Most organizations and many managers within them are probably aware of the costs and consequences of stress and stress-related problems. They can get an idea of the real numbers involved, for example, more than 13.7 million days lost in a year. Managers face challenges related to maintaining business performance, or even survival, coping with their own jobs and managing their own pressures. They may feel stressed too. However, can you recognize or admit it?
One way to encourage organizations to think seriously about things is to look at some numbers. Stress and other mental health conditions cost around £1,000 per employee per year. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) believes that stress is the most dangerous risk for business in the early part of the 21st century. Aviva’s Health in the Workplace survey showed that 4 out of 5 managers thought stress would be the biggest problem they would face. A recent survey found that 16.7% of employees thought their workplace and their jobs were very or extremely stressful. 415,000 reported that workplace stress was making them sick. However, a survey by the Employers’ Forum on Disability found that 45% of managers chose not to believe in mental health issues in the workplace. The IIP (Investors in People) found that 38% felt that job stress had increased. Most concerning in their survey was that 29% felt their punches weren’t doing anything about it!
What does it take for managers, at all levels, to recognize that stress is a real problem? It has a negative impact on business performance, individual health and morale, and people’s lives in general. If a piece of plant or office equipment is defective or not working properly, do they just leave it? No, something is done to fix it. Why not do the same with people?
The HSE and ICPD identified the importance of managerial competencies in managing pressure in the workplace, for themselves and their people. Yes, employees have a responsibility for their own well-being. This could be a combination of building your own resilience to a reasonable amount of pressure and those times when the pressure “ramps up” at work, and taking responsibility for how you live your life outside of work. Since organizations have typically invested a significant sum, directly and indirectly, in recruiting, developing, and employing their people, it is surely worth paying attention to how these people are faring. Aside from everything else, law firms are reporting an increasing number of cases of compensation from employers for issues related to stress (and harassment) by managers. Remember, in the UK these aspects are now something for which both the organization and individual managers can have responsibility.
Despite all this evidence, too many organizations take the ostrich approach and bury their heads. They either deny there is a problem, hope it will go away, or feel that it is not their responsibility. This is irresponsible in a number of ways, in particular it’s commercial folly and also really poor people management. There is plenty of evidence that organizations that pay attention to the health and well-being of their staff perform better in many different areas. They see it as an investment rather than a cost.
While we all have many pressures outside of the workplace, organizations can help their people manage them more effectively as part of their overall stress management support. The pressure at work has increased recently, or people’s perception is that it has. Many of these pressures are genuine. They frequently start from the top and cascade everywhere. In many cases, managers feel pressured to achieve results, often with fewer resources, and their response is to behave more aggressively or defiantly with their people. Less time is spent on explanations, listening, support, and other interpersonal skills. Combine this pattern of behavior with other pressures, such as increased workloads, job security concerns, longer work hours, and outside work, and it’s no wonder many people feel more stressed.
The current situation seems to range from those organizations that invest in health and wellness, employee assistance programs, extensive training and support at all levels to the other end of the spectrum where they do nothing. Some organizations feel they are addressing the issue with short input sessions or by offering literature or access to online resources. If they can check a box to say they’ve done something, that’s enough.
The consequences of not taking stress seriously are many. In addition to costs resulting from absence due to stress-related issues, others are incurred due to possible problems with quality of work, performance levels, staff morale, and possibly turnover. On a personal level, when people begin to feel stressed, their health can suffer, their relationships with family, friends, and colleagues deteriorate, and their quality of life suffers.
There are many benefits to taking stress seriously and addressing it. The first step is to recognize that anything you do is an investment, so don’t go for cheap! The next is to decide which (or which combinations) of the many different options will be the most appropriate for the organization. One of the key steps is to start with some kind of stress audit of the organization. There are several available ranging from the one developed by HSE to others such as our “Organizational Health Profile”©. The results of this type of exercise can help the organization identify where to focus its efforts. It might be a good idea to introduce an Employee Assistance Program. When choosing providers for this type of service, make sure it’s the right kind of “fit” and not just based on price. You tend to get what you pay for!
As an organization, you might consider introducing flexible working. It can reduce stress and improve staff well-being and morale. Figures suggest that every £1 invested in flexible working generates a £3.5 return as a result of higher staff retention, lower absenteeism and higher productivity. Other wellness initiatives to encourage healthier lifestyles can pay dividends in similar areas. These can include things like nutrition and diet; encouragement to exercise; offering massages, reflexology and complementary treatments; Create decent rest areas for staff. Although these are primarily coping strategies rather than long-term solutions, they are worth investing in.
Start training from start to finish, not just for particular levels. We have a program we call “Stress Issues” that is aimed at managers, ideally from the top down. As the name suggests, we want participants to realize why this is important to them and to the organization! We also want them to be able to spot the early signs of stress in others and do something about it, and to have some ideas for managing their own pressures and avoiding becoming stressed. If they do not have this awareness, there is a risk that they will become stressed themselves and may be significant stressors for those around them. Furthermore, any attempt to offer stress management training for other levels will have limited impact without adequate support from above. Provide training to everyone else on how to handle pressure and keep them from getting stressed, giving them a better understanding of themselves and tools to take ownership of the ways they handle pressure.
Whatever form of training you have, recognize that it will almost certainly mean some degree of personal change (and development). A realistic time commitment is needed to accomplish this, along with reinforcement and support. This could come from online resources, management and peer training and support, and having access to an EAP provider. No matter what the exact combination is, the important thing is that the support is there! Remember, at the end of the day, doing nothing is an expensive option. Look back at some of the facts and figures at the beginning of this. It’s time to take stress really seriously and invest in reducing it in your organization.
