Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers, Inc. OHCOW

1. Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers, Inc. (OHCOW)

3. Global stress What is stress? Causes of workplace stress Specific industry stress related triggers Discussion of top 3 stressors Stretch Long and short term effects of stress on the body One time hazard vs. chronic exposure Workplace stress solutions Personal solutions Conclusion

4. This is a simple test designed to indicate if you have too much stress in your life Its� a picture of 2 dolphins who appear normal to a person who is stress free Its quite simple, if there is anything that appears different about the dolphins, it is an indication of potential stress related problems Sit upright, take a deep breath, breath out and look at the picture If anything is out of the ordinary, you need to consider taking things a little easier

6. Test Your Knowledge Answer True or False to the following questions Nearly 50% of Canadian adults over 30 are frequently stressed Prioritizing tasks will NOT help you cope with stress It�s OK to have some stress in our life Stress can lead to unhealthy habits such as smoking, overeating and inactivity It�s a good idea to get professional help if stress becomes too great

7. Test Your Knowledge Cont�d Stress Management programs usually include ways to eat healthy, sleep better and get physically active Yoga, meditation, reading a book or watching a movie can help reduce stress Consuming alcohol is a good way to help manage stress Workplace stress is the most common source of stress Employers can help workers deal with stress by providing programs on financial planning and conflict resolution

8. Expectations Instant gratification Fast food restaurants Automated tellers Check outs Multitasking Language reflection (24/7, just in time delivery, road rage, air rage, burnout) Work-life balance Live life to the fullest

9. Reality Global economy Aging population Downsizing Constant change Job Insecurity Part time and contract work Multicultural workplace Moving away from a manufacturing base to a digital service economy Travel Media �if it bleeds it leads�

10. Nine to fivers in the minority One in three Canadians worked in a permanent full-time 9-5 Shiftwork on the rise 3.5 million workers (32%). One third of shiftworkers are parents of children under 16 Overtime work prevalent 1.9 million (17%) worked overtime in 1997. More than half were not compensated

11. Karoushi

15. Stress can be positive-promotion Tolerable levels of stress are stimulating Mental and nervous disorders- top conditions (used to be musculoskeletal) The World Health Organization concerned re: increase in stress related problems

16. Internal Personal Stressors: Confidence, self acceptance levels Trust issues Health and disability problems

17. External Personal Factors: Job stability or change Economy, finances Threat of war ot terrorism Family and personal relationships Divorce or separations Death of family or friends Change of location Shifts in responsibility Problems related to travel to and from work Boredom

18. Two Types of Stress: Short Term (acute) -immediate reaction �fight or flight� -any situation that is perceived as alarming Note: once acute response has passed-response inactivated �relaxation response� occurs

21. Physiologic Response to Stress Acute threat Systems ready � jet taking off Brain Lungs Heart Muscles

22. Body Response

28. Mouth and Throat: Fluids are diverted from the mouth Dryness and difficulty in talking Spasms of the throat muscles Difficulty in swallowing Skin: Diverts blood flow from skin Cool, clammy and sweaty skin Scalp tightens � hair sticks up Metabolic response: Shuts down digestive activity

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31. Accumulation of persistent negative situations High pressured work and unhappy relationship Persistent stress An inefficient or insufficient relaxation response Acute stress in people with serious illnesses.

32. Psychological Effects Heart Disease Stroke Susceptibility to infections Immune Disorders Sexual and reproductive dysfunction Cancer Gastrointestinal Problems Eating Problems Diabetes Pain Sleep disorders Memory concentration and learning

35. Arteries constrict reducing blood flow to heart Alter heart rhythms Blood becomes stickier - clots Impairs clearance of fat molecules � raised blood cholesterol Reduce estrogen levels

37. Blunt immune response Increase risk for infections Impair response to immunizations Low white blood cell counts Vulnerable to colds More susceptible to viral activation Faster progression of HIV to AIDS

38. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Peptic ulcers Inflammatory Bowel

