A Rise in Workplace Stress is a Potential Cost to Business and Should not be Ignored - By: Alison Withers

In the current economic climate the competition for scarce jobs can add to the already stressful nature of the process of job hunting but less attention is paid to the effects of stress on employees in work and on the costs to employers of ignoring it.

If job hunting has been successful the successful applicant may feel a huge amount of relief that their problems are over, but are they?

Research recently published by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has highlighted a lack of effective management and leadership. Its survey of 2,000 employees across the UK revealed that 55% did not think their manager sufficiently able to do 'the job'. It also revealed that 39% of employees feel their boss's behaviour increased stress levels.

Workplace Stress levels were reported to have risen dramatically according to another piece of research by Prof. Tarani Chandola, a University of Manchester sociologist. He found that He said that in each of previous two years, work stress levels rose by more than 4%, compared to annual rises between 0.1% and 1% from 1992 to 2009.

Professor Chandola said there are economic consequences of work stress and that the health consequences could be huge - encompassing the costs of treatment for mental well-being and other conditions, as well as lost productivity due to illnesses, including cardiovascular disease.

It is estimated that 500,000 of UK workers feel trapped in jobs we don't enjoy and that up to 75% of all illnesses in the UK can be related to stress.

Employers in the current economic climate are understandably keeping a tight control on costs, especially the workforce salary bill that is one of the largest components of a company's overheads, but it seems that if they overdo it they are likely to find their efforts are counter-productive and could actually cost them more in the long run.

Employers can support their staff in coping better by having a proper, planned and promoting it, by training staff and managers and by holding stress awareness days and relaxation therapy visits. Helping employees to feel that their efforts are valued and offering them stress testing and counselling can play their part in minimising the costs of staff needing to take time off because of illnesses caused by work related stress.

Even during an economic downturn it is advisable for employers to keep a close eye on staffing levels and to be open to bringing in temporary or permanent staff when there is a need rather than relying on already stretched employers to simply carry the load.

A company with a good relationship with a specialist recruitment agency able to supply appropriately qualified temporary staff at short notice when there is a need can also find that the investment is worth it in terms of miimising lost production and other costs later.

Copyright (c) 2011 Alison Withers

About the Author

Job hunting in London is a stressful pursuit at any time but more so during an economic downturn. But even if the job search has been successful it may not be an end to stress. By Ali Withers.

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