Workplace stress is damaging your health. Don’t take my word for it. This is what the government body, the Health and Safety Executive says.
“Work related stress, depression and anxiety continue to represent a significant ill health condition in the workforce of Great Britain. Work related stress accounts for 35% of work related ill health and 43% of days lost, in 2014/15. The occupations and industries reporting the highest rates of work related stress remain consistently in the health and public sectors of the economy. The reasons cited as causes of work related stress are also consistent over time with workload, lack of managerial support and organisational change as the primary causative factors.”
You can find out more at http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress/stress.pdf
So what can you do if you find yourself becoming ill because of your working situation?
I’m not going to pretend that this is easy, many of us just put up with a bad work situation but this could be shortening our lives.
This is serious! If you were being poisoned by your boss you would do something about it wouldn’t you? Well, stress could be doing you just as much harm in the long-term so screw up your courage and take action.
Can you cut down on the amount of work you do? Overwork and feeling that you have more work than you can get through is a major cause of stress.
Detail how much you do, and how much you could reasonably do.
Approach your line manager with the evidence and suggest you redistribute the workload.
If you do not get anywhere take the issue to your human resources department.
Don’t take no for an answer, you do have a legal right to work in a safe environment. Here is what the NHS choices website says:
“Employers have a duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees. This comes under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. They're also required to conduct risk assessments for work-related stress.”
Perhaps you should also consider these lifestyle changes.
Can you move closer to work?
Commuting is another major source of stress. Are there any similar jobs closer to home?
Can you move to a smaller workplace?
Figures show that the bigger the workplace the higher the stress levels.
Think about it. It’s your health
