Workplace stress and the conspiracy of silence

01.11.2016

Stress in the workplace is far more widespread than many people think. According to The National Independent Watchdog for work-related health’s most recent Labour Force Survey*, there were 440,000 cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2014-15. An average of just under 23 working days were lost per case, resulting in a total of 9.9 million lost days. This accounted for 43% of all working days lost due to work-related stress.

Despite the huge impact of work stress on individuals, employers and the economy as a whole, there is still a stigma surrounding the subject in some quarters. Feeling depressed because of work pressures is not unusual and it’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of, however, some employees still view stress as a sign of personal weakness that they need to hide from their employer.

Carole Spiers, chair of the International Stress Management Association said:

I find that many employees are still reluctant to admit that they are experiencing the effects of stress. This adds to the difficulty of helping them to manage the damaging impact of such excessive pressure upon their health and performance

Spiers is also the founder of National Stress Awareness Day (NSAD), which has been working to raise awareness of the dangers and impact of workplace stress since 1998. This year’s event will be hosted by ISMA at the LycaHealth Diagnostic Outpatients Clinic in Canary Wharf on Wednesday November 2.

As well as the main event in London, there will be a series of similar events held throughout the UK and internationally, all aimed at raising awareness and tackling the stigma often associated with stress.

I hope that ISMA’s high-profile events, to be held around the country on National Stress Awareness Day, will help everyone to deal with the taboo subject of endemic stress in the workplace and go some way to removing the stigma,” Spiers added.

LycaHealth has clinics in Canary Wharf, London and Orpington, Kent. In both clinics we offer access the best consultants in the UK today. If you would like help with any stress-related issues do get in touch with us by calling 0207 132 1440.

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