Health & Protection Consulting (PSHPC), shares her advice on how employers can keep staff on an even keel.


Approximately 10.8 million working days are lost in the UK each year due to stress and one in five people have called in sick due to stress at some time, but 93% of those lied about their reason for absence. But what exactly is stress, what causes it and what can individuals and employers do to help prevent and deal with it?


The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) defines work-related stress as: ‘the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work’.


Research carried out by Mind last year suggests that employers aren’t doing enough to tackle stress


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and employees are subsequently suffering in silence. Out of the workers surveyed by the charity, 45% said that staff at their organisation are expected to cope without mentioning stress at work and a third (31%) said that they would not be able to talk openly to their line manager if they felt stressed.


Stress symptoms are numerous and diverse. They include aggression, withdrawal and non-responsiveness, increased heart rate, cold sweats, panic attacks, inability to cope with very standard tasks and unreasonable fears. In addition, sufferers could have a change of appetite, become


dependant on alcohol, nicotine or recreational drugs and feel, among other things, agitated, overwhelmed and pessimistic.


MANAGE EMPLOYEE


STRESS BETTER For managers to have the opportunity to recognise symptoms, it is important that they meet their staff on a one- to-one basis and adopt a supportive environment with an “open door” approach, whereby staff feel they can call on them to discuss any problems they’re having.


Employees also need reassurance that reporting concerns about


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