Signs of Stress at Work

Signs of Stress in Teams & Individuals

If employees start acting differently, it can be a sign they are stressed.

Managers should look out for signs of stress in teams and employees, listed below.

It is important to consider whether the stress could be linked to work pressure as this is bound-up in your duty of care.

Acting early can reduce the impact of pressure and make it easier to reduce or remove the causes.

If managers are worried that an employee is showing some of these signs, they should encourage them to see their GP.

These signs can be symptoms of other conditions such as anxiety disorders or depression and need to be addressed.

If there is something wrong at work, and this has caused the problem, business owners should take action.

If you are unsure about what needs to be done, or how to go about it, then you should get in touch with us as we can help you.

Signs of Stress in Teams

There may be signs of stress in a team, like:

• arguments that go beyond mere discussion
• higher staff turnover and frequent resignations
• more reports of stress to your HR dept
• more sickness absence and lost time
• decreased performance at all levels
• more complaints and grievances

Employers have a legal responsibility to assess the risks of work related stress in their workplace and take action to protect employees.

Signs of Stress in Individual Staff

A change in the way someone acts can be a sign of stress, for example they may:

• take more time off
• arrive for work later and later
• be more twitchy or nervous in general

A change in the way someone thinks or feels can also be a sign of stress, for example:

• frequent mood swings and unpredictability
• being withdrawn from others
• loss of motivation, commitment and confidence in themsleves
• increased emotional reactions – being more tearful, sensitive or aggressive

Employees can also play a role in improving their own stress management – we offer both one-to-one individual stress management training at our clinic in Wombourne as well as offering our Thriving at Work Stress Management Training programme.