Posted By Stuart Nagle
Hi Elaine.
There are a number of occupations where stress is a very real factor affecting performance, levels of sickness and absenteeism, there have been serveral studies of stressful occupations done, and national newspapers have reported on these so a search of their archives may assist.
I was employed in Local Government for a number of years (too many!!) and in reflection, as I progressed up the ladder the stress levels grew. Local governement was reported in one study as in the top 5 stressful occupations.
Not long before I left Local Government, it was not uncommon for me to suffer from bouts of illness, colds, flu (and two medical complaints that required minor surgery) that resulted several weeks each year off work. In addition, I often honestly felt - on recovery - "oh no, not back there again"!!!
Now... I am NOT saying all this was due to stress, however in the last 5 years of working in another environment away from the (stress) of the local government environment, I have had only one period of absence through sickness ( for 3 days) and find that I do not bite heads off everyone at home who comes within 5 feet of me after 17.00hrs each day.
I can only put it down to the work, working enviroment, levels of work imposed, increased levels of responsibility - ever rising, less and less staff, less money in budgets but being asked to balance the books and do increased items of work, the 'need' to respond to 'customers' and taking the abuse from members of the public (the like of which you would probably simply not believe if I told you),and believe it or not Councillors, some of whom have a particular genius for making ones life a misery, the hierachy within local governement ( its principal officers in particular)and its affect on staff, the continuing efforts of local government to meet standards imposed by officals (without the resources or funding) to meet every new idea and scheme that comes along....
I could go on but your probably bored stiff already...
So YES stress is not new, but newly recognised (again), as a major contributing factor to the performance of staff at work. How one beats it in environments such as local government I do not know, but this is one person who was pleased he stepped away after 24 years and now never felt better.
Stuart Nagle