Joint effort needed to deal with management of job-related stress
Thu, 04/21/2016 - 12:00am
It is in the nation’s best interest to ensure that we create an environment conducive to productivity, with lower levels of stress. It must be a joint effort where the employers, the employees, the unions and the government, all play a significant role in championing change. Remember, a healthier workplace fosters a successful and profitable business.
The management of stress in the workplace is a collective challenge, which needs a collective solution.
According to Executive Director of the Barbados Employers’ Confederation (BEC), Anthony Walcott, stress management is an important segment in a company’s commitment to occupational health and safety, and
companies must ensure that a depressurised environment is established and sustained in the workplace, as this is important to employees’ health and has a direct link to overall productivity.
He also remarked that employees must do their part, to manage stress as well.
His comments came as the Labour Department, in conjunction with the Barbados Workers’ Union and the Barbados Employers’ Confederation, hosted a workshop on “Workplace Stress: A Collective Challenge”, at Solidarity House yesterday, to commemorate World Day for Safety and Health at Work – 2016.
“Employers must be cognisant of the work load designated to an employee, balanced with the employee’s ability to cope. Employees on the other hand must understand that their employer may not be fully aware of their challenges and as such, should seek to have an open discussion with their labour relations officer,” Walcott advised.
Acknowledging however, that the health of employees is of great concern to organisations, because this translates into absenteeism, Walcott stated, “Stressed employees require extensive levels of absence, due to the inability to cope in the work environment.”
“The Barbadian economy is already seeing the effects of lower levels of productivity and higher levels of absenteeism and presenteeism,” he added.
“It is in the nation’s best interest to ensure that we create an environment conducive to productivity, with lower levels of stress. It must be a joint effort where the employers, the employees, the unions and the government, all play a significant role in championing change. Remember, a healthier workplace fosters a successful and profitable business,” Walcott concluded. (RSM)