In today’s labour-market it seems almost impossible to avoid workplace pressure. The current work environment demands a lot from its workers. But what do we mean by workplace pressure?
More than 60 trade union leaders and experts from the EU and outside participated in a two-day seminar titled “Pressure at work. How to relieve the constant and increasing demands on workers?”. The seminar took place in Alcalá de Henares, which is near to Madrid, Spain. Alcalá de Henares is the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, writer of The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha. Traveling on his horse and accompanied by Sancho Panza, Don Quixote fights against all kinds of injustice. And this is exactly what we as trade unions try to do. The initiative was organized by WOW-Europe in cooperation with the European Centre for Workers’ Questions (EZA) and funded by the European Union.
Barbara Artenjak, Mental Health & Body Trainer and Works Council Austrian Automobile, Motorbike and Touring Club – ÖAMTC (Austria) very detailed explained what the ÖAMTC is doing to relieve their so-called ‘Yellow Angels’. Yellow Angels stands for those persons assisting people who experience problems with their cars. Those who help drive around in yellow cars. The number of sick-leaves in Austria is costing society and companies a lot of money. What the ÖAMTC is doing to decrease the numbers is to offer strategies for relief such as Fitness & sports programmes; ; Cildcare; Mental-Fit; Health care and offers; Flexible working time models. The idea is that if you reduce the pressure, you create space für creativity and innovation.
From a totally different perspective, Patricia Nieto Rojas, Lecturer in Labour Law and Social Security National University of Remote Education – UNED (Spain) looked at the impact of gender equality in the EU framework. Gender inequality is an important factor causing pressure at work. Women are still expected to keep things running at home while also aspiring to have a career. This is causing much stress-related issues. Equality between women and men must be ensured in all areas, including areas, including in the fields of employment, work and pay. Still there is gender-discrimination. By stimulating positive actions women shall be given fairer chances to reach certain position. These should always be based on professional qualifications.
Pressure at work results in fall-out and burn-out. But it is also resulting in levels of anxiety, said Brian Dijkema, President CARDUS Think Tank (Canada). ‘The clinical understanding of anxiety refers to persistent and excessive worry (apprehension) in anticipation of a future concern.’ Brian Dijkema added. This may manifest itself physically, behaviourally and spiritually. Currently, anxiety is the number one presenting issue in both the US and Canada. The main reasons for this anxiety are uncertainty about the world as a whole, lack of community in society and lack of agency in the workplace. ‘Work is about meaning, about identity, about going home knowing that someone’s life has meaning, and that they are contributing to the world in a positive way. We must resist the tendency of the modern economy to dehumanize our members’, Brijan Dijkema concluded.
Pablo González Rico, Professor PhD Department of Business Management, Co-Director Master in HR Management and Organisational Development, CEU San Pablo University (Spain) affirmed that ‘Work-related stress is the most important psychosocial harm today. This has effect of the level of emotional exhaustion, it results in depersonalisation/cynicism; and affects professional effectiveness’, Pablo González Rico said. The way we approach stress and burn-out is much different today compared to 30 years ago. How a person manages different levels of stress depends on personal traits and the type of job they do. People should be approached individually. Just looking at a company or a floor is not enough, because people are different and have different tasks.
This shows that management is very important. ‘The management is an important factor contributing to internal work pressures. Good management can provide boundaries to limit certain work pressures’ Kevin Kohut, CLAC Provincial Director British Columbia and Isobel Farrell, CLAC Provincial Director Ontario – CLAC (Canada) stated. This does not mean that there is pressure at times, but these should be well-guarded. Having bad management, on the other, hand will surely worsen the climate at a workplace. Bad management will not ensure certainty and feelings of belonging. This consequentially results in different types of pressure and stress.
‘Stress at work as a labour market challenge’ Irina Semjonova, Advisor of the Latvian United Police Trade Union (Latvia) started. There are many causes for stress. But the main component of all types of stress is crossing boundaries and limitations, causing lack of control. It is when things get too much, that stress sets in. the manner in which this surfaces is different per person. But the common denominator is absence and costs. Both governments and companies are increasingly looking into the root-causes, because they see that it has tremendous affects. Managers are trained, programs are created, the work environment is adapted etc. everything to keep people onboard.
‘Pressure at work is not caused by workload only’, Carlijn Brouwer, Consultant Healthy Living & Work, Dutch organisation for applied natural science research – TNO (Netherlands) said. ‘Personal factors such as lack of competences or capabilities are individual factors that have an effect. Just as lack of buffers (social support from different sides)’. It is of course true that the way work is organised affects the feelings and position of workers. But there are more factors. ‘Organisations should realise this and develop policies for intervention with individual workers, teams, management and the organisation as a whole. By doing this intervention all the bottlenecks become clear and action can follow’, Carlijn Brouwer concluded.
The seminar concluded with an international roundtable debate. Panellists from Germany, North Macedonia, Argentina and the Philippines discussed their challenges and solutions in their respective countries.
The days in Alcalá de Henares showed that much is being done to limit the levels of stress. This because it is bad for people and bad for finances. It is still work in progress. Not every company and organisation is in the position to tackle all issues immediately, but recognition is a very good first step. This because the new generation demands something else. And also because we cannot continue in the way we are doing thing today.
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