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Family Health Magazine
MODERN LIVING

Stress in the Workplace
A problem worth solving

If you feel stressed in your job, you are not alone. Just over half of working Canadians experience symptoms of workplace stress. One in five believes that it affects their job and career advancement. Workplace happiness is important to all of us. For society to function well, workplaces must run at full capacity. Employees should not be the ‘walking wounded.’ What’s more, with baby boomers nearing retirement, the rest of the workforce must stay healthy to handle the resulting drop in numbers.

North American workers become stressed for many reasons. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s website lists a few. Workload and environment, shift work, isolation (whether emotional or from working alone), job insecurity, supervisors, coworkers, management and communication styles can all play a role.

Stress at work appears to be increasing. Research shows that it hampers us in all phases of our careers. Such stress reduces quality of life. If it continues long enough, a condition known as burnout can develop.

Burnout is psychological, affecting thoughts and emotions. It can be described as emotional exhaustion. Satisfaction in personal identity and accomplishments drops. This condition tends to mainly affect those who interact with other people in their work. Still, workers in any occupation can face stressful working conditions.

A workplace that is stressful affects employees in a number of predictable ways. Common issues resulting from continuing job stress include:

• higher employee turnover
  
• more injuries on the job
  
• sick or absent employees
  
• conflict in the workplace
  
• physical and emotional illness and stress
  
• poor morale (attitude)
  
• loss of compassion for others
  
• less quality of life and more chance of burnout.

Work-related stress affects employee health. If the mind is stressed, the body often is too. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health estimates stress-related injuries cost the Canadian economy $16 to $33 billion a year. This burdens individuals, families, businesses and society as a whole.

Stress affects personal as well as work life, leading to marital and family problems. Evolving research suggests that continuous stress can contribute to illnesses such as heart disease, cancers, and mental issues. Insomnia, ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune illnesses (where the body attacks itself) have also been linked to stress.

What can I do about workplace stress?

It is important to monitor your level of stress at work. If stress is interfering with your quality of life and ability to work, get help. Sometimes people aren’t aware that they are stressed. If your family, friends or colleagues suggest you might be, you likely are.

Increasing stress in the workplace has huge consequences for the health of society. It is critical to develop ways to reduce work stress and burnout, and increase quality of life. You can take steps to reduce your stress level.

• Look after your physical and mental health.
  
• Take part in activities that you find pleasurable.
  
• Find outlets for excess energy and frustrations.
  
• Strengthen the relationships you find supportive.
  
• Explore spiritual connections to provide greater meaning to life.