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h e h u m a n s i d e |
by kathleen "kelly"
bergeron
The Modern Killer: Stress
Stress is a modern-day epidemic that infects the majority of us and killing many. In
fact, according to Dr. Robert S. Eliot and Dennis L. Breo in their book, Is It Worth Dying
For?, "stress may be the greatest single contributor to illness in the industrialized
world."
But why should you concern yourself with your employees’ stress levels? Because
stress and stress-related illnesses have an adverse impact on the workforce. Overstressed
employees have higher rates of absenteeism, poor performance, and job dissatisfaction.
Sometimes stress can be attributed to unhealthy lifestyles. The technology of mass
media bombards people with information and data. Their lives are filled with more
commitments than they have time to fulfill. They feel stretched to the limits, rushing
everywhere and forever falling short of expectations.
Eliot and Breo write, "Stress is only a burden when you respond to it with the
feeling that you have lost control. Most of the time, this happens when there is a
mismatch between your expectations and your environment. In other words, what you hope
will happen doesn’t, and you begin to think it never will."
When a person becomes overwhelmed with stress, he might become apathetic or
disinterested. You might observe unexplained irritability or constant fatigue.
He might begin avoiding work and responsibility, not wanting to be held accountable,
repeatedly coming in late to work or appearing unkempt. Illness and unexcused absences
increase. As an employer, you need to monitor these types of behaviors throughout your
workforce in order to be proactive and minimize stress and its effects on your employees.
There are positive steps you can take to combat the effects of stress in the workplace.
First, watch your use of overtime. Don’t work your people to the point of
mental/physical exhaustion (no sweatshop mentality). Insist that your employees use their
vacation and holiday time off. Plan and schedule vacations to cover operational
requirements adequately while affording employees vacation time. Make sure your daily
routine allows for 10-minute breaks in the morning and afternoon, in addition to a lunch
period of at least 30 minutes. If possible, allow staggered starting/quitting times to
accommodate individual schedules and traffic patterns. Ensure that your managers are well
trained and that their expectations and goals for employees are reasonable and attainable.
Stress is a killer. Americans tend to mask the symptoms of stress with over-the-counter
treatments for headaches, stomach problems, and muscle tension. Alcoholism and illegal
drug usage are prevalent among the overstressed. Studies have shown that heart disease,
the number one American killer, is aggravated if not directly caused
by stress.
We eat fast food while driving in our cars and talking on cellular phones. As an
employer, be aware of the environment you create for your employees while at work, but
equally important, be aware
of the modern world in which they live--and die.
Kathleen "Kelly" Bergeron is executive vice president and chief of
staff of Associated Industries and affiliated corporations.
Jan/Feb 1998 -- Florida Business Insight, PO Box 784, Tallahassee, Fla. 32302
(850)224-7173, insight@aif.com |
