Forbes, Dec. 3, 2018

How to Alleviate Stress and Ask for Help, Without Appearing Weak

For so many professionals today, the stress they're experiencing in their work-lives has become virtually unsustainable. Workplace stress kills thousands of Americans each year (estimated at more than 120,000 deaths) and contributes up to $190 billion in health care expenses annually.

What aspects of our work cause the most stress? According to the World Health Organization, research reveals that the most stressful type of work is “that which values excessive demands and pressures that are not matched to workers’ knowledge and abilities, where there is little opportunity to exercise any choice or control, and where there is l”ittle support from others.”

A recent survey by ComPsych, the world’s largest provider of employee assistance programs, found that the top five causes of stress are: workload (39 percent), people issues (31 percent), juggling work and personal life (19 percent) and job security (6 percent). Employees feel overworked, that they cannot resolve issues with others, that there is not enough time for all parts of their life and that they might lose their job in the end, according to experts.

Stress also impacts the quality of employees’ work. In fact, 76 percent reported losing 15 minutes to 1 hour per day due to stress, according to ComPsych.