Stress not only has a negative effect on an individual’s health, wellbeing and performance both at work and at home but also negatively affects corporate teams and companies both big and small.

Identifying common stressors and learning how to cope with them is the first step towards surviving and thriving in the stressful world we inhabit today.

Face the tiger in its den

Different things stress different people and work-related stress is right at the top of the list. However, being aware of the most common stress-causing factors in your life and at work will allow you to proactively reduce and learn how to cope with them.

So, let’s take a good look at this “tiger” called stress. Stress has been defined as “a physiologic reaction to uncomfortable or unaccustomed physical or psychological stimuli” that can cause a heightened state of alertness, anxiety, rapid heart rate and sweating as well as feelings of anger, depression, nervousness, irritability, tension, hypersensitivity to criticism and mental blocks.

Catch the tiger by its tail

To avoid the abovementioned symptoms of stress you will need to catch that tiger by its tail and tame it!

Get to know the following common workplace stressors, look them in the eye and learn how to cope with them:

    • Job insecurity and an overall concern of losing one’s job is a major stressor. One way of coping with this stressor is to make sure you have a legal and binding contract with a clear job description that spells out your expectations as well as your boss’s. Know your rights and stick to them!
    • Workload stress refers to the amount of stress experienced when you are expected to do more than the time and resources available permit. To combat this you will need to speak to your supervisor about the problems and about setting realistic deadlines to prevent delayed or half-baked result. Also make sure that you set the right priorities and break down your projects into the smallest feasible chunks and time span.
    • Lack of control and a feeling of powerlessness is a top stressor in the workplace. If you feel you have too much responsibility and too little authority, stress mounts up. To solve the problem you need to insist on having an open line of communication and a chance to pass along ideas, suggestions and complaints to your supervisor or boss.
    • Lack of clarity about job requirements and lack of feedback cause uncertainty and stress. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what is expected of you and ask for clarification if you don’t. Insist on regular feedback sessions from supervisors to make sure you are on the right track.
    • A stressful physical work environment (due to the nature of the work you are doing or to noise, lack of privacy and frequent interruptions, poor lighting, poor ventilation, poor temperature control or inadequate sanitary facilities, etc) causes unnecessary stress. These problems need to be reported to the right authorities. Employers are forced by law to provide working environments that are safe and as stress free as possible.
    • Inflexible, fixed working hours that make it difficult if not impossible to balance work and home-life are sure-fire stressors. Most enlightened employers are aware that these conditions cause depression and other psychological problems in employees. If they don’t, enlighten them or get someone else to do so.
    • Frequent change causes fear of the unknown and stress. Try to overcome it by getting and reviewing all the facts and trying to focus on the benefits of the changes for the company and yourself. If you can’t, voice your opinion.
    • Stressful personal relationships with co-workers, supervisors and clients can have a negative effect on your health and productivity. Try to build supportive relationships and clear up misunderstandings before they escalate into serious problems. Ask for help if necessary.
    • Lack of job satisfaction causes stress. However, you have to be very honest to find a solution. If your lack of job satisfaction is due to lack of challenging and meaningful assignments and opportunities for learning and development, you need to speak to your supervisor about it. If you are a square peg in a round hole and the job really doesn’t suite your temperament and talents you may have to let go!

Living in this century has its own set of unique stressors that need to be faced and handled. However, each and every person also has the ability to face and tame these tigers. Give it a go!

 

Sources
Burns, L. Incapacity matters: depression in the workplace. Retrieved from: http://www.b-h.co.za/downloads/depression_article.pdf
Coetzee, M. and de Villiers, M. Sources of job stress, work engagement and career orientations of employees in a South African financial institution. Retrieved from: http://www.unisa.ac.za/contents/faculties/service_dept/docs/SABVIEW14_1_chap2.pdf
Farah, S. 2013. Eight common workplace stressors and how to handle them. Retrieved from: http://www.govexec.com/excellence/promising-practices/2013/09/8-common-workplace-stressers-and-how-handle-them/70952/
The effects of stress in the workplace. Retrieved from:  http://psychology.thechicagoschool.edu/resource/industrial-organizational/the-effects-of-stress-in-the-workplace
The 11 key workplace stressors. Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/stressbuster/stressors/workplacestressors.html
Top five workplace stressors and solutions. Retrieved from; http://www.westvalley.com/Resources/employer-resources/Workplace-Stressors