When asked what they’d like to be when they grow up, most children will reply with some profession or other, and while the field and the exact position may change greatly with age and experience, it is rare to find an answer which focuses simply on the desire to enjoy whatever is done. Yet a large number of people around the world are unsatisfied with their jobs. From difficulties with managers, supervisors, and other personnel to issues of long hours or other difficulties and the demands of long commutes and short work breaks, employees often feel stress within the workplace. Though such stress may seem tame to the untrained eye, it can have a significant impact on personal health and well-being, and indeed accounts for billions of dollars lost each year throughout most industries due to absenteeism and health care costs. In an attempt to rally greater support for the relief of workplace stress in the UK, public sector union UNISON has demanded that companies take greater responsibility for their internal practices and environments, and investigate why their workers experience stress.
Suggesting that employers have been “burying their heads in the sand” in relation to the issues surrounding workplace stress in the UK, UNISON recently noted that businesses stood not only to enjoy happier, more productive environments should they devote more time and resources to the investigation of stress, but that they could also save a great deal of expense.
The UK, of course, isn’t the only place in which employees often grapple with challenging demands on personal ability and mental and emotional resilience. Through a more concerted, global effort to phase out practices and policies that promote stress, business is likely to experience boosts in efficiency and success, and scores of people stand to experience the thrill of enjoying what they do.
© Copyright 2009 by By John Smith. All Rights Reserved. Permission to publish granted to GoodTherapy.org.
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