ISMA: Workplace stress is a reality

Thu 14 Aug 2008 at 4:39 PM

Workplace stress is a reality and needs to be addressed by employers, the International Stress Management Association (ISMA) has said.

It noted stress-related problems lead staff to take increasingly long periods out of work if their concerns are not met.

"The management of stress is down to managers to apply the management standards, which identify six key risk factors in the workplace," an ISMA spokesperson commented.

The association encouraged bosses to accept workers as people and not resources.

By engaging with employees and asking their opinion on workplace issues management can help them "feel valued and heard", it advised.

"This is a proactive style of management but not seen in action too often as it is time consuming and requires empathy [or] emotional intelligence, which is not always valued as a management skill."

The Stress Management Society has claimed stress is the single biggest cause of sickness injury in the UK.

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