WORKPLACE STRESS
50 years ago all Western governments began discussing how people would cope with the leisure that 'The white heat of technology' would bring. If only. Now, workplace stress, anxiety, panic attacks and even burnout have become normal, restorative leisure is a dream and everyone is convinced that they're failing.
Employment is increasingly fragile and febrile; unemployment was never fun but now it's been made punishing, and the gig economy makes life perilous; social life is less enjoyable, less affordable and more competitive. People are not even finding the time to sleep properly.
Employment occupies a substancial part of our lives, shaping identity, routines, relationships, financial security and sense of achievement. For many people employment can also bring intense pressure, uncertainty and responsibility.
In recent years, traditionally pro-business publications such as Harvard Business Review have recognised the significant impact that economic disruption, organisational change and workplace stress can have on employees and leaders alike. Burnout is now recognised by the World Health Organisation as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
The years since 2022 have been particularly challenging. Rising inflation, higher interest rates, changing patterns of investment, restructuring, consolidation and shifts in ownership have altered the landscape of many organisations. Many employees are being asked to shoulder greater responsibility, deliver more with fewer resources, and adapt to rapidly changing expectations.
Many people describe feeling caught between competing demands: pressure to perform, loyalty to colleagues and clients, concerns about job security, and the expectation that they should continue to cope regardless. Others find themselves questioning values that once felt settled, or struggling to reconcile the organisation they joined with the organisation it has become.
Therapy offers a confidential space to think clearly about these pressures. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, it provides an opportunity to understand how employment, identity, relationships, ambition and wellbeing interact, and to explore ways of responding that are sustainable both professionally and personally.
Employment is increasingly fragile and febrile; unemployment was never fun but now it's been made punishing, and the gig economy makes life perilous; social life is less enjoyable, less affordable and more competitive. People are not even finding the time to sleep properly.
Employment occupies a substancial part of our lives, shaping identity, routines, relationships, financial security and sense of achievement. For many people employment can also bring intense pressure, uncertainty and responsibility.
In recent years, traditionally pro-business publications such as Harvard Business Review have recognised the significant impact that economic disruption, organisational change and workplace stress can have on employees and leaders alike. Burnout is now recognised by the World Health Organisation as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
The years since 2022 have been particularly challenging. Rising inflation, higher interest rates, changing patterns of investment, restructuring, consolidation and shifts in ownership have altered the landscape of many organisations. Many employees are being asked to shoulder greater responsibility, deliver more with fewer resources, and adapt to rapidly changing expectations.
Many people describe feeling caught between competing demands: pressure to perform, loyalty to colleagues and clients, concerns about job security, and the expectation that they should continue to cope regardless. Others find themselves questioning values that once felt settled, or struggling to reconcile the organisation they joined with the organisation it has become.
Therapy offers a confidential space to think clearly about these pressures. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, it provides an opportunity to understand how employment, identity, relationships, ambition and wellbeing interact, and to explore ways of responding that are sustainable both professionally and personally.
