With budget cuts seeing a large number of employees lose their jobs in recent years, in addition to changes in terms and conditions that have substantially worsened pay and pensions, stress in the workplace could not be higher for public service workers.
We are in a time of significant change that’s both challenging and complex for local governments. This has become evident, with many public sector workers highlighting that they’re feeling under immense pressure. There has never been a more important time to focus on personal wellbeing and resilience.
Causes of Stress in the Workplace
Working in local government is fast-paced. It always feels like there are a million things to do; one minute the phone is ringing, then an urgent email pops through, a colleague needs some paperwork, a meeting is coming up, and then your boss tells you your report needs to be finished by lunchtime. Public sector workers can feel like they need a clone of themselves just to be able to manage their workload. It’s no surprise they’re stressed out.
Negative Effects of Stress in the Workplace
All this stress has numerous negative effects in the workplace. There are physical effects, such as higher blood pressure, weight gain, sleep disorders, headaches and many others that increase the possibility of an employee developing an illness requiring them to take time off work. Plus, mental exhaustion causes a lack of focus and an inability to process new information or even recall things you should know. Stress can cause public sector workers to resent their work and their employers. The result is an unproductive and unhappy workforce.
How to Relieve Stress and Show Resilience in the Workplace
At Civil Service College, we run two training courses that show public sector workers and those in the civil service how to relieve stress, deal with pressure, and build personal resilience.
Dealing with Pressure
Huge pressure is a given when it comes to public sector work. It’s therefore crucial that employers teach their workers how to effectively manage their ever-increasing workloads. With a bit of thought, some planning and preparation, combined with some great strategies for coping, pressure can be eased and even flipped and used to a worker’s advantage.
Our training course, Dealing with Pressure, is a highly interactive course aimed at all levels of the public sector and civil service workers. In the course, we help you to identify when you’re feeling under pressure and give you strategies to manage and alleviate that pressure. We’ll show you the importance of clear thinking, the route to inner calm, and demonstrate how you can use pressure to your advantage. Plus, we’ll give you tips on balancing your work and personal life, show you how to prioritise your work, and how to manage expectations.
Building Personal Resilience
In times of great uncertainty, the only thing the public sector can be certain of is change. But change often also brings great stress and has a massive effect on the wellbeing of workers.
Our professional developments skills workshop, Building Personal Resilience, shows public sector and civil service workers how to develop greater levels of resilience to help them deal with stress and anxiety in the workplace, and even help them to flourish in times of uncertainty. This interactive workshop shows you how to identify signs of low resilience and gives you strategies for strengthening and developing greater resilience.
