Stress hindering the UK economy

Multiple organisations have noted the impact that work-related stress is having on business productivity in the UK. One Edinburgh firm has found a straight-forward solution to alleviating worker-tension.

Stress-related sickness is costing the UK economy over £5 billion a year, according to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

Cited as a ‘major cause’ of sickness absence across Great Britain, in a report released earlier this year the HSE said that stress affects “individuals, their families and colleagues by impacting on their health but it also impacts on employers with costs relating to sickness absence, replacement staff, lost production and increased accidents.”

Not only is workplace stress having a negative effect on employees’ health but according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) 66% of surveyed employees revealed stress made it “difficult to focus leading to mistakes, missed deadlines, lateness and trouble getting along with co-workers”.

One company who is helping employees and business executives tackle the negative effects of workplace stress is Edinburgh based Intercity Mobile Therapists Ltd. Run by Richard and Alanna Newlands, the company focuses on addressing the needs of busy business people by taking the service direct to their door, either at home or in the workplace.

Richard explained: “When we launched in June we realised that most business people who were dealing with the effects of stress in particular were usually time starved. As a result it was harder for them to find time for themselves to de-stress or relieve tension and pain.

“We wanted to bring the benefits of massage to the client where and when it was suitable for them. Take out the inconvenience and time bound issues that occur when going to a spa or salon.”

They also alleviate the unique tensions of stay-at-home parents or freelancers, who may not be able to stray far from home, by heading direct to people’s homes for a tension-busting massage at a time that suits.

But it’s not just task-related stress that Intercity MT is addressing. Many of their clients are afflicted with work-related musculoskeletal disorders, resulting in employees having to deal with the effects of pain whilst trying to complete daily work tasks.

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimated that 8.8 million working days were lost due to work related musculoskeletal disorders in 2015/16 – that’s 34% of all working days lost due to work related ill health.

As Alanna explained, “Stress physically affects our muscles causing severe build-up of tension which leads to pain and discomfort in the back, neck and shoulders and even causes tension headaches.

“That’s probably why a deep tissue massage is our most popular massage. Our clients have said they feel a big difference even in just one session. The benefits are felt and are visible instantly. They feel relaxed physically and mentally. ”

According to Alanna, telltale signs of workplace stress include headaches, muscle stiffness, anxiety-related sleep problems, and day-time fatigue.

“Inability to think clearly and make decisions are also good indicators,” she said.

As far as Richard is concerned, taking time to alleviate workplace stress is not only good for employee welfare, it’s also good business sense.

He said: “Investing in employee health can and will increase productivity and profits as well as reduce absenteeism and aid in employee retention.”

The company has ensured its services are tailored to facilitate those with already overly-busy lifestyles. They attend workplaces and offer sessions for staff members.

“Many of our clients find it difficult to take time out of their lives for themselves, they usually have very little time to spare and often going to a salon or spa is just too much time out of their schedule” said Richard, adding: “We are available from 8am to 10pm and can be with a client in as little as an hour.”

To book an appointment with Intercity Mobile Therapists Ltd call 07 5756 191 48, email [email protected], or visit www.intercitymt.com to book online or download the app.