Stress: what is it and why does it matter ?

What is stress?

Stress is people's natural reaction to excessive pressure - it isn't a disease. But if stress is excessive and goes on for some time, it can lead to mental and physical ill health (e.g. depression, nervous breakdown, heart disease).

Why stress matters

Pressure can be a good thing when it helps provide both motivation and stimulation. It becomes a problem when it leads to stress, resulting in ill health or an individual's poor performance, and sickness absence can mean lost productivity. Then stress is bad for business. Ill health and lost productivity are an unnecessary drain on organisations' resources and these costs are growing.

Each year stress costs UK business an estimated £3.7 billion and the loss of around 80 million working days. Now, added to the bill for sick pay and the hidden costs of low morale, there is the real risk of legal action. Compensation of £175,000 was awarded when a social worker successfully sued his employer after a High Court ruling that in this case workplace stress led to nervous breakdown and early retirement. The case made legal history but its outcome has significance for all employers. Employers have a duty of care so far as is reasonably practicable to ensure that workplaces are safe and healthy. Workplace stress, which may lead to mental ill health, may be regarded like any other hazard in the workplace. But it does not have to be like this. If the costs are real so are the benefits of overcoming the causes and effects of stress. Quite simple changes in your company structure and working environment can produce significant improvements in workforce morale and productivity.

When pressure becomes stress

Most people come to work wanting to do a good job and any job worth doing is likely to involve a certain amount of pressure. Some sense of urgency is needed to meet deadlines and produce results. But too much pressure creates prolonged stress and this chronic stress can lead to the destructive cycle of poor performance, declining confidence, inefficiency and decreasing productivity. The challenge for every company is to motivate employees and stimulate a sense of purpose without causing stress - getting the balance is crucial.