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Stress
in the Workplace
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Every
year in Japan 30,000 workers die of "karoshi" - in
other words, they literally work themselves to death.
Why do they do it? |
The
cause is largely extreme fatigue bought about by excessive
destructive stress in the workplace.
The
reasons for this stress are many - as the New Economy
and the Internet age blasts down international borders, companies
are being forced to become globally competitive. This often
means downsizing, cutting costs, and increased workloads.
The
situation causes tension, overload, and a feeling of being
"put upon". However - if employers and employees take the
right action, destructive stress can be reduced.
A good management will...
-
Avoid putting square pegs into round holes. People may unwittingly
choose a job that is completely wrong for them. A good management
will spot this and correct the situation. For instance,
an introverted, quiet person attempting to be a sales person
is likely to suffer from destructive stress and burnout,
resulting in reduced productivity. The employee suffers
(fatigue), and the company suffers (reduced sales) in this
lose/lose situation.
-
Create
worker empowerment. If an employee feels he/she has no control
over work, stress and burnout can occur. This does not imply
that management should totally give up control. In fact,
worker control over small issues can often minimize burnout.
The concept of self-managed work teams can also provide
employee control over work - and free-up management as well.
-
Provide
proper training. When workers don't know the best way to
perform a task, anxiety and frustration results.
-
Fine-tune
training when an employee requires new knowledge in his
or her field of expertise due to new developments.
-
Create
a management that listens. Nothing alleviates stress more
than knowing someone is listening and caring about what
is being said.
Of
course, employees should not rely totally on their company
to control stress and create a pleasant working environment.
A wise employee will…
-
Get to the office fifteen minutes early to take the "rush"
out of the morning
-
Write
everything down instead of relying on memory
-
Avoid
over scheduling. Don't promise what you may not be able
to deliver
-
Maintain
a sense of humour
-
Always
have a "plan B" ready
-
Air
grievances. Don't bottle things up - it's not good for you,
it's not good for the company.
-
Set
aside some quiet time for meditation or deep breathing.
-
Each
evening, prioritize activities for the next day
-
Set
personal deadlines and stick to them · Delegate wherever
possible
-
Decide
if a meeting is really necessary. Maybe there are other
ways to distribute or collect information?
-
Listen
to the other person's point of view. Invaluable for gaining
insight.
-
Be
positive. Focus on the resources you have, not on those
you don't.
The
way both you and your company deal with reducing destructive
stress can mean the difference between dragging yourself out
of bed in the morning and looking forward to your day. Which
would you prefer?
©
Christine
James
If
there's anything you'd like to see featured here, or would
like to submit an article of your own, please email Angus
at angusa@learninggroup.co.za
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