Job stress can be defined as: The adverse reaction people have to excessive work pressure or other demands placed on them. It affects not only a small number of workers. More than 822,000 people suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety between 2020 and 2022. Detecting the symptoms of work-related stress early is key to combating it. Here, we tell you more about this topic. Don’t miss out on the details!
Work-related stress: An unbearable burden
For many people, work-related stress can become an unbearable burden. Work-related stress has precise symptoms. You may feel that you just need to keep your head down and get on with the job in hand, despite knowing deep down that you are struggling. No one should have to feel this way and everyone deserves a happy work-life balance.
54% of workers surveyed say they feel unmotivated in their current job, compared to 47% of those with symptoms of work-related stress. The latter has serious consequences, including demotivation and low productivity.
Did you know that excessive levels of work-related stress increase your symptoms and can lead to deeper, long-term mental health problems if left untreated? That’s why it’s a good idea to know the signs and symptoms of work-related stress and get an idea of what you can do about it if it’s seriously impairing your ability to lead a normal life. Do you feel tired and unenthusiastic about work? Do you feel like you’ve burnt out on a professional level? Then you are probably suffering from work-related stress; it is important that you recognise its symptoms and work to improve this serious condition.
If there is a solution…
“Very few people have the willpower to maintain healthy habits or to make great achievements, but many people have the talent to take giant steps, if only they would rely on methodologies such as ChVmpion Mind” José. L. Meléndez; CEO of ChVmpion Mind is quite right when he says that in order to overcome a state of work stress, support is needed.
ChVmpion Mind is the solution you have been waiting for. This platform perfectly combines new technologies, together with the experience of a coach with more than 20 years of experience in dealing with stress problems and business unproductivity. A platform that helps you improve your productivity, while achieving professional goals that seemed impossible. In addition, its 21-week programme helps you create positive habits in your life that will help you achieve your most desired goals and dreams.
As for the investment, it is quite low compared to other business coaching that does not guarantee a quantitative ROI. With ChVmpion Mind, you can measure it in euros and know if your company’s investment in its employees is paying off.
Before applying solutions it is important to know… What are the symptoms of work-related stress?
It can be difficult to identify the symptoms of work-related stress. Instead, people tend to adopt a coping mechanism, blaming their difficulties on being busier or believing that they should be able to cope if they simply try harder, despite the wear and tear they are experiencing. People, too, may convince themselves that it is only for a short time until things get better. Most of the time, however, it doesn’t work out that way. Either the work keeps coming or the source of their stress is not resolved.
Work-related stress can manifest itself in a number of symptoms, which may include:
Psychological symptoms of work-related stress
- Irritability or outbursts of anger.
- Low mood
- Low productivity accompanied by feelings of under-performance.
- Regular absence and higher sickness rate.
- Cynicism and defensiveness
- Finding fault in everything you do
- Feeling nervous and on the verge of collapse
- Finding that you can’t “switch off” from work
- Lack of motivation
Physical symptoms of work-related stress
- Headaches
- Insomnia or loss of sleep leading to tiredness.
- Consuming too much caffeine or alcohol
- Back pain
- Indigestion
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Shortness of breath
- Regular or persistent colds
7 signs that could be telling you that your employees are suffering from work-related stress
Working longer hours
It is important to watch out for employees who suddenly start staying at work longer and longer hours or even coming in earlier and earlier. This could be a sign of an employee who is struggling with their workload. Of course, many employees stay late or come in early on a regular basis by choice and habit. This is a cause for concern when such habits are out of place and could be a symptom of work-related stress.
Increased irritability in their reactions
Increased irritability, fidgeting and nervousness may be due to stress. Constant fidgeting, overreactions to common comments or employees hiding in a shell could be examples of this. Pay attention to sudden mood swings in your staff – their reactions undoubtedly say more than you realise, as they could be signs of what could be symptoms of work-related stress.
Visible tiredness
It is not unusual for people who are stressed to have difficulty sleeping at night. If you have an employee who comes to work visibly tired on a regular basis – and it’s not the result of an intense weekend session! – it could be a telltale sign of stress. The physical appearance of your employees will always give you clues to their situation. You need to keep an eye on the details and know how to identify when a change could mean something considerable in their daily attitude. Tiredness in the early hours of the morning could be a symptom of work-related stress that needs to be addressed urgently.
Isolation
When stressed, employees may withdraw to avoid drawing attention to themselves. Again, this is something to use your best judgement on. Some employees are naturally more introverted than others, but if an employee who is normally very loud and talkative starts to isolate themselves, it could be a cause for concern. The consistent attitudes of your employees give you clues about their personality, with constant observation you will know what each of them is like. If isolation is a “new” characteristic in any of them, you may be observing a symptom of work-related stress.
Working through breaks
Just like employees who suddenly start coming in early and stay late, employees who stop taking breaks and start using their lunch hour to catch up on work may be stressed by their workload. It is normal that sometimes your employees decide to take a break to get ahead on a task, either because they want to finish it or because they arrived late and want to catch up. However, if this is a constant habit you could be seeing a symptom of work-related stress.
Time off
Are any of your employees not booking time off? Reluctance to take their allotted time off could be a sign that an employee is worried that they are falling behind with their workload. Conversely, employees who start arriving late on a regular basis or start booking more time off than usual may be avoiding the workplace to avoid the stressful feelings it creates and this is a symptom of work-related stress.
Lapses in concentration and memory
An unusual lapse in memory and concentration may be an indicator of distraction caused by work stress. Other symptoms may include increased confusion and indecisiveness.
