3. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Occupational stress is a major hazard for many
workers.
Increased workloads, downsizing, overtime,
hostile work environments, and shift work are
just a few of the many causes of stressful
working conditions.
5. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
The human body has a natural chemical
response to a threat or demand, commonly
known as the “flight or fight” reaction. Once
the threat or demand is over the body can
return to its natural state
6. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
• A STRESSOR is an event or set of conditions
that causes a stress response
• STRESS is the body’s physiological response to
the stressor
• STRAIN is the body’s longer-term reaction to
chronic stress
7. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Occupational stress can affect your health when
the stressors of the workplace exceed the
employee’s ability to have some control over
their situation or to cope in other ways.
8. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
• Workers are overburdened with workloads
that remain high regardless of their efforts:
the workload is the STRESSOR
• Employees feel anxious and their heart rate
speeds up because they can not control their
workloads: that is STRESS
• Increased blood pressure, insomnia, or
chronic headaches: that is STRAIN
10. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
What are the sources of stress?
• High work demand, workload, time pressures
• Odd working hours
• Little autonomy or control over one’s job
• Inadequate resources to do the job
• High demands
• Lack of job security
• Understaffing
• Mandatory overtime
• Violence/Harassment
11. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
What are the sources of stress?
• Downsizing/Privatization
• Hiring freezes
• Firing Eases
• Contingent work (e.g. part-time or temporary)
• Shift work/Rotating schedules
• Quality Programs/Worker Participation
Schemes
13. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Acute, or short-term, stress causes an
immediate reaction in the body. If the threat
or demand passes quickly, the body generally
returns to normal.
14. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
• With prolonged stress, many health problems
can develop.
• Some of the early symptoms of stress-related
problems include:
– Physical Symptoms
– Psychological & Behavioural
17. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
If exposure to stressors continues for a longer
period of time, chronic health problems can
develop
Physical Conditions
• High Blood Pressure
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Spastic colon
21. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Worker
• Learn better communication skills
• Improve your relationships with management
and co-workers
• Take steps to improve your own emotional
and physical well-being
• Identify negative attitudes and knee-jerk
habits that add to the stress you experience
22. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Worker
• Making good food choices is important
• Make sure you get enough sleep
• Pursue aerobic exercise
• It is important to avoid alcohol or drink it in
moderation, and avoid nicotine
• Make an effort to leave for work earlier in the
morning.
23. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Worker
• Be sure to plan regular breaks
• Create a schedule that is balanced
• Do not over-commit yourself
• Take the time to prioritize your tasks
• Break up projects into smaller steps
• Delegate responsibility to others
• Be open and willing to compromise
24. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Worker
• Develop the ability to respond to challenges
with humour
• Realize when you are stressed
• Stay connected with your internal emotional
experiences
• Resolve conflicts in a positive way
• Recognize and effectively use nonverbal cues
25. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Worker
• Do not attempt to control things you cannot
• Focus on positive thinking
• Resist your sense of perfectionism
• Get yourself organized
• Be on the lookout for humour in situations
• Connect with other people in your workplace
• Talk about the stress with another person
27. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Management
• Involving workers in job and workplace design,
having input on shift schedules
• Clearly define employees’ roles and
responsibilities
• Consult employees about scheduling and work
rules
• Provide opportunities for social interaction
among employees
28. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Management
• Make management actions consistent with
organizational values
• Make communication friendly and efficient, not
mean-spirited or petty
• Give workers opportunities to participate in
decisions that affect their jobs
• Share information with employees to reduce
uncertainty about their jobs and futures
29. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Management
• Be sure the workload is suitable to employees’
abilities and resources; avoid unrealistic
deadlines
• Praise good work performance, both verbally
and officially, through schemes such as
Employee of the Month
• Offer rewards and incentives
• Show that individual workers are valued
