Skip to Main Content Health Care Professionals Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube
Search

Stress

Stress is an important issue in the workplace, as it has been found that 1 in 4 workers have reported being highly stressed. Stress in the workplace can be caused by factors such as high demands and a heavy workload1.

If left unidentified and untreated, stress can lead to:

  • chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes
  • mental health illnesses such as anxiety and depression
  • development of unhealthy coping mechanisms such as smoking, unhealthy eating, and substance and alcohol misuse
  • decreased motivation, job satisfaction and productivity in the workplace
  • increased absenteeism and costs in employee benefits
  • higher risk of injury and incidents in the workplace2

What can employers do?

  • Provide counselling and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services
  • Promote psychological and mental health in the workplace
  • Develop and implement health and wellness programs in the workplace (i.e. exercise classes during breaks to help reduce stress)
  • Identify possible sources of stress (i.e. workloads, bullying etc.)
  • Provide open communication with employees
  • Allow flextime, compressed work weeks, working from home, part time, and job sharing options to employees
  • Consult  with Health and Safety representatives on ways to reduce stress in the workplace

What can employees do?

  • Exercise and become physically active
  • Eat well balanced healthy meals
  • Utilize relaxation techniques
  • Identify what causes you stress
  • Make sure that you are well rested and get enough sleep
  • Ask for assistance from a healthcare provider or counsellor about identifying and coping with stress
  • Talk to your manager or supervisor about any concerns that you may have or things that may be causing you stress

References

  1. Statistics Canada. (2014). What’s stressing the stressed? Main sources of stress among workers. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-008-x/2011002/article/11562-eng.htm
  2. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. (2015). Workplace Stress – General. Retrieved from http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/stress.html

Related Resources

Related Topics