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Benefits and Pensions MonitorCan We Reclaim Lost Productivity?
More work for fewer employees, technology that makes it ever harder to leave work at work, and jobs that may simply be too demanding or beyond an individual’s capabilities are just a few contributors to the unhealthy measure of job stress that permeates many Canadian work environments. With experts estimating the loss of production caused by stress and mental illness at a whopping $33 billion a year in Canada, and 40 per cent of job turnover credited to stress, it’s time we took a closer look. Job stress has been defined by the Trover Foundation as “the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, and needs of the worker.” Their research also suggests that “stress is what happens when demands are not met, when there’s no time for relaxation, and when there’s no sense of accomplishment.” It’s easy and tempting to blame jobs and/or employers for toxic environments, for the plight of the walking wounded who struggle on each day, and the increase in absenteeism due to health-related conditions such as anxiety, fatigue, high blood pressure, depression, and weight gain. However, after a closer look at many of our Canadian lifestyle choices, family challenges, and financial pressures, it may be fair to ask if some of the stress we feel is self-induced and/or a result of lack of education and skills training. For example:
The ‘medical’ signs of stress are seemingly endless. They include high blood pressure, headaches, shortness of breath, stiff neck, constipation, and back pain. Interventions in our deadline-driven culture, like medication, exercise, counseling, and yoga are just as prolific, and very much focused on individual support. But are they working? If EAP counseling is your company’s cure-all, is it effective and sufficient or has it just become a lowest bid game to satisfy budget caps. Are there additional, more meaningful programs that could be introduced? Managers may need to think outside the box and be educated enough to identify telltale signs of stress in the early stages.
This will enable them to better understand what is ‘realistic’ in terms of placing expectations and challenges in front of an individual or a team. Watch for these early warning signs:
Avoiding stress requires good, caring communication to really see and understand how employees are managing and what they need. It’s about building an honest, straightforward rapport that prioritizes stress reduction. It’s an employee to employer and employer to employee dialogue. Think about whether your organization has created a ‘long work hours culture’ and how that affects health, families, and attitudes. Are staff cuts and today’s rapid-fire changes affecting morale and producing unhealthy workloads? Are employees comfortable taking necessary breaks and are healthy habits encouraged through access to fitness programs and nutritious foods? Everyday Solutions Caroline Tapp-McDougall is the publisher of ‘Solutions: Canada’s Family Guide to Home Health Care and Wellness’ and the author of ‘The Complete Canadian Eldercare Guide.’ |
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