What you must remember
Stressful situations that set in overtime always have a cost to the health of the individuals who experience them. They also have negative repercussions on the functioning of companies (turnover, lost working days, loss of production quality, demotivation, etc.). The collective prevention approach consists of reducing the sources of stress in the company by acting directly on the organization, working conditions, social relations, etc.
Good stress? Bad stress?
It is widely believed that good stress allows employees to perform at their best in Locksmith services, while bad stress makes people sick. Scientifically, however, there is neither good nor bad stress, but a phenomenon of adaptation of the body made necessary by the environment. On the other hand, we must differentiate between “acute stress” and “chronic stress” which have distinct effects on health.
The state of acute stress corresponds to the reactions of our organism when we face a threat or a one-off issue (public speaking, change of position, unexpected situation…). When the situation ends, the symptoms of stress stop soon after.
The state of chronic stress is a response of our body to a stressful situation that sets in overtime: every day at work, we thus have the impression that what is asked of us in the professional context exceeds our capabilities. Chronic stress always has negative effects on health.
What links between stress and work?
Cases of stress in the company are sometimes denied or attributed solely to the fragility or unsuitability of the position of certain employees. Faced with manifestations or complaints of stress, it is nevertheless essential to seek possible links with the professional context. Work overload, insufficiently defined objectives, difficult relations with the hierarchy, or colleagues, a lack of autonomy can be the cause. If work-related stressors are identified, appropriate preventive measures will make it possible as a priority to eliminate them or, at least, to reduce them.
What prevention?
The employer must ensure the safety and protect the physical and mental health of his employees at work. To fulfill this obligation, he must favor collective prevention actions. These make it possible to act on the causes of stress rather than on its symptoms.
Prevention
The approach to preventing stress at work is the same as that described in the “psychosocial risks” file, that is to say, that a collective prevention approach, centered on work and its organization, must be favored. It assumes that a set of conditions are met (management commitment, the involvement of staff representatives, employee participation, etc.).
The approach to preventing stress at work is the same as that described in the “psychosocial risks” file, that is to say, that a collective prevention approach, centered on work and its organization, must be favored. It assumes that a set of conditions are met (management commitment, the involvement of staff representatives, employee participation, etc.).
This process includes several steps:
- Preparation of the process: data collection and indicators on stress.
- Identification of sources of stress, alone or with help, with tools adapted to the context (risk assessment grid, questionnaires, interviews, observations at the workstation, etc.).
- Definition of the action plan: define the improvements to be implemented and the means necessary to achieve them, plan and prioritize the actions.
- Implementation of the action plan: implement and steer the implementation of actions.
- Follow-up of actions: phase of regular reassessment of stress factors which makes it possible to readjust the process if necessary.