The medical sector is well known for its high pressure environment, but in a report carried out by the British Medical Association (BMA) the effects of this and the resulting work-place stress revealed a pretty worrying situation. It found that 34% of newly qualified GPs had either high or very high levels of stress, and the greatest demand was trying to achieve a ‘work-life balance’. Results also showed that 39% of participants said that the stress could encourage them to leave the NHS, and 33% felt that it might prompt them to work overseas.

These findings clearly show the long term impact that this could have on our healthcare system. But, as we know, stress isn’t only an issue for NHS professionals or even just newly qualified individuals – it can affect anyone across any sector at all levels. And it’s important that HR teams can recognise the early warning signs to benefit employees and also the company as a whole.

Common symptoms of a stressed individual include tiredness, irritability and low self-esteem. And if you do start to notice an employee behaving differently, it’s important that you don’t ignore it. Issues can often be resolved, for instance by delegating tasks to another member of staff or extending deadlines, and if you can solve the problems early on you can tackle stress before it leads to illness.

It’s important to remember though that for some individuals, talking about stress is difficult. It can be a sensitive subject and needs to be handled appropriately, not only by HR professionals and managers but by all colleagues. Your role is to create an environment where all employees understand the causes and consequences of stress and know that they can talk openly about it.

Of course, it’s even better to be able to tackle stress before any symptoms arise. Developing an individual’s resilience – for instance through workshops and development programmes – is a great way to do this as it allows them to be able to cope with and adapt to pressures at work. And simple rewards can really make a difference to an employee’s wellbeing, with even a ‘thank you’ or a recognition of their hard work helping to make them feel valued.

If you look around your office today, the chances are at least one member of your staff will be experiencing high levels of stress. It’s important that you act now before this has a greater impact on them as individuals and the business as a whole.