Workplace stress can make us sick
Many people know what physical ergonomics stresses are, but there is another kind of stress that can also hurt us. That stress is “Psychosocial Stress.”
What is it?
Psychosocial Stress is the kind of stress that we “internalize.” Psychosocial stress can come from many directions, including:
- Too much work (& not enough time to complete it, or a supervisor/manager that creates a hostile work environment)
- Too much external stress (worries about local/national/world events)
- Interpersonal issues (relationship problems, with family, friends, etc)
- Too much information (constant or frequent flows of “sensational” information)
- Inadequate sleep
When we have too much Psychosocial stress in our lives, it can increase the risk for physical injuries, particularly soft-tissue illnesses and injuries. We can be more distracted and more likely to have vehicle (or other) accidents. We can actually be more susceptible to colds and the flu, because our body is not properly rested. Some companies have supervisors/managers that create so much stress in their teams, that turnover and injury rates are abnormally high. Suddenly working from home can also cause people to have more stress.
Fortunately, there are various things people can do to address Psychosocial Stress and reduce their risks for injuries and illnesses. These steps include:
- Limit the amount/frequency of information coming in from external sources (turn the television/radio off)
- Negotiate workload with your supervisor/manager (speak to Human Resources if the workplace is hostile/toxic)
- Get help for interpersonal issues (it’s okay to ask for help)
- Do what is possible to address external stress (control what you can, and “let go” of what you cannot control)
- Get enough sleep (most adults need 7 to 8 hours/night)
Reducing Psychosocial Stress makes employees happier and healthier!
For more information on how we can help you (or your employees) deal with ergonomics issues in the workplace, check out our website, call us at (847) 921-3113 or email us at info@qp3ergosystems.com. We can help!
