Stress at Work: Do Managers Really Count the Costs?

Organizations are being forced to contend with an increasingly diverse range of influential factors which have implications for their efficiency and effectiveness. Such factors are likely to create a cumulative spiral of pressures for organization members and render them susceptible to the adverse effects of stress. Increased prevalence of work stress among employees, coupled with its harmful effects for the operation of companies, prompted an investigation of managerial attitudes to stress at work in the clothing industry. Structured interviews were carried out with managers from 44 companies. Of the respondents 70.5 per cent believed that employees in their company experienced stress at work. Many identified a range of causes and effects, and 81.4 per cent acknowledged that stress is a problem for individuals and organizations. However, few companies had any mechanisms for identifying and helping stressed employees. Highlights a need for companies to take cognizance of the costs of stress within organizations and to take corrective action.