• I will speak up at any early stage if the work stress becomes too much for me to cope with
• Is the pressure of work too much or can you tolerate it?
• Do you speak to each other about irritations at work, fatigue, fears?
• Do you also discuss these with your supervisor and/or colleague?
• Does this change anything? Or do you think that there is no point in talking about this?

Working under severe pressure for extended periods can be very unhealthy. Stress is often caused by too much work, but that is not always the case. Sometimes an employee might have personal problems, or there may be an ongoing conflict at work, a bad atmosphere at work or a project that is not running smoothly.

If the stress persists for a long time, then this often results in all sorts of vague symptoms, such as:

• fatigue
• insomnia
• muscle aches
• infections or heart palpitations
• impatience, feeling insecure and irritated.

Behavioural symptoms:

• Trouble sleeping
• Decreased appetite
• Increased use of medication
• Smoking and drinking more
• Restlessness
• Avoiding certain situations

Psychological symptoms:

• Feeling rushed and stressed
• Feeling anxious and insecure
• Difficulty concentrating
• Struggling to make decisions
• Feeling depressed

Can accidents be caused by “The work needs to be finished quickly”?

Absolutely, many accidents at work are the result of “let’s do this quickly”. There is a danger of underestimating the risks. Unhealthy situations are also caused by your colleague forgetting to switch on the dust extraction or you forgetting to wear your earplugs.

What can you do yourself?

Be alert to any signs of stress. Be aware that when you expend more energy, you also need to do more to recoup that energy.

Tips:

• Do not skip breaks
• Organise your work as efficiently as possible
• Clearly state your boundaries
• Allow time for recovery
• Enjoy the fun things in life.

Your supervisor has a duty to ensure that the work pressure does not reach unhealthy levels. Working really hard is fine for a short while, but fighting to meet tight deadlines for months on end can result in the symptoms described above. This applies not only to you, but also to your colleagues.

• Let your supervisor know if this is the case. Your development interview is a good opportunity to discuss this. This meeting is set up to give you the chance to explain what you are happy about in the workplace and what aspects are not going well
• Don’t wait for this meeting if you experience urgent problems, which can include irritations in the workplace or conflicts
• Speak to someone about it, such as your GP, or make an appointment with the occupational health physician.

A general rule of thumb: carrying a problem for an extended period is not good for your health, the well-being of your colleagues or the company as a whole. How does you being signed off sick help you or your supervisor?

Don’t let burn-out take hold of you!

You can also take a quiz on the internet to check your level of work stress.

https://www.volkskrant.nl/kijkverder/2019/burnoutquiz/?referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arboportaal.nl%2F#/

If the link doesn’t work, or the stress test doesn’t launch, copy the link to your web browser

Vitality,

Being in a good headspace. This is important to us at Heijmans. The best way to achieve a healthy environment is to ensure that you feel well. For some, the key to vitality is a healthy body. For others it is more about the work-life balance, dealing with work pressure, continuous learning or all of this at once.

You will find information about vitality at Heijmans on the HRM guide.

Heijmans is aiming for health. Will you join us?