Canadian HR Reporter

Canadian HR RepoRteR april 6, 2015 News 3 comBAt > pg. 10 Competence. Validation. Trust. HRPA is proud to introduce the CHRP, CHRL and CHRE designations. The new global standard for HR excellence and professionalism. The Certified Human Resources Professional, Leader, and Executive designations for HR professionals at every stage of their careers. Unleash the new gold standard: www.hrpa.ca/designations High stress, high stakes Push to do more with less has one-third of workers considering resigning: Survey BY Liz BeRnieR it's not just you and it's not just a perception — workplace stress really has been increasing over the past few years. Forty-six per cent of Canadian workers feel more stressed out than they were five years ago, and 53 per cent of workers globally feel more burnt out than they did five years previ- ous, according to a Regus study of 22,000 professionals in more than 100 countries. But for employers, allowing a high-stress workplace is a high- stakes game. More than one-third of workers (37 per cent) have con- sidered quitting in the last year because of the amount of stress they face on the job, according to a separate survey of 1,052 work- ers by MetLife in the United King- dom. A full 47 per cent said their job is stressful on a day-to-day basis — not just occasionally — while 48 per cent said stress levels have increased in the last year. Stress factors ose rising stress levels are due to a combination of factors, said Wayne Berger, vice-president at Regus in Toronto. "One is technology. So ad- vancements in technology have been incredible over the last 10 years, but the reality is we're all just connected at all times now — 24-7," he said, adding that can make it difficult to disconnect from office stress, even during off-hours. Another factor is the fact that employees really do have to do more with less as a tough labour market means colleagues and co-workers often aren't replaced when they leave, said Berger. "We're still seeing this shift from companies — especially after 2008 when we went through the economic recession — companies are rebounding well these days but there hasn't been the com- plete influx of job replacement. So Canadians are feeling more stress and pressure because of the feel- ing of being understaffed. People are asked to do more and more beyond just the core scope of their job responsibilities." Other factors include globaliza- tion — the fact that there is just more competition regardless of industry — and the sedentary nature of many office jobs, said Berger. "Just this notion of being teth- ered to the desk from eight to five without the opportunity to break up the day… whether it's getting some exercise throughout the day or just getting the chance to break away to some different scenery." e grass looks greener Added to all of those pressures and stressors is the fact it's very easy for employees' eyes to wan- der. In the age of LinkedIn and online job posts, employees who are feeling fed up, stressed out or run down can apply elsewhere at the click of a button. "Everything is posted — every- thing is available online and you see it, so I think certainly that can cause some feelings of angst," said Marie-Hélène Budworth, associ- ate professor at York University in Toronto. "Certainly, there is a bit more of 'the grass is greener' because you can see into other places. But getting those opportunities is still quite difficult. It's very difficult to move right now — except in some high-demand areas, it's re- ally difficult to find a new job," she said. "Looking and actually getting another opportunity are two very different things." But that's no reason for em- ployers to be complacent — los- ing employees, particularly high- performers, is still a very real risk in high-stress workplaces. at's why it's important for leaders to express their appreciation and value toward employees, said Budworth. "Letting them know that the ex- tra efforts they're putting forward are not only helping the leader or manager but helping the orga- nization as well, and that they're valued because of that," she said. "Under those (high-stress) situations, it's also a time where it's important to create… other things within the workplace that are enjoyable. So, opportunities to be around each other, to do things that are engaging or interesting or just nice, is also a useful activity." When employees are doing work that goes above and beyond their job description, giving them credit and recognition is a very important piece, said Budworth. "(And) it's something that they wouldn't get naturally in the structure that exists for providing feedback." Providing some flexibility and autonomy in the way employees are able to work is also key, said Berger. "We're seeing a real shift today across corporations, not just in Canada but globally, in which a flexible workspace is becoming not just more acceptable but it re- ally is becoming the norm. And it is something that companies are offering up as a benefit to attract great talent."

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