Stress In The Workplace

There has recently been a push within company law and the popular media to highlight the problems of mental health and stress in the workplace.

The recent surge in publicity for this topic has been due largely to the research carried out by mental health charity MIND.

The charity surveyed 2000 people and found that 41% are currently feeling stressed or very stressed in their jobs.

The problems and effects associated with stress and mental health have in many ways been accentuated by recent uncertainties in the workplace and job insecurity, and as mental health problems and stress are still seen by many as a taboo subject the pressure on employees to quietly deal with their problems without assistance is strong.

However this method of dealing with stress and mental health problems is not productive. Recent staff absence numbers of 375,000 due to mental health problems or stress highlight this fact, and the issue has become so widespread that it is now the leading cause of absence in the UK workforce.

The problems faced by people suffering from stress or mental health disorders are accentuated by a perceived lack of understanding from employers and discrimination in the workplace.

However given the number of working days lost through stress and mental health problems and developments in employer liability, which mean that employers have a duty of care to reasonably protect employees from work related stress, it has never been more important to educate both employees and employers on how to cope with stress and mental health problems.

Education will not only help to enlighten employers on the duties they have towards their staff, but will also help to reduce the perceived stigma associated with stress and mental health problems. There are currently many courses offered to help employers better understand the mental health and stress problems of their workforce, but the biggest step in creating a better working environment for staff with mental health problems is to try to find out what the root of the problem is and take into account the needs of the individual worker.

It’s really all about increasing awareness surrounding the reasons staff are suffering from these problems and creating a working environment which helps them to manage their problems.

As shown by this recent article from the Guardian some people have had a good experience in their work when talking of their health problems, receiving support, guidance and flexible working patterns from their employers.

Although mental health problems in the workplace are acute, there has been a recent breakthrough, with some employers gaining a greater understanding of the issue and government legislation to protect employees with mental health problems. The Equality Act 2010 prevents employers from asking pre selection application questions regarding the mental health of job applicants, to try to mitigate discrimination on that basis.

While it is important to introduce measures to protect the workforce and encourage employers to understand mental health issues, it is also worth considering ways in which employees can combat the early symptoms of stress and try to focus on more positive aspects of their lives.

This article about mindapples although not scientifically proven has worked for some people, the basic concept is to focus on the positive aspects of your day and to alleviate stress by spending time devoted to activities you enjoy.

However this does not solve the root causes of stress and mental health problems, and this is an area that both employers and employees need to spend more time discussing.