Stress and Its Effects

Anyone can suffer from stress which has been defined by The Health and Safety Executive as -

"the adverse reaction a person has to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed upon them"

Stress is not itself an illness but its effects may be both physical and mental. eg. high blood pressure, anxiety, depression.

The effects of stress on the organisation might be:

	Higher absenteeism
	Poor timekeeping and punctuality
	Higher staff turnover and difficulty recruiting staff
	Lower morale and motivation
	Aggressive behaviour
	Poorer decision making, quality, performance and productivity
	Poorer creativity and innovation
	Poorer customer service
	Inability to meet deadlines
	Industrial relations issues
	Resistance to change
	More internal friction
	Higher management costs
	Subversion and sabotage

All of which contribute to reduced effectiveness and efficiency.