Worker Wellbeing

What is Worker Wellbeing?

There is increasing recognition that workers in the health and human services field often experience high levels of work-related demands and stressors, and are hence particularly vulnerable to the experience of stress and burnout.

Stress refers to psychological, physical, and behavioural responses to work-related demands over a discreteor short-term period.

Burnout is a form of chronic strain that develops over time in response to prolonged periods of high stress. It is a long-term process characterised by "chronic malfunctioning" and nnegative and cynical attitudes towards clients and work in general.

Consequences of Stress & Burnout

A range of undesirable consequences for the organisation have been linked with worker stress including:

• Reduced job satisfaction
• Lower job performance (quantity and quality of work)
• Increased absenteeism and turnover
• Reduced organisational commitment.

Strategies to Address Stress & Burnout

The best strategy to prevent (or reduce) stress and burnout is to take a two-pronged approach that focuses on:

1. The organisation (focus on changing the work environment or conditions that are causing stress/burnout
2. The individual worker (e.g., teaching coping strategies and stress management techniques).