Beating workplace stress

We often hear the word "stress" especially in relation to work. Most people say they are stressed out at work due to the tight deadlines and workplace pressures. This is an often overlooked aspect of workplace health and safety. Workplace (physical) accidents are better known, because there is more exposure on that issue.

This year's World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which fell last week (April 28) focused on this critical issue in the backdrop of many workers facing greater pressure to meet the demands of modern working life. It is an annual international campaign to promote safe, healthy and decent work. It has been observed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2003. The date (28 April) has also long been associated with the world's trade union movement's commemoration of the victims of occupational accidents and diseases and is also tantalizingly close to May Day, the biggest celebration of the working class.

Expectations

Psycho-social risks such as increased competition, higher expectations on performance and longer working hours are contributing to the workplace becoming an ever more stressful environment. Hence this year's theme - "Workplace Stress: A Collective Challenge". In fact, work-related stress is now generally acknowledged as a global issue affecting all countries, all professions and all male and female workers both in developed and developing countries. The impact of workplace stress should not be underestimated, it accounts for 50-60% of lost working days in any organisation according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. Workplace stress also leads to physical problems (such as weight loss, weight gain, sleep loss, headcahes) and mental problems (depression, lack of focus).

Every year some two million men and women around the world lose their lives through accidents and diseases linked to their work. Working in hazardous and stressful conditions is actually a daily, routine and unseen affair for many workers. In addition, there are 270 million occupational accidents and 160 million occupational diseases each year. Four per cent of global gross domestic product, equivalent to an astounding US$ 2.8 trillion, is drained off annually by costs related to lost working time, interruptions in production, treatment of occupational injuries and diseases, rehabilitation and compensation.

Injuries

Over 313 million workers suffer non-fatal occupational injuries each year, equating to 860,000 people injured on the job daily. Every single day, 6,400 people die from an occupational accident or disease. Every 15 seconds, a worker dies from a work-related accident or disease. Every 15 seconds, 160 workers have a work-related accident.

Work-related accidents or diseases can definitely be placed in the high-burden category of all global health problems. However, fatalities, accidents and illness at work are preventable if the right precautions are observed. Wearing the right kind of safety clothing, from hard hats to gloves, can make a difference. It also calls for a bit of discipline from the workforce - for example, long hair and clothes which can get entangled in machinery is generally taboo at many factories for obvious reasons. Constant training on safety aspects is also essential.

Moreover, all workplaces, especially those with machinery of any kind, should have someone in charge of safety, such as a Safety Assurance Officer. They should also possess an on-call medical team and an ambulance. This is a matter of life and death, because waiting even five minutes for an outside ambulance could prove to be dangerous for the victim.

Culture

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), all countries must forge a national occupational safety and health culture. "It is one in which the right to a safe and healthy working environment is respected at all levels, where governments, employers and workers actively participate in securing a safe and healthy working environment through a system of defined rights, responsibilities and duties, and where the highest priority is accorded to the principle of prevention," says the ILO.

While injuries and fatalities are commonplace in vocations such as construction, mining, heavy vehicular transport, machinery operations and industries, there are plenty of other vocations which are seemingly safe but no less dangerous at least from the aspect of stress. Many [white collar] professionals find their working environment extremely challenging and stressful as their superiors have very high expectations that may sometimes be not possible to achieve in a given time period.

Problems at home can affect one's performance at work as it is often difficult to concentrate on work with other things in mind. It also flows the other way - due to our 24/7 lifestyles and workplace demands, it is often difficult to switch off completely from work even at home. Thus it is very difficult for most people to mark a clear boundary between home and office, which leads to more stress overall.

Challenge

Strange as it may seem, there are also people who thrive on the challenge of workplace stress. These people say that as they near a deadline the added pressure and stress may make them more focused and creative. Thus a high-octane stressful environment can motivate some people and increase productivity. However, it is important to channel this energy in the proper way.

It is important for all organisations to accept the fact that workplace stress exists and it is generally unhealthy, except in the cases outlined above. It is not strictly necessary to have counselors or psychiatrists on board, but superiors should have a chat with their employees to identify any areas that may lead to stress and address those concerns. Sometimes it might be a question of changing working locations, patterns, times or processes that lessen the impact of stress on individuals. A simple matter such as the lack of light can trigger stress in an individual so organisations should look at the whole picture.

Solution

It is also vital to support employees who may show signs of stress. If they have someone they can talk with, it might lessen the impact. Informal gatherings out of the office can also benefit these stress-prone employees. In fact, the term "de-stress" has come into vogue recently to describe various methods used to get away from stress. Maintaining a healthy workplace with plenty of light and air and a minimum of clutter is another suggestion often prescribed by de-stress gurus. Also, why not encourage staffers to engage in meditation and exercise for a few minutes every day, whether at home or another place away from the office ?

There is no single solution for workplace stress and it cannot be eliminated from our lives altogether in today's commercialized world. But one can certainly reduce it through various means until it is no longer an adverse factor for work and day-to-day life. A stress-free workplace is a happier, snappier, more productive workplace.