Hyper-stress in the workplace: "Stress is a warning sign, not a sign of weakness"

Patrick Légeron, head of the Stimulus consulting firm, in charge of a government report on stress, denounces the great misunderstanding surrounding stress in companies.

There is a great misunderstanding about stress: it should be perceived as a warning signal and not as a sign of weakness. However, too often, in the eyes of senior management, stressed people are seen as weak, unsuited to their professional environment. Therefore, they try either to minimize this stress or to denigrate it.

In itself, however, stress is only a normal and natural response of our organism. It is even written in our genes. However, for most people, it is a notion synonymous with suffering. Why? Because it is confused with hyper-stress, which ultimately occurs in three cases.

First, when stress is too strong, of unbelievable violence. This is fortunately rather rare in the world of work. Second, when it is too frequent. Stress then becomes chronic. This could be a conflict with a colleague, a collaborator, a superior, a job change to which one does not adapt, a dismissal never digested... Finally, third, when stress itself is the result of an accumulation of frustrations. The famous "last straw that breaks the camel's back"... In these three cases, stress becomes harmful, detrimental. And it is not long in having repercussions on the psychological level (anxiety disorders, depression) and/or physiological (digestive disorders, cardiovascular alerts, exhaustion...).

We are not all equal in the face of hyper-stress

It is also noted that hyper-stress remains a fundamentally unequal reaction: women and those in their forties are the most vulnerable. Some studies reveal deviations from the average of +30 to +50%. The same is true for nearby management, with an over-exposure of +10 to +15%, particularly in banking, insurance and service professions. Faced with this, it is necessary to convert hyper-stress into good stress, which refers to the notion of a challenge that can be overcome. This is the case with a high-level athlete who likes to be in danger, who likes to face difficulty, but knows deep down that he has given himself the means and that he has the weapons to succeed.

I have observed that Nokia was one of the pioneers in stress management. The Finnish giant has indeed understood that it had a financial interest in reducing the frustrations of its employees and improving human relations. Less social conflict, less absenteeism, less sick leave, these are all potential areas for savings. On stress, the world leader in mobile phones ultimately recorded a return on investment of 1 in 3: every euro spent saved it from losing 3!

Posted on February 4, 2008

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