How to identify workplace stress

Tactics for how to identify stress in the workplace

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 places a duty of care on you, the employer, to protect your staff from the risk of stress. The definition provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is, “The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them.”

To spot the signs of work-related stress at work managers can look out for:

• Emotional and behavioural signs: This may include sudden irritability, withdrawal from colleagues, loss of motivation, or nervousness.
• Cognitive signs: Poor concentration, indecisiveness, or a drop in work quality could indicate there’s a problem.
• Physical signs: Employees may complain, or show signs, of fatigue, muscular tension, tiredness, loss of appetite, or suffering from headaches.
• Work performance signs: May include over or underworking, arguments with colleagues, making unusual errors, or increased absenteeism.

How to recognise stress in the workplace will depend on how proactive your business is. Training your managers and workforce in understanding the signs and symptoms can limit the risk of the issue occurring. You may even wish to introduce an employee assistance programme to help your team deal with stressful situations and avoid health problems.

It’s essential you also understand your legal obligations under UK law. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, you should look to carry out a workplace health & safety risk assessment to provide an optimal working environment.

You should also consider employee’s individual needs under the Equality Act 2010. For example, when managing neurodiversity at work you may look to provide reasonable adjustment to limit the mental health burden on affected staff members.

What is the difference between pressure and stress at work?

The difference is pressure can be a motivating factor at work and create a sense of urgency, whereas stress can cause employees to feel overwhelmed and powerless.
There’s some sort of pressure in all jobs, but it can make people feel challenged, motivated and have a positive effect on their performance. Stress, on the other hand, can cause a detrimental effect to someone’s mental and physical health and well-being.

Reasons for stressful experiences at work can include:

• Workplace demands: Employees may not be able to cope with the demands of their job and feel overwhelmed with their workload, work pattern or work environment.
• Loss of control: An employee may get stressed if they feel a lack of control about the way they do their work. This can lead to them underperforming and feeling isolated.
• Lack of support: They can also feel stressed they’re not supported in the workplace by their managers or colleagues.
• Poor workplace relations: The nature of relationships within the workplace can affect an employee’s wellbeing. If relationships in the workplace are causing stress, this can lead to employee grievances being raised, allegations of bullying and/or harassment and bad team dynamics.
• Daily tasks: People get stressed when they don’t understand their role and what is expected of them, or if they have conflicting job demands.
• Unexpected workplace changes: Change can be very unsettling for some employees. They may will start wondering how things will change? What is the effect on them? Will they need to move site? Will this result in job losses?

It’s not just work that causes stress. Personal issues such as relationships, family, bereavement, money and illness can all factor in and impact on the employee’s health. It can manifest itself in a number of ways. You may notice changes in an employee’s behaviour, habits, or routines.

For example, you may notice them stepping out to smoke more, taking more time off, changes to their appetite, or they’re making uncharacteristic errors. Other signs can include emotional changes, such as if they seem withdrawn or they’re more sensitive or snapping when responding to certain situations.

Act today on your duty of care as an employer

In the UK, you have a legal duty to ensure workplaces are safe and healthy. The law also lays down that you need to carry out a risk assessment to assess the potential for work-related stress and take measures or step to control and reduce problem areas. Contact us today to claim your free, no-obligation business consultation.