40. Sexual function Decreased sexual desire Inability to achieve orgasm Temporary impotence Reduced blood flow Premenstrual syndrome Fertility Stops/reduces menstruation Effects on Pregnancy 50% increase in miscarriage Lower birth weights Increased prematurity

42. Allergies Skin Disorders Unexplained hair loss Teeth and Gums

50. Headache Sleep disturbance Difficulty in concentrating Short temper Upset stomach Job dissatisfaction Low morale

51. Grinding teeth or clenched jaw Muscle aches High blood pressure Constipation/diarrhea Backaches Tiredness Slow decision making Frequent illnesses Sadness or depression Severe mood swings Lack of appetite or binge eating Poor hygiene Isolation from others

53. Recognition of Stress is a 21st Century Phenomenon

55. What is Workplace Stress: NIOSH: harmful physical, emotional responses when job doesn�t match the capabilities, resources or needs of worker Job stress can lead to poor health and injury 2/3 of Canadians employed* Spend 60% of hours awake at work* Cowan, D. Power to the Healthy; Employee Health and Productivity, March 1998

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57. Factors that contribute to Workplace Stress: Work Design Management style Interpersonal Relationships Work/Union Roles Work/Life Balance Job Concerns

58. Work Design: Noise Heavy workload Infrequent rest breaks Long work hours Shift work Crowding

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63. Work/Union Roles: Lack of appropriate training Contradictory instructions from supervisor Answering to more than 1 supervisor Lack of support from management Lack of control

64. Work/Life Balance: Pregnancy Birth of a family member Serious personal injury or illness Single parenting Caring for elderly/ compromised family member/friend Too many hats to wear

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66. The Heart and Stroke Foundation says the top 5 causes of workplace Stress are: 1. Unfair bosses-study-unfair boss-higher blood pressure 2. Low man on the totem pole-study-3x more likely to develop heart disease than administrators 3. Shift Work-higher risk for heart disease, high blood pressure (BP), gastrointestinal disorders, report high levels of job stress 4. Lack of Appreciation-study-work not appreciated, 2x as likely to develop heart disease or stroke 5. Unhealthy behaviour- �anger on the job�-increased heart rate and BP can increase chance of having heart attack

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68. Men who increased work hours had More than twice the odds of experiencing an unhealthy weight gain More than twice the odds of increasing daily smoking Women who increased work hours had More than twice the odds of increasing alcohol consumption More than four times the odds of increasing daily smoking More than twice the odds of having experienced a major depressive episode in the twelve months prior to being surveyed

71. Stress Management Educate about nature and sources of stress Effects of stress on health Personal skills EAP Organizational change Identification of stressful aspects of work (excessive workload) Design strategies to reduce or eliminate the identified stressors

72. Work overload or underload Role uncertainty and job conflicts Responsibility for others Isolation Job dissatisfaction Job insecurity

73. Recognize that stress is a workplace issue Ensure that the workload is in line with the workers� capabilities and resources Design jobs to have meaning, stimulation and opportunities for workers to use their skills Clearly define workers� roles and responsibilities Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs

74. Build general awareness about job stress (causes, costs and controls) Secure top management commitment and support the program Incorporate employee input and involvement in all phases of the program Establish the technical capacity to conduct the program (specialized training for in house staff

75. Improve communications Provide opportunities for social interactions among workers Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities outside the job

76. Step 1 � Identify the Problem Step 2 � Design and Implement Interventions Step 3 � Evaluate the Interventions

77. Hold group discussions with employees Design an employee survey Measure employee perceptions of job conditions, stress, health and satisfaction Collect objective data Analyze data to identify problem locations and stressful job conditions Step 1 � Identify the Problem

78. Target source of stress for change Propose and prioritize intervention strategies Communicate planned interventions to employees Implement interventions

79. Conduct both short and long-term evaluations Measure employee perceptions of job conditions, stress, health and satisfaction Include objective measures Refine the intervention strategy and return to step 1

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