Work stress is recognised as the second more widespread health problem in Europe.
Scientific researches carried out to date, continue to validate that work stress occurs in a wide range of work circumstances, in any field, in any organization however big or small, affecting workers at any level of responsibility.
How is such a relevant subject, commonly spoken, often trivialized or ignored?
Is it more important to have a job or is it more important to do it best to your abilities?
Current scientific research reports that negative stress symptoms can occur in every sector – in organizations of all sizes – and can affect anyone at any level of responsibility. Social interactions and interpersonal relationships, in working environment, can be source distress; responsible for psychosomatic disorders that adversely affect the quality of life.
All this is also reported in the recent book published by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità “Rapporti Istisan 16/21”. The book was the result of the 1st Symposium held in Sassari and Alghero two years ago. It was also confirmed that social interactions and interpersonal relationships can be stressful and produce major psychosomatic disorders.
In Italy, the Legislative Decree No. 81/08 on safety procedures at workplaces, introduced mandatory assessment of stress correlated to work, for all companies. The aim of work-related stress evaluation is to lead and support employers and their employees to reduce the existing hazards, analysing objective business indicators and detecting the condition of perceived stress by the workers.
Stress assessment within the University and well-structured organisations
The stress and wellness evaluation has specific features in the University context, by reason of its mission, which consist in improving innovation and conveying knowledge and social values to the future workers and to all of those who decide to further or upgrade their training.
A significant re-organization is now occurring within the Italian University, resulting from the recent legislations:
– Law No. 240/2010 on reform of University system;
– Presidential Decree 222/2011 on national scientific requisites for full professor level;
– Legislative Decree No. 150/2009 on optimisation of public sector productivity and efficiency and transparency of public authorities.
The current economic situation requires a strong rationalisation of the available resources; this state of things has a great impact on job performance, on the quality of services provided, on psychosocial wellbeing of all the staff and the students.
Aims of the Symposium
Create a network of experts operating in various fields.
Share new strategies for the prevention of stress at work.