Coping with stress
Did you know?
You should let your supervisor know if you are feeling stressed by events or issues at work.
How can you help a stressed staff member?
Nicole is showing signs of stress. You may recall from the meeting that she failed to report an accident involving one of the children, and Ryan reminded her that accidents must be reported immediately.
She seems to be letting issues in her private life affect her work at Cybertots, and Alison is very worried about her. Alison is speaking to Nicole about how she is feeling so they can try to resolve some of her issues.
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Alison is very concerned for Nicole. She is a really important member of the Cybertots team and Alison likes her staff to be happy at work. Stress is very unhealthy, and Alison also needs to consider the children in Nicole's care, as she may not be looking after them effectively if she is not focused.
Take a moment to reflect on Nicole's situation. Consider the things that she said, and the behaviours she has been demonstrating lately, and think about how she might be feeling. What did Nicole say or do that indicates she may be experiencing stress? Do you think that her stress could be a problem?
Write some thoughts in your notebook detailing your observations of Nicole's situation.
You could also think about times you, or someone you know has experienced stress.
Strategies to help Nicole
As we have seen, Nicole is really struggling with a lot of issues at the moment. Her stress is causing her to lose sleep, and she is feeling negative about her work situation.
Read through the resource Coping with stress for some ideas on how to manage stress.
Record your thoughts on the following questions in your notebook.
- Clarify Nicole's situation. What are the triggers behind her stress? What sort of behaviour is she demonstrating as a result of her stress?
- Suggest some strategies that could help Nicole. These should include things that could be done at work as well as in her personal life.
Next, write a brief report detailing the ways in which a child care centre can protect staff from stress.
Your report should have at least five strategies that could be implemented. Be specific in your suggestions – check the Health and Safety Policy on the Cybertots Intranet, and look to see what it says about reducing stress, or search the internet for resources or information.
