Even if we're not living it on a daily basis, work stress is something almost all of us experience from time to time. And as the year nears its end, work stress can for some become unmanageable. Unrewarding work, a heavy workload, long hours, workplace conflict and restructuring are all common sources of work stress and if an unresolved stressful work situation continues long term, it can have a major negative impact on health and wellbeing.
A University College London study analysed data from 600,000 people, and found those who clocked up 55 hours a week had a one-third greater risk of having a stroke than people who worked a normal 40 hour week.
"Sudden death from overwork is often caused by stroke and is believed to result from a repetitive triggering of the stress response," the researchers reported. And the Mental Health Foundation UK reports that exposure to prolonged stress increases the risk of depression and disabling anxiety conditions, as well as alcohol misuse.
Careers expert and psychologist Caroline Sandford says the most common source of stress among her clients comes from roles that are not motivating, rewarding or providing enough challenge.
She says the instigation of performance management tends to cause anxiety, and other high stress triggers are increased workloads without additional resources to achieve them, conflict with managers and colleagues, and potential changes through restructuring. The danger is that "work stress tends to build until it becomes 'the norm', which over time takes a heavy toll," she notes.