Stress is not something to be dismissed as being just part of the job, or the price you pay
for being successful in your career. Stress has been shown to be either directly or indirectly
responsible for early and untimely deaths through heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and a
multitude of other stressrelated
illnesses. While the mental and physical health of employees
are suffering due to unhealthy work environments, stress is still seen as a sign of weakness in
many organizations, and is kept quiet so as to avoid negative repercussions. Stress tends to be
either ignored or dismissed by the very people who are best placed to do something about it –
managing and senior directors, personnel and training managers, occupational health workers,
and departmental managers and supervisors.