Everyone at times experiences anxiety and fear; they are normal human emotions that help us deal with danger. However, some people experience excessive and irrational anxiety, and worries that become ongoing and distressing and interfere with their daily lives. This may indicate an anxiety disorder. Often there appears to be no obvious or logical reason for the way the person feels which may make an anxiety disorder even more worrying to the sufferer (Better Health Channel 2007).
On the job solutions
If you have feelings of anxiety it can often be very calming to talk to a friend, relative or counsellor so these feeling don’t end up getting beyond your control. Look after your mind as well as your body by adopting a healthier lifestyle including regular exercise, a healthy eating plan, regular sleeping patterns and learning to reduce stress levels by relaxing. This is different for everybody but some suggestions include, watching TV, reading a book, going for a walk, going to a movie or having a long bubble bath. Others find slow breathing or remedial massage beneficial (Mental Health Association NSW Inc 2007).
Workplace strategies
Workplaces can adopt a range of strategies and solutions that enable a person experiencing fear or anxiety to become or remain productive employees. Each person’s circumstances are, of course, unique and should be discussed with the individual.
- Restructure jobs or tasks—for example, reassign fill in reception duties to another typist or administration assistant or exchange or delete minor job duties
- Adjust work schedules—to allow for time off for therapy appointments or arrange a later starting time due to morning drowsiness caused by medications. See links below for more information:
- Use of technology
- use of e-mail to deliver daily instructions
- Modify work space—install wall partitions around workstation to minimise distractions. See link below for more information:
- Provide special transportation
- assigned parking space closer to building to manage a panic condition
- Providing human assistance—provide a job coach or mentor. See link below for more information:
- Flexible scheduling
- changes in the start or end of the workday hours;
- part time hours;
- more frequent breaks;
- sick leave for mental health reasons
- Changes in supervision
- providing extra supervision hours;
- involving a job coach in supervision meetings;
- modifying the way feedback and instructions are given
- Changes in training
- allowing extra time to learn job tasks;
- assistance in orientation
- Emergency Evacuation Procedures—develop a 'buddy programme' for people with disclosed fear or anxiety conditions
- Employee assistance programmes—encourage employees to use employee assistance programmes or counselling services if available. See link below for more information:
(Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation 1997; Australian Employers Network on Disability 2005)
Other job requirements or solutions
References
Better Health Channel 2007, Anxiety disorders, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 23 August 2007, <http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Anxiety_disorders_overview?open>.
Mental Health Association NSW Inc. 2007, Anxiety—what is it?, Mental Health Association NSW, Sydney, viewed 23 August 2007, http://www.mentalhealth.asn.au/resources/factsheets/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20anxiety.pdf
Australian Employers Network on Disability 2005, Fact Sheet – Business Benefits of Employing People with Disability and Fact Sheet – Evacuation Procedures, Australian Employers Network on Disability, Sydney, viewed 26 August 2007, http://www.employersnetworkondisability.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=16 and <http://www.employersnetworkondisability.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=16>.
Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation 1997, What accommodations work on the job?, Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston, viewed 29 August 2007, <http://www.bu.edu/cpr/reasaccom/employ-accom.html>