Why should employers be concerned about mental health? At any one time, one in six British workers will be affected by a mental health condition or problems relating to stress. Work-related stress is the biggest occupational health problem in the UK after musculoskeletal disorders.
There’s certainly no lack of challenges facing the EHS profession now and in the coming years, according to ISHN’s 2015 EHS State of the Nation subscriber survey. Almost four in ten (39%) of ISHN subscribers say contending with an expanding workload is one of the biggest challenges they face on the job.
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) professionals have to make many decisions on a daily basis. These decisions can involve risk assessment methods, preventive workplace measures, workers’ health surveillance or even rehabilitation or return-to-work practices.
Constant stress — whether from a traffic-choked daily commute, unhappy marriage, or heavy workload — can have real physical effects on the body. It has been linked to a wide range of health issues, including mood, sleep, and appetite problems — and yes, even heart disease.
There is concern that the management of psychosocial risks is being neglected in a race to the bottom
October 28, 2014
The effects of globalization can be witnessed in so many aspects of our lives, including occupational safety and health (OSH). Firms are facing increasing pressure to remain competitive and, although implementing organizational changes may be necessary, they may result in new risks to workers' well-being.
One-quarter of workers in Europe report feeling stressed at work all or most of the time, and a similar proportion say that work affects their health negatively. Psychosocial risks — for example, monotonous tasks, high work intensity, tight deadlines, work-life unbalance, violence and harassment from the public or from colleagues — contribute to work-related stress.
A new piece of legislation entered into force in Belgium last month that focuses on managing psychosocial risks in the workplace which can for instance lead to burnout and stress.
We all ask ourselves the same desperate question from time to time: How am I going to make this work?! “No matter how well we’ve done laying the groundwork for everything to run smoothly – becoming educated, choosing the right spouse, treating others well -- we all face situations that challenge us,” says Dr. Robert J. Cerfolio, a world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon known as “the Michael Jordan of lung surgery.”
Stress at work raises risk of heart attack and stroke, particularly if the job is blue-collared, according to a new study. The study added that being unemployed might be just as unhealthy.
Today, more than ever, there’s a higher expectation that employers will take our health into consideration while we’re on the job. But while many organizations should be commended for protecting our physical health, there is still an unfortunate disconnect when it comes to our mental health.