Source: Personnel Today

Date: 13/06/2007

Managers could significantly lower a £5bn drain on business, it has been claimed, by learning to recognise when employees are under stress.

According to Canada Life Group Insurance, workplace bullying or harassment is the most obvious cause of work-related stress, but there are numerous other more subtle triggers, such as workloads, management, organisational change and targets.

Colin Micklewright, head of group income protection development at Canada Life Group Insurance commented: “Before any action can be taken to help employees suffering from stress, it is important to identify who is suffering and why.

“Often there are many signs that a person is suffering from workplace stress, but if you are not watching for these behaviours, you may miss them.”

Clive Lewis of Globis encourages employers to be on the lookout for classic signs of employee stress, such as workers acting unduly quiet, working extended hours, procrastinating or reacting in an irritable manner.

He added: “It is important for organisations to be aware of potential causes of stress and work to actively avoid them.

“Prevention really is better than cure as returning a person to work after a period of absence due to stress without acknowledging the causes and working to change them, can be a pointless exercise.