What are some of the greatest contributors to workplace stress? Why…family obligations off of the job…of course. Outside of a job some people’s family obligations can make workplace stress feel like the vacation. In other cases, though, family obligations can worsen, or at least complicate, the level and types of workplace stress.
Even in the cases of employees with no spouse, or dependent children of their own, workplace stress can often be worsened by family obligations. This is especially true in a situation where health concerns are involved.
An employee with a sick, or even dying relative, can find themselves in the throes of emotions, distracted from assignments at hand, and even disagreeable at times. A wise manager would be aware of the ‘goings-on’ in the lives of their employees enough to be aware when such a situation is occurring.
Many companies in the US comply with the Family Medical Leave Act, signed by President Bill Clinton during his term, and this allows for those people facing health challenges with family members a chance to take care of the “home fires.” In turn this allows a company to know that they can rely upon the Human resources that are available and not be seen as the ‘evil company’ that lets people having problems go.
What if the aggravation to the workplace stress isn’t health related?
Sometimes the family obligations causing the increase in workplace stress isn’t medical at all. It could be anything from a nagging, insecure spouse, to a custody issue within a divorce, to nothing more than parental expectations. More and more companies today are recognizing these events as the important topics they are in the employees life. Many businesses go so far as to offer employees access to a counselor, either by phone, or sometimes ‘in-house.’
Another approach some finer companies are offering their employees is in-house daycare for the children of employees. More and more single parents are in the workforce now and such a benefit might endear an employee for life to their company.
Even though some family obligations are not medical, many employers are still human enough themselves to sometimes recognize the need to occasionally offer reduced hours, flexible scheduling, and allow employees to ‘trade shifts.’ Most of these approaches are a relatively cost-free way the company can support their employees dealing with a real-life, and burdensome family obligation to ease the level of workplace stress on their employees.
Sources:
http://www.isma.org.uk/pdf/publications/crr00311.pdf
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/highstress-jobs-double-chances-of-depression-459947.html
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/stress/whatis.htm#family
http://hum.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/39/12/1141
