Mental stress in the workplace: Spotting the risks and dangers

Post date: Oct 16, 2018 7:17:56 PM

Workplace stress is normal, but when it goes out of hand, it can interfere with productivity and performance and take its toll on one’s health. Work-related mental stress is described as the adverse reaction experienced by workers when demands and responsibilities in the workplace are greater than what can be comfortably managed or are beyond one’s capabilities. It can affect every worker differently and come from various sources.

Common causes of workplace stress include the fear of being laid off, more overtime work due to staff cutbacks and similar reasons, and pressure to perform to meet rising expectations. There’s also the pressure to work at an optimum level at all times, as well as the lack of control over how one does work. Once the stress from these things exceeds the ability to cope, it starts to cause damage to the mind and body, alongside job satisfaction.

As a result, those experiencing workplace stress feel anxious, irritable, or depressed, and show apathy, fatigue, and trouble concentrating. Stomach problems, loss of sex drive, and social withdrawal can also take place. Apart from poor worker health (both physical and mental) and the breakdown of individual and team relationships, there’s low morale, eroding work commitment, and reduced productivity and profitability. This can come with increased costs linked to counseling, absenteeism, and compensation claims and legal fees.

Whether work is causing mental stress or aggravating it, employers have the legal responsibility to assist employees. These work-related sources of stress need to be assessed to measure the level of risk to the staff, and then steps must be taken to remove or reduce it as reasonably as possible.

Captain Martin Lloyd Sanders, Ph.D., has years of experience in the field of occupational safety and health. Vist this blog for more articles like this.