Rlchard Pettlnger

CONCLUSIONS

As stated in the introduction (Chapter 1), stress brings both financial and human costs. It is clear that effective stress management also carries a range of costs, especially in developing the organizational

122 STRESS MANAGEMENT
conditions and managerial expertise required. It is essential that the overall approach is underpinned with positive attitudes and approaches to staff and the capability to manage professional and occupational stress-related problems, issues, illness, and injuries.

The costs involved in creating the environment and in developing the expertise have therefore to be seen as an investment on which returns are expected and anticipated. Put in this way, the returns on investment from effective stress management are:

» reductions in absenteeism, sickness, turnover, injury, and illness;

» enhanced long-term production and effectiveness;

» enhanced levels of commitment and quality of output;

» a major contribution to greater collective quality of working life; and

» a major contribution to collective and individual well-being both inside and outside work.