The Health and Safety in Employment Act places important responsibilities upon employers in New Zealand. Although the Act refers to workplace stress, there is often a difficulty in distinguishing between that and factors that may initiate outside of the workplace. This may be difficult because some of the behaviours and requirements of an employee’s role may involve extensive computer use, and internet addictions of all types may become enmeshed in work routines, causing stress and conflict. Also, many employees may use alcohol to unwind/relieve stress, and additional use in work situations (social events, business lunches/dinners) may contribute to developing problems. There is also the balance between increasing work demands and productivity, against home, family and recreational needs, which can become blurred, particularly with middle and upper management roles.

Workplace stress refers to the harmful physical and emotional responses that can happen when there is a conflict between job demands on the employee and the amount of control an employee has over meeting these demands. In general, the combination of high demands in a job and a low amount of control over the situation can lead to stress.

In the modern workplace, uncertainty around continued employment and the effects globally of unforeseeable events that may impact locally, can place its own uncertainty around control over one’s own continued employment. Uncertainty, and thereby stress, can also arise from redundancies (actual or perceived possibility), un-resourced increases in productivity demanded by employers, poor workplace cultures where employees feel unvalued, high turnover of staff, lack of consultation or input, and many other factors.

Commonly there will be irritability, anxiety, depression, family problems and reduction in ability to perform their work. In many cases physical health will be affected as a result of mental stress, with these symptoms being more readily identified by the employee or their co-workers/employer. Examples are fatigue (whether or not work-load has increased), indigestion, sleep problems, headaches and migraines, and frequent ‘opportunistic’ illnesses. Workplace stress signs include:

• Withdrawing from the job
• Not showing up
• Coming in late
• Leaving early
• Avoiding phone calls
• Rise in blood pressure
• An increase in drinking or other behaviours
• Indecisiveness; low energy levels

Abacus has developed a one-day training programme which alerts managers and staff to causes and symptoms of stress and burnout, and offers workplace solutions to prevent and alleviate these issues. Other strategies include employee assistance programmes (if not already in place), and consideration of professional supervision for those in key roles.

Auckland 8 Pompallier Terrace, Ponsonby, Auckland 1011 Phone 09 360 6957 Fax 09 360 6357 Email abacus@acts.co.nz