Managing workplace stress in tech

Stress is one of the biggest public health concerns of our time. Despite its widespread affects, it still isn’t taken as seriously as physical health issues. It’s a proven cause of anxiety and depression and it’s linked with various physical health problems like heart disease and insomnia.

According to the Mental health Foundation’s 2018 Study, 74% of UK adults have experienced stress in the last year to the point that they’ve been overwhelmed or unable to cope.

Similarly, the Health and Safety Executive’s 2018 Work-Related Stress Statistics reveal that stress, anxiety or depression account for 44% of all cases of work-related ill health in UK.

The fast-paced and competitive nature of the tech industry makes IT workers particularly vulnerable to workplace stress. At CWJobs, we’ve written about handling stress in IT before and in this article, we’ll explore the topic in more depth.

How stressful is the IT industry?

Tech workplace app Blind, recently sent out a one-question survey to its users, asking ‘are you currently suffering from job burnout?’ Of the 11,500 respondents, 57.16% answered yes.

These worrying statistics illustrate the need for tech companies to be aware of the signs and symptoms of workplace stress. Companies need to have support strategies in place to help employees cope with feelings of overwhelm and burnout.

Signs that IT workers are stressed

Stress manifests in different ways, but some of the most common signs include:

Fatigue

Everyone has ‘off’ days, but prolonged tiredness and lack of motivation can indicate underlying stress. IT managers who notice a change in an employee’s energy levels or productivity should address the underlying cause by arranging a conversation.

Irritability

When we’re feeling stressed, we become irritable. Our tolerance for small inconveniences gets lower, which can result in seemingly irrational outbursts and displays of emotion. Managers should look out for signs that employees are acting out of character or losing control in certain situations.

Change in appearance

Dealing with stressful situations inside or outside of work can mean having less time to spend on ourselves. Addressing a change in someone’s appearance can be challenging and should be done with sensitivity and confidentiality.

Causes of stress in the IT industry

In recent years, one of the biggest causes of workplace stress is ‘presenteeism’. As opposed to ‘absenteeism’, this phenomenon involves working while sick, which can lead to even poorer health, exhaustion and burnout.

According to the CIPD’s recent Health and Well-being at Work survey, presenteeism is fast-becoming a workplace epidemic and has tripled since 2010. Eighty-six per cent of over 1000 respondents say that’ve observed presenteeism in their organisation in the last 12 months.

In the IT industry specifically, we could surmise that some of the common reasons that people continue to work when they’re sick, include:

Excessive workloads

In this fast-paced industry, employees are often asked to meet unrealistic deadlines, which means working longer hours regardless of health. The industry’s current skills gap can also lead to employees taking on additional work for which they have insufficient training.

Job Insecurity

Despite UK tech employment being at a record high, the competitive nature of the industry can put pressure on people to work when they’re unwell. The fear of missing out on future opportunities can lead employees to ‘work through’ illness. Uncertainty over Brexit and recent changes to IR35 legislation could also be seen as contributing factors.

How tech companies can help employees handle stress

Reducing the impact of stress on employees begins with identifying its underlying causes. Recent changes to workload, contracts and management can all affect the health and wellbeing of workers. Once a company is aware of the causes of stress in its organisation, the following strategies can help alleviate its impact:

Acknowledgement

It’s important for management to acknowledge when workers are stressed and to raise the issue on a department or company-wide level. Early intervention is key to ensuring that workers don’t become overwhelmed and unable to cope.

Wellbeing Support

Improving the level of wellbeing support provides more options to those who may respond better to specific strategies. Having wellness initiatives in place that promote good physical and mental health provides workers with a means to de-stress when necessary. Gym memberships, yoga classes and access to meditation apps can all help improve an employee’s health and wellbeing.

Flexible Working

At CWJobs, we’re big proponents of flexible working in IT. Providing employees with the opportunity to work from home or remotely encourages a better work-life balance, which reduces stress and creates happier employees.

For more information on helping employees manage workplace stress, take a look at The Stress Management Society’s information on understanding stress and how it affects us. If you feel you may be suffering from stress at work, their Individual Stress Test can provide you with useful insights.