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Work it out
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Stress affects job performance, not to mention how we feel even outside of the office. Harried by deadlines? Concerned around productivity? Worried about performance?
Here’s how to cut your angst and get on with your life
By Avril Roberts
 Do you dread Sundays because Monday morning must inevitably follow? You’re not alone. But work-related stress is more than upsetting: it wreaks havoc on physical and mental health. It may even sabotage your career.
Dr. Steven Stein, a clinical psychologist and CEO of Multi-Health Systems, the Toronto-based psychological assessment services company says, “When stress is overwhelming, it breaks down our ability to relate to others. It affects our decision-making and our ability to be productive.”
Statistics gathered from a recent Multi-Health Systems-commissioned survey of 1,729 of Canadians from various income levels and industries, reveal that:
56% said stress had negatively affected their productivity
52% said stress created problems in their relationships with co-workers
51% said stress interfered with their ability to make decisions in the workplace
22% said stress had prevented them from moving ahead in their organizations
30% said stress had prevented them from being recognized for their contributions
Stein says stress hampers our emotional intelligence, which he describes as “our ability to be aware of and manage our emotions and to be aware of and manage the emotions of the people around us.” He says, “When stress breaks down these emotional intelligence factors, it hurts our ability to succeed at work.”
How stress affects men and women
Do men and women process work stress differently? Dr. Stein, whose company publishes psychological tests, says, “Men tend to be better at stress tolerance, actually confronting and managing stressful situations. They don’t get overwhelmed by the stress.” Stein points to his company’s poll finding that 44 percent of Canadian women versus 37 percent of men reported frequent stress at work. But Dr. Linda Duxbury, a Carleton University professor at the Sprott School of Business, notes that women are more likely to admit their stress and ask for help; whereas, “Men, because of societal pressures and because to do otherwise could be seen as a weakness, are more likely to soldier on but at a huge cost to themselves and their families. The data show that men are more likely to die of heart attacks, have cardiovascular episodes and commit suicide,” she says.
Duxbury, who co-authored the 2003 Voices of Canadians: Seeking Work-Life Balance study, adds that when the discussion of workplace stress takes into account job types, a lot of the gender differences are stripped away. “If we compare women in high-powered jobs to men in high-powered jobs, the picture is almost identical. And if we compare men in horrible jobs with little control or autonomy, huge demands, little ability to say no and few choices of work arrangements, then you find that men are just as badly off as women,” she says.
Opting out
In her workplace health research, Duxbury has also observed age or life-stage differences. She says many young Canadian women in senior positions are coping with their job pressures by waiting longer to have children, having fewer kids or no kids at all. “And many young men don’t want to be like their fathers, and want to have a more active role in raising their children. They want a life as well as a job.” Upshot: Some young men and women are refusing promotions. Older workers who can afford to are punching out early. According to Statistics Canada, the median age of retirement in Canada is now 61, compared to 65 in the late 1970s and early 1980s. “People are managing their work stress and work-life conflict by deciding to go early,” suggests Duxbury.
Clearly, this will impact the Canadian economy in a big-picture sense. So, what are some solutions to managing stress in the workplace? At the organizational level, Duxbury says companies need to manage people better. People need flexible work arrangements and flexible benefits in practice, not just policy. They need different types of support at different stages of their lifecycle.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. At the individual level, Stein offers the following tips:
> Identify the problem. What is it about the workplace that is bad? Do you have too much work? Is there a toxic atmosphere? Try to figure out for yourself what needs to change.
> Find a best friend at work. Have someone you can confide in and ask, “Is it me or is it the workplace? What’s going on?”
> Be aware of the signs and symptoms of stress. (See the chart, below.) Note the cues and triggers. Is it just one person at work who drives you off the deep end? If so, think about ways you could be more assertive or more empathetic towards that person.
> Meet with your supervisor. Discuss the fact that conditions in the workplace are less than productive, not just for yourself but for the organization as a whole. If you can negotiate changes with your manager, that is a good thing. If you’re unable to negotiate changes, then it might be time to start looking somewhere else.
> Also, if you don’t fit into the workplace culture, you may to have to move on for your own health.
> Find purpose in your work. Whether you’re in a frontline “helping” position, or you’re
contributing to the economy, your work has value to others. Think about the big picture.
It can help keep you motivated.
STRESSED? Got symptoms? Get help (see your doc)!
Physical
• Headaches
• Clenched jaws
• Indigestion
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Increased perspiration
• Fatigue or insomnia
Psychological
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Defensiveness
• Anger
• Feelings of helplessness or of being trapped
• Mood swings
Behavioural
• Procrastination
• Neglect of responsibility
• Quickness to argue
• Withdrawal or isolation
• Poor performance
• Impatience
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