Australians facing stress-related issues

Stress is a problem that nearly all of us face at some point. While many employees internalise this struggle, for others it can have a detrimental affect on both their physical and mental health.

According to the latest annual survey of stress and health by the Australian Psychological Society (APS), this is a growing issue for people across the country.

Based on the survey's results, problems in the workplace are one of the leading causes of stress for Australians – two in five people (44 per cent) blame work as the source.

The Stress and Wellbeing in Australia survey revealed that working Australians reported a similar amount of job stress compared to 2013. However, this is much higher than what was recorded in 2012 and 2011. 

Levels of workplace wellbeing were also alike to last year's results. But again are much lower than what the Australian Psychological Society found in previous years.

Professor Lyn Littlefield, executive director of the APS, said it was important for employers to be aware of signs of stress from their workforce.

"Stress can have an extremely detrimental effect on a person's mental and physical health. It's important to first identify the cause of stress to work towards avoiding the source, or adopting stress management behaviours," she said.

"If you're feeling overwhelmed, or if you notice your stress levels are having a negative impact on your mental or physical health, I encourage you to see a psychologist. Everyone needs help at some time, and it's okay to ask for it."

Another way for businesses to reduce stress and improve workplace conditions for employees is to introduce technology such as productivity software. By eliminating needless data entry applications, workers will have more free time to concentrate on other tasks and finish projects quicker.