A
health specialist claims that stress can have a positive impact on people and
organisations.
Clive
Pinder, managing partner at health management specialist Vielife, says stress
is a perfectly natural human reaction that enables us to raise our performance
level to respond to challenging circumstances.
His opinion
calls into question the views of the International Stress Management
Association, which claims that 64 per cent of the UK workforce are suffering
from workplace stress – up from 53 per cent in 2001 – and suggests that a
stress epidemic is sweeping across the country.
Recognising
the increase in work-related stress, the Health and Safety Executive is
currently running pilot schemes of its stress management standards, which are
due to be phased in during 2004.
"People
who understand how to lever stress can gain many advantages from it," said
Pinder. "Obviously we all need time to release pressure and recharge our
internal coping mechanisms, but there is an inherent danger in a knee-jerk
response to government legislation," he warned.
He
claims that "energy and resilience" should form a central part of an
integrated health and well-being strategy that looks at all the health drivers
including effective sleep, balanced nutrition and sensible exercise, rather
than focusing on a potentially negative issue.
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