Employee Assistance Program Counselors/ Service
Providers Share Their Insights about Job Stress
FOCUS interviewed EAP counselors from the Federal Employee Assistance Program (FEAP) in Boston, MA, about job stress. The FEAP serves 27 Federal agencies in the New England region. Contributors included: Catherine Weisbrod, LICSW, CEAP, BCD; Michele Shaffer, LICSW; and Nancy Costikyan, LICSW, CADAC.
Are you seeing job stress as an employee issue?
Job stress is one of the "top three" problems presented when clients initially contact an EAP. The others are personal relationships and family concerns. While there may be other contributing or even causal factors to an employee feeling overwhelmed, job stress is often the catalyst that precipitates the first call to the EAP.
Do you see any differences in the patterns today than ten or fifteen years ago?
Because of the increased media discussion of stress, it has become more acceptable for individuals to admit to and talk about the impact stress has had in their personal and professional lives. It appears as though there is now a greater awareness of job stress although its existence in the work environment has been prevalent all along.
What has contributed to work stress for many over the past two decades is the increasingly difficult dilemma of balancing work and personal life and the mounting expectations within both domains.
In the past decade the effects of downsizing and major reorganizations have impacted employees. Those fortunate enough to have "survived the storm"often experience survivor guilt in addition to the overwhelming stress and pressure caused by new agency expectations of having to "do more with less." In both the public and private sectors there has been increased emphasis placed on accountability and productivity.
Can you identify any one sect of employees that is particularly stressed?
Middle managers come to mind. Frequently they are isolated, caught between the demands of upper management and the needs of beleaguered employees, and unable to keep up with the demands of their own jobs even though they make Herculean efforts. They are held accountable for delivering the agency or organization’s objectives, the "product," sometimes with limited authority; limited control over staffing and budgets, and, little training on how to function in a management role. The role of the manager is often a very lonely one, lacking the peer camaraderie that staff can draw upon. If managers are burned out by their own stress levels, they will not have sufficient internal resources to take care of their employees.
What management behaviors contribute to job stress?
The perennial complaints that we hear from stressed employees is that they feel that they have little autonomy regarding the work conditions that affect their daily lives. We hear that some managers fail to make crucial symbolic gestures that indicate recognition and respect, and that they are left "out of the loop" regarding important developments affecting the agency at large and their jobs in particular. Being treated with respect and having healthy communication, creating an environment where employees feel they are listened to — these elements cannot be overstated.
What elements are important for the individual in managing job stress?
It’s important for individuals to recognize their own personal stress threshold. It is also crucial for individuals to realize when they have choices over issues in their personal and professional lives. Choosing to stay in an unhealthy work environment, like choosing to stay in an unhealthy relationship, can lead to chronic stress, which may lead to unhealthy coping behaviors or compromised health.
Overall, do you see a prevalence of poor coping skills among employees when dealing with job stress?
In general, we see employees using a range of coping skills that are really quite healthy and adaptive — and for which they tend not to give themselves enough credit. The self-blame and devaluation that they experience is a common sign of the self esteem issues that can emerge with chronic stress. Often our work is centered around helping them to acknowledge just how well they are coping and enhance their natura resilience. Of course, when maladaptive coping strategies are evident, we help them to identify healthier choices, mobilize motivation, and, when needed, seek additional treatment. Employee assistance programs can consult on a wide range of issues. Employers and managers should keep in mind that the EAP is a supportive resource available to Federal employees.
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