KUCHING: Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) Sarawak echoed a recent call by the Congress of the Union of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) to urge the government to formulate a national stress management policy.
Its chairman Mohamad Ibrahim Hamid said policy might not solve the problem totally but at least there is such a policy to follow.
He further said that under the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, one of the classifications of hazard is psycho-social.
“Examples of psycho-social hazards include peer pressure, sexual harassment, shift work, fear of the boss, work overload, inferiority complex etc.
“Psycho-social hazards can lead to anxiety, nervousness, fear and instability of the mind,” he told the New Sarawak Tribune via WhatsApp, yesterday.
He also noted that among the factors that contributed to work-related stress are poor interpersonal relationships, poor working conditions, lack of recognition, inequity, poor leadership, bad communication, lack of participation and control, monotonous or unpleasant tasks, excessive or insufficient workload, role ambiguity or conflict as well as conflicting home and work demands.
Meanwhile, MTUC Sarawak secretary Andrew Lo highlighted the need to review the beneficiaries of the proposed policy.
“Mental health and work stress affect every worker and not just civil servants. So, the policy should cover everyone,” he said.
