Work stress under the spotlight this week

This week (1 July – 5 July) has been dubbed corporate mental health week.

This week is aimed at turning the spotlight on work-related stress that is said to account for more than 40 per cent of all workplace-related illnesses in South Africa, with at least one in four employees diagnosed with depression.

Dr Renata Schoeman, Psychiatrist and Associate Professor in Leadership at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB), said it is often the leaders who should be at the forefront of reducing workplace conditions that lead to stress and burnout. She said the leaders contribute to the problem, rather than the solution.

“We are not talking about the difficult boss here, but the boss who is a bully, many of who could be defined as corporate psychopaths. The bullying tactics of corporate psychopaths increase conflict, stress, staff turnover and absenteeism; reduce productivity and collective social responsibility; and erode corporate culture and ethical standards – diminishing shareholder value and returns on investment,” said Dr Renata.

According to the psychiatrist, the manipulation, deception, inflated self-opinion and back-stabbing of the corporate psychopath or narcissist can often cause work-related depression, anxiety disorders, burnout and physical illnesses: conditions which cost the South African economy more than R40 billion annually.

“Bullying can make you ill. A 2017 survey showed that 70 per cent or more of bullying victims had experienced stress, anxiety or depression, 55 per cent reported loss of confidence, 39 per cent suffered from lack of sleep, and others suffered a mental breakdown. Emotional stress can also cause or aggravate physical illnesses such as gastrointestinal problems (such as irritable bowel syndrome) and cardiovascular problems, while victims of workplace bullying had doubled the risk of considering suicide,” she said.

In what she calls “the curse of confidence”, Dr Renata said that many of the traits characteristic of psychopaths – such as charm, fearless dominance, boldness and a grandiose sense of self – are also what help people get ahead in business.

She emphasised that the workplace bullies to be most concerned about, are those with narcissistic personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder.

“Narcissists can be brilliant strategists, have the courage to take risks and push through massive change and transition, and use their charisma and compelling visions to inspire others, fitting into conventional ideas of leadership. These masters of self-image, who take credit but deflect blame, tend to gather a group of co-dependent people around them to support and reinforce their behaviour. They profess loyalty to the organisation but are really only committed to their own agenda, and people may experience them as distant and cold,” she added.

Dr Renata went on to say those narcissists tend to be over-sensitive to criticism, over-competitive, and often engage in counter-productive work behaviour when their self-esteem is threatened. They expect great dedication and may overwork others without any regard for the impact on their lives. She said, “Narcissists favour indirect bullying tactics such as withholding information, ignoring people or giving them the silent treatment, spreading rumours to discredit others, and inflating their contribution or taking credit for achievements they had little to do with”.

She gave tips on how to deal with the office narcissist or psychopath:

Strategies for dealing with a narcissist boss or colleague:

• Avoid contact

• Ignore their actions

• Stay neutral, calm and professional

• Resist the urge to challenge or confront them

• Don’t offer or give any personal information or opinions

• Ground yourself

• Realise it is not personal

• Realise their insecurity

• Accept that change likely won’t happen

• Build a supportive network

• Reach out for help

• Know your legal rights

• Protect yourself

• Set clear boundaries (be assertive but not aggressive)

• Have a witness

• Get everything in writing

• Be alert: when a narcissist can no longer control you, they will try instead to control how others see you

• Disarm the narcissist (this is perhaps the most difficult strategy as you might feel dishonest)

• Always empathise with your boss’ feelings but don’t expect any empathy back

• Give your boss ideas, but always let them take the credit for it

Tips for dealing with antisocial bosses or colleagues:

• Keep your emotions in check

• Don’t show you are intimidated

• Stick to the facts – do not get drawn into their victim-hood stories

• Ground yourself

• Accept that some people are bad news

• Know your weaknesses – which the psychopath will exploit

• Take care of yourself, manage your stress, and build your resilience

• Build your reputation and relationships

• Protect yourself

• Report incidents of bullying and harassment to human resources

• Opt for online communication (where negotiation and manipulation are more difficult)

• Disarm the psychopath

• Turn the conversation back to them when they are blaming someone else

• Safeguard the organisation

• Have an ombudsman or anonymous tip line at work – regular workers often pick up on the psychopath’s game before management does

• Cross-check your impressions of your high-potentials with colleagues who know them well

• Expect responsibility

• Guarantee consequences

• Know the law