Johannesburg - Do the words “I have a stressful job” sound familiar? While work stress has become a common subject in the corporate world, the impact it has on one’s physical and emotional health is dire; impacting on productivity and causing high absenteeism and a lack of work interest.
Work stress or occupational stress is defined as the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demands placed on them at work.
It’s not an illness but a state. However, if stress becomes too excessive and prolonged, illness may occur.
There are various factors that contribute to occupational stress such as:
* Fear of retrenchment and lower income
* Workplace rage, unhealthy competition among employees and office politics
* Poor physical working conditions
* Long working hours without breaks
* Work overload
* Time pressure
* Difficult or complex tasks
* A lack of variety
It is important that one learns how to manage stress in a way that will benefit the company, but most importantly, that will benefit oneself.
It’s crucial that companies invest in hosting sessions on stress management across all levels to promote staff enrichment and boost morale.
These sessions should be held with the aim of promoting job satisfaction and fulfilment for employees.
Employees needs to gear themselves with the ABC strategies of dealing with stress.
A – Awareness: This is the knack of discerning what causes one’s stress. Take the time to realise at what point you are stressed and the factors that push you to this point.
B – Balance: There is a fine line between positive stress, known as eustress, and negative stress known as distress. Eustress motivates and focuses energy, while distress causes anxiety and decreases performance. Employees need to attain a balance. Know how much of the eustress you can cope with before it turns into distress .
C – Control: Ask yourself: “What can be done to combat the negative causes of stress?” Research ways of dealing with your stress. Speak to your HR office.
How to manage work stress
* Develop new skills. Improving your skills can help strengthen you.
* Employ a sense of humour. Share a joke or laugh with your colleagues.
* Think positively. Stop negative perceptions and overanalysing.
* Change your lifestyle. Keep fit and active, and change your diet.
* Pause to take a break. Take your leave, regular walks at work or entertain a hobby.
* Have your own time. Meditate, relax your body and have silent self-moments.
* Engage your manager. Relate your work stress to your employer for remedy.
* Pursue assistance. Make use of your Employee Assistance Programme or consult your medical caregiver.
* Dorah Tlala is the regional HR manager at Independent Media.
THE STAR