Consequences of stress at work
Stress at work is a common problem. However, the form in which stress manifests itself or how it is perceived varies greatly from case to case. The triggers for stress are just as individual.
Most often time pressure is a reason for increased stress. Those affected feel compelled to work piecework and lose focus on their actual work due to the stress. But also tension in the team or private problems can cause stress at work.
In any case it leads to a changed perception of working conditions. External factors such as constant noise or constantly changing customer traffic can further aggravate these feelings. Depending on the type of work, stress can be reduced by physical activity or small breaks.
Especially for employers it is therefore important to offer preventive measures. These can, for example, consist of teambuilding exercises, flexible working hours (“flexitime”) or spatial changes such as room dividers. In the long run, stress leads to a decreasing performance at work and causes those affected to make more mistakes.
The mistakes in turn create a sense of guilt and there is a reactive fear of making new mistakes. In order to break this chain of errors, it is necessary to take the pressure out of the situation. Thus, either working conditions have to be improved, teaching has to be offered or a little time out has to be given.
Each measure offers a better focus on the own abilities and gives the person concerned time to sort himself out. It is wrong to assume that stress leads to better performance in the long run. Stress can also stimulate individuals in the short term, but in the long run it leads to dissatisfaction.
The individual ability to cope with stress must therefore be found out and taken into account. If it is not compatible with the goals of the company, the job may have to be changed. Otherwise, physical symptoms will only increase and there will be a permanent increase in absenteeism.
If the perceived stress is also disproportionate to the company’s own resources, in the worst case it can even lead to serious mental illness such as depression or burnout. But physical symptoms, without a cause to be found by a doctor, can also arise and become chronic in the long run. Body and psyche should therefore not be constantly overstrained at the workplace and vacations should be carefully planned and used to balance out tension. The time at home or on vacation should really be used as time out and not as home office.
