PJEndicott

The main causes of stress:
In recent years there has been a plethora of research into the causes and effects of Stress. Much of this research has been validated by further research and we now possess a fairly clear view of what causes stress both in the workplace and in our personal lives. Perhaps one of the greatest contributory factors is the pace at which we now live our lives. We rush from home to work and back again often packing in additional tasks like shopping and a visit to the gym. The net effect is that our body becomes over-burdened and when it cannot cope the Stress Response is triggered. Looking carefully at the causes of our stress is one of the first steps towards managing it and preventing the associated health risks.
Click on the following links to view the known causes of stress:
Information from the Health and Safety Executive

Stress at Work

The Health and Safety Executive
The Health and Safety Executive have determined that there are six areas of work design that if poorly managed can lead to workplace stress. These are:

Demands: employees often become overloaded if they cannot cope with the amount of work or type of work they are asked to do
• make sure employees understand what they have to do and how to do it
• meet training needs
• consider whether working flexible hours would help employees to manage demands

Control: employees can feel disaffected and perform poorly if they have no say over how and when they do their work.
• involve employees in the way work is carried out
• consult employees about decisions
• build effective teams with responsibility for outcomes
• review performance to identify strengths and weaknesses

Support: levels of sick absence often rise if employees feel they cannot talk to managers about issues that are troubling them.
• give employees the opportunity to talk about issues causing stress
• be sympathetic and supportive
• keep employees informed about what is going on in the firm

Relationships: a failure to build relationships based on good behaviour and trust can lead to problems related to discipline, grievances and bullying.
• have clear procedures for handling misconduct and poor performance
• have clear procedures for employees to raise grievances
• tackle any instances of bullying and harassment and make it clear such behaviour

Role: employees will feel anxious about their work and the organisation if they don't know what is expected of them.
• carry out a thorough induction for new employees using a checklist of what needs to be covered
• provide employees with a written statement of employment particulars
• give employees clear job descriptions
• maintain a close link between individual objectives and organisational goals

Change: change needs to be managed effectively or it can lead to uncertainty and insecurity.
• plan ahead so changes can be signposted and managers and employees are prepared
• consult with employees about prospective changes so they have a real input and work together with you to solve problems
 

Working in an unbalanced environment can be the source of great stress which overspills into all areas of our life including home life and relationships with friends and family as well as colleagues.
Maintaining balance in all six areas of work design is imperative for a successful working life.

Causes of Stress in our Personal Lives
There are many causes of stress in our personal lives. The following are just a few that are known to exist.

• relationship difficulties
• separation or divorce
• personal health issues
• serious illness in the family
• caring for dependents such as children or elderly relatives
• bereavement
• moving house
• debt problems
• holidays