5 Signs of Distress in Workers

September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day and September 14th is R U OK? Day. Workers are encouraged to check-in on their co-workers mental wellness.

Managers always have an obligation to monitor the psychological health of their workers and prevent work causing harm to their health.

We’ve identified the top five signs of distress in workers to look out for:

1.  Changes in their physical appearance:

• Are they displaying signs of fatigue?

• Do they seem more nervous than usual?

• Do they appear to be breathing quickly or have shortness of breath?

• Are they complaining of headaches?

2.  Changes in their behaviour:

• Do they seem withdrawn and are avoiding being in social situations?

• Are they disinterested?

• Are they having difficulty concentrating?

• Are they eating much more or much less than usual?

3.   Changes in their mood:

• Do they seem anxious?

• Do they seem irritable or easily angered?

• Are they quick to react more emotionally?

4.  Changes in how their thoughts are expressed:

• Are they saying things that sound more confused or negative?

• Are they suspicious of other people and personalise situations? eg “They’ve got it in for me”.

5.  Changes in their work:

• Do they complain that they have difficulty switching off?

• Has there been a drop in their work performance?

• Are they overwhelmed by tasks that they had previously found manageable?

If you’ve noticed a staff member displaying these symptoms, they may need some extra support. Consider if the worker can safely perform their duties or further support is required.

 Visit Beyond Blue for information about public resources.