Stress intervention and strategies to lower, eliminate and prevent occupational stress, the

harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of a job do not

match the capabilities, resources or needs of the worker, in the workplace is the investment

organizations and employees are making in their in their lives to live productively, lessen health

related illnesses and prevent costly accidents, injury or business loss.  Good stress, called eustress, provides stimulation, excitement, and a competitive edge...

Bad stress is said to be the “physiological reaction to external and internal events.” The mind

and body become unable to relax after continued stressful events. Burnout is the physical,

emotional, and mental response to constant, unmanaged high levels of stress.

 

Stress builds until a person feels he can no longer control his world. The result is that he

becomes paralyzed, unable to act. Sometimes these physical and psychological problems

become severe enough to cause illness and a complete inability to function. The worker feels

overwhelmed and his or her career is actually threatened.

Employee stress is a concern to organizations and management because daily anxiety wears

down a person's ability to perform at the top of his or her game and can lead to costly mistakes.

The investment in employee related stress busters, and programs such as employee assistance

programs are interventions derived from the diagnosis of stress in the workplace. The notion

of health "protection" refers to intervention in the work environment to reduce worker exposures

to workplace hazards, while health "promotion" refers to individual-level interventions to equip

workers with knowledge and resources to improve their health and thereby resist hazards in the

work environment.

* stress carries a $300 billion price tag for U.S. industries In a recent Gallup Poll, 80

percent of workers said they feel stress on the job. Nearly half said they need help in learning

how to manage stress, and 42 percent said their coworkers need help in coping with stress.

* The annual cost of depression to the U.S. economy is estimated at $44 billion. Today,

depression and associated pharmacy costs are the leading financial expenditures in health care

plans.

* stress is implicated in 60 to 90 percent of medical problems that can cost the average

company up to 45 percent of its after-tax profits.

Stress adds to the cost of doing business in many ways.

· Absenteeism Stressed-out employees miss work both as a coping mechanism and due

to health-related problems. Workers experiencing high stress are over two times more likely to

be absent more than five times per year.

· Stress-related claims fall under workers compensation claims

Symptoms of Stress

Physical symptoms include: feeling fatigued, exhausted, or drained, irritability/lower tolerance

levels, muscle tension, achy joints, headaches, upset stomach or loss of appetite, susceptibility

to illness

Emotional symptoms include depression/hopelessness, frustration,loss of self-esteem, feeling

powerless or trapped, and anxiety/nervousness

Behavioral symptoms include: inability to laugh at daily situations, social withdrawal from

coworkers, peers, and family members, change in job performance: increased tardiness or

absenteeism and decreased efficiency or productivity, self-medication—increased use of

alcohol, tranquilizers, or other mood-altering drugs

Stress Reduction Strategies

Have a stress-control plan

"Command and Control" techniques

• destroy counterproductive, stress-producing habits

• adopt new, effective habits

• become mentally tough, emotionally in control

• communicate in a positive way

Don’t wait until things spiral out of control. Use the following strategies to control and lower the

levels of stress in your life.:

· Keep your sense of humor

· Pace yourself

Use good time management strategies to help manage your workload. Set realistic deadlines

and goals. Identify job activities that could be simplified or delegated and create contingency

plans to deal with unexpected events.

· Reinforcement

Value yourself and your contribution to the company. Do the best work you can, even if you feel

no one is noticing. Share your achievements with your boss. Vow to keep a positive outlook.

· Release stressful feelings

Being frequently angry, filled with rage or anxiety, and is not healthy. Find a sport or exercise

that works for you and make sure to schedule time for regular physical activity. If you become

stressed out at work, take a brisk walk to help release pent up emotions and aid the body in

eliminating harmful chemicals.

· Practice good nutrition

Stress robs your body of needed vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B and vitamin C,

potassium, calcium, and zinc. A number of studies have concluded that stress increases one’s

susceptibility to illness. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, maintaining a balanced diet and

limiting the amount of caffeine, nicotine, and sugar promotes health and improves your ability to

handle difficult situations.

· Talk to someone

Have an emotional outlet. Share your burden; discuss stressful events with another person.

Often an associate, friend/loved one or Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counselor can

help you see the lighter side or offer a fresh approach to a problem.

· Take time for yourself

Take stress breaks during the day. Stretch at your desk. Take short vacations away from the

job at least twice a year. It is important to take time off for yourself especially during stressful

periods.

· Understand stress triggers.

· Support stress-relief programs.

· Offer mental-health benefits.

Employer practitioners in diagnosing stress in the workplace are implementing:

* development of improved methods and tools for job stress research, including

surveillance instruments to better understand how the organization of work is changing

* studies to further understand how workplace stress contributes to illness, injury at

work, and disease development, including study of intervening factors and laboratory-based

research of underlying biological mechanisms

* investigations of stress in understudied populations, occupations and sectors

* studies to better understand the socioeconomic cost and burden of job stress

* studies to identify effective multilevel intervention strategies to prevent stress at work

3 Websites relating to Stress, one page summary

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How to avoid stress-related disability claims

Article Abstract:

Stress-related disability cases brought against employers represent 11 percent of all

occupational disease claims. The three types of stress-related claims against employers are:

(1) mental impairment caused by physical injury, (2) physical illness caused by stress, and

(3) mental disability caused by stress. Stress-related disability claims are governed by state

laws. Several stress-related disability cases heard in Pennsylvania courts are briefly discussed.

Because the most common causes of stress involve supervisory conduct or employer action

or inaction, minimization of stress-related claims can be achieved by training supervisors

in: interpersonal skills, employee evaluation, employee motivation, employee counseling,

disciplining and discharging employees, supervisory skills, and conflict management. Other

stress-preventing measures include: hiring employees to fit job requirements,instituting

employee wellness programs, and implementing employee assistance plans.

author: Voluck, Philip R., Abramson, Herbert