The ICT Job Hunter Blog

Having to take time out of the workplace as a result of stress can be worrying at any time, but at times like these when layoffs are threatened and the law of the jungle seems to apply, the temptation can be to rush back to work as quickly as possible and before we are really ready.

Nobody likes to have to admit that stress has got the better of them and all too often it is only at the point where we can no longer keep up any pretence of coping that we finally break down and give in.  By the time we reach this stage, however, the problem is usually not of trivial proportions and anxiety or depression may have become an issue.

Sitting at home, burdened with fears that our jobs may be given away during our absence and highly conscious of the fact that our colleagues and co-workers may know the reason why we are unable to attend work, and of the stigma which is often attached to any kind of mental illness, we reappear at our desks at the first signs of feeling slightly better.  In many cases, however, we do this without any kind of consultation with managers or HR staff and what we return to is exactly the same situation that we left.

I remember a doctor friend of mine telling me that when faced with patients who are suffering from workplace stress, his advice is always that they should not return to the workplace until the issues which caused the pressure have been resolved.  In fact, he refuses point blank to sign them back to work as fit until he has received their assurance that this is the case.  Without clearing up any outstanding issues, there is obviously a very high probability that the individual with end up suffering all over again, and the consequences of facing the symptoms of stress a second time around could be even more damaging.

Many organizations these days are quite proactive when it comes to looking after the health and well-being of their staff, but this is not always the case.  Even if your company makes no approach to you to try to resolve the issues which caused your stress, therefore, it is important that you approach them.  Depending on the nature of the problem, it is sometimes better to meet with a neutral party from your company, so that you feel free to be honest about your concerns, although if an excessively heavy workload, for example, is what was causing the problem, this might be better discussed with your manager directly.

Your physical and mental health are absolutely imperative to being able to work effectively and give of your best, so always heed your doctor’s advice and don’t go back to work too soon.  It is in everyone’s interest that when you do return you are fit and well, and that the issues which contributed to your ill health are cleared up altogether in advance, or at the very least minimized.