Stress at work? Not in my company! How to deal with it?

Long-term stress at work promotes disease and even causes it. However, this is not just an employee's problem. Stressed workers are more likely to take sick leave because stress weakens the immune system and is less effective at work. How can I fix it?

Where does this stress at work come from, i.e. what are the sources?

Stress is nothing more than a feeling of discomfort and mental tension caused by the discrepancy between the work requirements and the employee's capabilities.

Factors causing stress

The main stressors for an employee include:

• the level of requirements and the ability to meet them,

• low level of control over work,

• lack of support from superiors and colleagues.

Causes and sources of stress

Each of them can be divided into even smaller sources of stress at work. And so, in the case of the level of requirements, the cause of stress can be both:

• too much or too little work,

• too fast or too slow pace of work,

• mismatched job position (lack of the necessary qualifications to perform it),

• monotony of work.

In the case of a low level of control over work, factors include:

• no control over the work environment,

• low control over the organization and working time,

• not sufficiently defined professional role (no specific duties and requirements)

• no clear way to evaluate the work,

• low sense of security.

In the case of the last factor, which is the lack of support from superiors and colleagues, the causes of stress include:

• no help from the supervisor and colleagues,

• lack of motivation on the part of the supervisor,

• disrespect for the employee,

• mobbing.

Summarizing all these sources of stress, it can be noticed that the occurrence of stress is largely related to poor management within the company. Employees affected by stress work less efficiently, make mistakes more often, and are more tired. In some cases, it may even result in professional burnout, i.e. loss of interest in the work performed and the employee leaving the company. Therefore, employers should take steps to reduce the level of stress or eliminate it altogether.

How to eliminate stress at work?

At the beginning, it is worth starting with organizational matters in the company and internal communication. Thanks to this, it is possible to identify and remove any management irregularities that may cause stress for employees. One cannot forget about equal treatment of each of the employees. Managers should undergo special stress training to learn how to create an optimal working environment. Special stress workshops for employees will be a good idea. The company should also spread knowledge about methods of coping with stress and a healthy lifestyle, encouraging employees to actively play sports and follow a healthy diet.