How stress arises in the workplace and what you can do about it

A quick meeting, while still hitting the keys so that the important project is finished by the deadline and then desk lunch for lunch while the urgent emails are processed. That doesn't just sound stressful, it is. Work-related stress is not uncommon these days. This not only has a strong negative impact on productivity, but also on memory, concentration and attention - precisely because our brain is overworked.

Stress is the imbalance between external demands, such as tasks or projects, and the available resources. If these two things are only temporarily out of balance, our body can compensate and recover. However, the longer this state lasts, the more difficult it becomes to recover from it.

In Switzerland, people are aware of the stress, but do nothing

This makes it all the more important nowadays to take preventative action against work-related stress. We conducted a survey of over 900 companies across Europe on managers' views on stress issues and wellbeing practices. Overall, the results show that 47% of respondents consider stress to be a key issue within the organization, while 65% of managers stated that health and wellbeing has become a strategic priority.

While stress levels are 58% in Germany and 40% in France, 72% in Switzerland stated that work-related stress was a major problem in their company. However, while 65% in Germany and 84% in France stated that health and wellbeing had become a strategic issue, in Switzerland the figure was only 57%. This discrepancy shows that wellbeing has not yet become a priority over stress in Switzerland.

Stress, stress factors and how the body reacts to stress

Nowadays, stress is a frequently used catch-all term. But what is the basic, original meaning of stress - and what triggers it? Quick et al. (2016) divided the causes of work-related stress into 4 main groups:

1. Task requirement: workload/uncertainty of the job
2. Role requirement: Role conflict
3. Physical strain: temperature, lighting, workplace design
4. Interpersonal requirements: personal conflict, management style

By nature, the human body reacts involuntarily with physiological and psychological effects to deadlines, health problems, family conflicts, money worries, pressure on performance and goals - the so-called stress factors.

The physiological stress response is regulated by the peripheral nervous system and the HPA axis, which leads to a faster heartbeat, increased blood supply to the brain and skeletal muscles, as well as increased blood sugar levels and the release of adrenaline and cortisol.

This leads to the fight-or-flight response, which is an evolutionary adaptation that prepares the body for immediate danger - a response that is not normally appropriate in the modern working world.

Long-term overactivation of this response can directly cause diabetes, coronary heart disease and mental illness.

How stress can be reduced with increased well-being

To prevent work-related stress from developing into distress, the issue must be addressed directly by organizations, managers and employees. Prolonged chronic stress can manifest itself in a range of health problems, including anxiety, social withdrawal, weakened immune systems, heart disease and, in the worst cases, burnout. The personal effects of a stressful situation are unavoidable in most workplaces. They are determined by the way individuals react to them.

The mindset is also important for preventing stress in a company: by viewing such situations as challenges for growth opportunities rather than obstacles or threats, the situations can be controlled and benefits can be derived from them.

In light of this, emotional intelligence and mental resilience and, above all, resilience - psychological resistance - are the most important skills in the workplace of this century. Mastering deep relaxation and mindfulness exercises are also very valuable for personal resilience in an increasingly stressful and hectic working environment. Our survey revealed that there are certain points to consider at all levels of the organization to prevent stressful circumstances at work:

As an employee, the little things should not be underestimated:

• Take proper breaks and don't eat lunch at your desk
• Never skip meals because you are too busy
• Drink enough fluids
• Stand up regularly and stretch at your desk
• Frequent and direct exchange with colleagues
• Sharing and discussing problems with superiors and colleagues

As a manager, it is important to take on a supportive supervisor role and meet people on a personal level: 

• Talking about well-being in all one-to-one meetings
• Professional consideration of problems when they arise
• Be kind and compassionate and thank them for the open exchange
• Act as a role model by actively promoting health in everyday life (e.g. walking meetings)
• Paying attention to the team's use of resources and workload (signaling openness regarding stress indicators)
• Clearly define roles, responsibilities, expectations and priorities and create as much freedom as possible

Find out more about stress and wellbeing in the workplace in our white paper: The importance of wellbeing measures, international comparisons and best practices to reduce stress in the workplace.