Stress in the salon

Work-related stress is said to account for more than a third of all new incidences of ill health, with each case accounting for nearly 31 lost working days. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) puts the cost to the economy of mental health and stress problems at £5bn a year. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) says one in five workers – five million people – feel extremely stressed at work.What is Stress? | What Causes Stress? | Symptoms of Stress | How Can You Help? | Stress and the Law

What is Stress?

Stress is a state, rather than an illness, and can be caused by many factors. While pressure at work can motivate and challenge people, excessive pressure can be harmful and destructive to health. Work-related stress is usually caused by a conflict between the role and needs of an individual and the demands of the workplace.

What Causes Stress?

The causes of stress in the workplace can be varied. It can be caused by sheer overwork and long hours, a lack of effective management, or something more serious such as bullying or harassment by other staff:

• Not having any control over the demands of work
• Not having a clear job description or chain of command
• Being insecure about job security
• Having a temporary contract
• Not having an understanding manager
• Long working hours
• No recognition or reward for good performance
• No opportunity to voice complaints
• Having to rush tasks
• The possibility of a small error having serious consequences

But don’t forget that everyone is different. A situation that causes stress in one employee, could be motivating for another.

Symptoms of Stress

Stress can appear as a variety of physical symptoms, ranging from sleepless nights and panic attacks to depression, moodiness and weight loss. Common symptoms include:

Tearfulness

Irritability or aggression

Indecisiveness

Days taken off sick

Poor timekeeping

Tiredness

Lack of self-confidence

Inability to concentrate

Becoming withdrawn

Drinking or smoking more

Struggling to work as part of a team

Difficulty co-operating and accepting advice.

How Can You Help?

To prevent stress in the workplace the HSE advises that:

• Employers make sure they are equipped and able to deal with the demands of their job
• Have an adequate say over how work is done
• Have support from their manager, and understand their role and responsibilities.

As a manager you should also ensure people are not subjected to unacceptable behaviour from their colleagues and are involved or kept informed of any changes within the salon.

Stress and the Law

There is no direct law dealing with work-related stress, but employers have a duty under common law to take reasonable care to ensure the health and safety of their employees. Under health and safety law, employers also have a duty to assess and control factors that may cause work-related stress. If an employee suffers from stress-related ill-health and a court decides you could have prevented it, you may be found negligent and there is no limit to the compensation your employee could get. If you dismiss an employee because they have work-related stress, an employment tribunal will treat this as unfair dismissal unless you can show you acted reasonably. Good management, effective communication and sufficient training will go a long way towards preventing workplace stress – in your team, and in yourself.

More Info

• www.acas.org.uk - useful tips on avoiding stress at work
• www.direct.gov.uk - advice on what to do if you are suffering from stress/your rights as an employer
• www.hse.gov.uk/stress/index.htm - explains the causes of stress at work and recommendations to solve the problem