Castaway, doormat or slave to technology
Stress at work can get on your nerves. It can keep you awake at night and contribute to health problems such as cardiovascular disease and depression. Finding the source of the stress is often the first step in the right direction, but that’s easier said than done.
Fortunately, we can help you with that. Experts have identified eight types of stress situations at work. Which of these do you have the most similarities with?
1. Overworked Subordinate
Features: You are busy from the moment you arrive at work until the moment you return home, but you lack the freedom to decide what you are doing. You always work for someone else and have little control over how you do your job.
Solution: These kinds of jobs, which demand a lot from you and have little control, often create tension. Even if you can’t make your job less demanding, it often helps if you can be more involved in decision-making. Small changes often have a big influence on tension and stress.
2. Castaway
Features: You feel alone. You cannot turn to your manager for help or guidance. You also don’t have a colleague to add to if you feel the need to.
Solution: Support from a good manager and nice colleagues are necessary to be able to perform your work properly. Too little of (one of) the two can lead to frustration. Try to communicate your need better. If you need help from your boss, be as specific as possible. It is also good to put more energy into contact with your colleagues.
3. Frustrated go-getter
Characteristics: You work your way around, but you have the feeling that you don’t get enough appreciation for this. With blood, sweat and tears you make sure that your boss scores points, but nobody cares about you. No stock, promotion and not even compliments.
Solution: Especially for driven people with a need for approval, these kinds of situations lead to stress. Try discussing your career goals with your boss. You probably won’t get the reward you want right away, but it will at least give you and your boss more insight into the situation. It can also have a positive effect on the future.
4. Doormat
Characteristics: You will have to deal with demanding and verbally aggressive customers. However, you are expected, or even required, to accept these insults and remain professional, calm and friendly.
Solution: The missing balance between your inner state and the roles you are expected to take on means you have to work hard emotionally. You can ask your boss for advice, but some training to deal with difficult customers might be a better idea. Eventually you can do your job again, without becoming demotivated or taking aggression personally.
5. Slave to Technology
Features: Thanks to the smartphone, mobile phone and laptop, which you may or may not have received from your boss, you are always available. You are in constant contact with the office and your work and personal life are increasingly intertwined.
Solution: Stress as a result of the new technology is becoming an increasing problem. To protect yourself from mental and physical stress, it is more important to learn how to make yourself unreachable again. Create technique-free periods every day: for example from 9.30 in the evening to 8 o’clock in the morning. Use that time to clear your head and relax.
6. Plague Victim
Features: A boss who insults you, gives impossible deadlines, overloads you with work and pisses you off in front of your colleagues. Or maybe you’re not yet the victim of your boss’s bullying, but you see what’s happening to others and you’re worried you might be next…
Solution: If you feel like you’re a victim of your supervisor’s bullying, you can try to mollify your boss. Even better is to do this together with colleagues who share your frustration. If that doesn’t work, it’s important to document the harassment and raise your concerns with a senior or human resources representative.
7. Burnout
Features: You are tired, very tired, always tired. Both physically and mentally. You have even reached the point where you can no longer function and can collapse at any moment.
Solution: The term burnout is often used. The official definition is severe exhaustion resulting from prolonged work-related stress. If you experience or feel a burnout coming, it is wise to discuss with your manager what the options are to take time off or leave.
8. Wronged Victim
Features: Working is not fair. Your boss has favorites, management team decisions are unclear and arbitrary, and you and your co-workers are treated like little children.
Solution: Workplaces that lack honesty, transparency and respect have more stressed employees. It is often difficult to change such a situation, you only have a limited control over the working atmosphere. Still, it sometimes helps to voice your concerns to a supervisor or someone from Human Resources. If only to get rid of it for a while.
Sources):
