Strategic Organizational Responses to Workplace Stress, Burnout & Trauma
Abstract
The issue of workplace stress is now beginning to
receive serious widespread attention - recent studies
estimate the direct costs to Canadian business and
industry in excess of $20 billion per year, with
parallel estimates in excess of $150 billion per year
for American business and industry. It is also clear
that the negative effects and costs continue to rise.
Given that recognition of this problem is relatively
recent, we are still in the early stages of addressing it
effectively. At this point few comprehensive
strategies have been either designed or implemented,
and the business case to support intervention
continues to be debated.
For all occupational sectors, the workplace has
changed radically over the past 20 years, and the rate
of change has only escalated over the past decade.
Not only have we had to adapt to new ways of
working, but we have also undergone significant
cultural shifts, as well as changes in the fundamental
context of work. These changes involve a complex
ballet between social, technological, demographic,
political and economic factors.
We are particularly concerned with high-risk
workplace stress environments. Our approach is
grounded in the author’s comprehensive researchbased
Complex Stress Model. This model addresses
occupational groups subjected to both workplace
systemic stress and workplace traumatic stress.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
workplace, secondary traumatic stress, burnout
Citation
Fisher, P. M. (2003). Strategic Organizational Responses to Workplace Stress, Burnout & Trauma. Victoria, British Columbia, CA: Fisher & Associates.