Preventative > Work Stress Management


What is Work Stress Management?
Work Stress Management includes the provision of specialist counselling, support, assessment and training services to organisations committed to reducing the harmful effect of stress in the workplace.

How does it work?

Work Stress Management services are used by employers, their employees and other individuals seeking to manage stress in their lives.

Employers appoint specialist Work Stress Management consultants to audit and assess their workplaces to determine high stress risk positions and the type of people who are most prone to suffering negative effects from stress. Once these tasks have been completed, the consultants provide employers with the results and a range of recommendations and options that can help staff better manage unhelpful stress levels and implement strategies to minimise the negative impact stress can have on staff and the organisation in future.

The types of ITIM Work Stress Management services made available to employers include:
• Staff and Workplace Stress Audits – to identify positions and personality types most susceptible to stress
• Assessment of Risk Audits
• Policy and Procedure Development
• Work Stress Management Counselling
• Drug, Alcohol and Other Addictions Counselling
• Management Assistance and Consultancy
• Preventive Management
• Referral and Treatment
• Immediate Critical Incident Response
• Trauma Support
• Stress Management Seminars and Training Workshops

Many employers are aware of the costs and risks associated with workplace stress. In addition to high absenteeism, lost productivity and the damaging impact it can have on a staff member’s personal wellbeing, there is the real threat of litigation from employees who may claim they have not had sufficient support from their employer. Australian employers have a legal obligation to recognise and take steps to prevent stress at work from becoming a health risk. As a result, many employers request that Work Management Stress services be included in their Employee Assistance Program contracts with ITIM.

Employees and other individuals use Work Stress Management services to effectively deal with change in the workplace, recognise the warning signs of stress and explore ways in which they can manage it by assessing and prioritizing their workloads.

Is Work Stress Management for You?
ITIM provides Work Stress Management services for employers, their employees and other individuals seeking to manage stress in their lives.

Employers choose to use professional Work Stress Management providers when:
• productivity is lower than projected
• absenteeism and staff turnover is high
• major changes are planned
• bullying and harassment is prevalent
• morale is low
• there is an increase in stress claims and leave applications for stress-related issues
• staff claim workloads are too heavy
• workplace conflict is adversely affecting morale and performance
• the organisational climate can be described as hectic and unhelpful

Employees and other individuals choose to use professional Works Stress Management providers when they:
• feel overwhelmed with job expectations
• are frequently sick and absent from work
• have received a medical referral from their GP
• feel more anxious, scared, irritable and moody than normal
• find it difficult to concentrate
• are low in self-esteem, worry about the future and fear they will lose their jobs
• are preoccupied with other thoughts or more forgetful than usual
• increase their use of drugs, alcohol and smoking
• cannot explain certain behaviours (eg a tendency to suddenly cry for no reason, increased impulsiveness, more accident prone and sudden loss of appetite or overeating)
• notice physiological changes in themselves (eg sweaty hands, increased heart beat, trembling, nervous ticks, dry throat and mouth, tire easily and urinate more frequently, headaches, body pains and sleeping problems)

On-going stress can have serious side effects and consequences. Some of these include high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, strokes, asthma, frequent bouts of illness and suicide.

What are the Benefits of Work Stress Management?
ITIM provides Work Stress Management services for employers, their employees and other individuals seeking to manage stress in their lives.

Employers choose to use professional Work Stress Management providers when:
• productivity is lower than projected
• absenteeism and staff turnover is high
• major changes are planned
• bullying and harassment is prevalent
• morale is low
• there is an increase in stress claims and leave applications for stress-related issues
• staff claim workloads are too heavyITIM’s comprehensive Work Stress Management service provides a range of benefits for employers and employees.

The benefits for employers are:
• access to a service that focuses exclusively on workplace issues
• assistance in implementing strategies that meet Australian Occupational Health and Safety Standards and duty of care responsibilities
• can minimise and manage risks associated with work related stress
• enables the implementing of early intervention stress management techniques that assist prevent escalating stress levels within the workplace
• to introduce strategies that can protect staff against stress and strain
• reduce the risk of being sued by employees for stress damages
• protects against legal action by having a published stress policy produced and distributed to staff, along with periodic reviews and reminders to staff
• identify positions and personality types most at risk of stress
• show employees the organisation is committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
• increased productivity through improved employee motivation and wellbeing
• reduced operating costs through increased retention of staff, reduced absenteeism, and minimised workers’ compensation claims

Benefits for employees and other individuals are:
• access to a practical, convenient and confidential service dedicated to helping them overcome the symptoms and causes of workplace stress
• access to a wide range of professional workplace consultants, counsellors and trainers
• enables them to learn more about themselves and personal limitations
• enhanced job satisfaction and workplace motivation
• ablility to better cope with workplace demands
• ways to limit the impact perceived stressors have on their lives
• the organisational climate can be described as hectic and unhelpful

Employees and other individuals choose to use professional Works Stress Management providers when they:
• feel overwhelmed with job expectations
• are frequently sick and absent from work
• have received a medical referral from their GP
• feel more anxious, scared, irritable and moody than normal
• find it difficult to concentrate
• are low in self-esteem, worry about the future and fear they will lose their jobs
• are preoccupied with other thoughts or more forgetful than usual
• increase their use of drugs, alcohol and smoking
• cannot explain certain behaviours (eg a tendency to suddenly cry for no reason, increased impulsiveness, more accident prone and sudden loss of appetite or overeating)
• notice physiological changes in themselves (eg sweaty hands, increased heart beat, trembling, nervous ticks, dry throat and mouth, tire easily and urinate more frequently, headaches, body pains and sleeping problems)

On-going stress can have serious side effects and consequences. Some of these include high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, strokes, asthma, frequent bouts of illness and suicide.

Why Choose ITIM?
• A commitment to confidentiality and anonymity within the limits of legal and professional boundaries
• ITIM consultants are experienced in the delivery and analysis of the Occupational Stress Inventory, Workplace Environment Scale and Maslacks Burnout Inventory
• ITIM consultants are experienced and qualified in all aspects of counselling and psychotherapy, psychometric testing, stress auditing, relaxation training and stress management.
• ITIM has a thorough knowledge of all aspects and approaches to stress and an understanding that organisations require different and varied approaches on how the subject is introduced to their people.
• ITIM is committed to implementing positive, helpful and respectful approaches and applicable methods
• ITIM is committed to helping people develop their full potential
• ITIM provides customised programs that enable managers to recognise and utilise positive stress to drive and achieve key business objectives.
• ITIM provides training for key personnel in dealing with challenging people and situations.