"I thrive under pressure" is the sort of phrase that appears on most CVs nowadays.

 

And working under pressure can indeed be immensely satisfying. I've had fantastically exhilarating days at work when I've achieved fifteen impossible things by lunchtime, and it's a real buzz.

 

I've also had dark days where work pressure has turned into something more damaging. Looking back at some of these happenings, and with the benefit of hindsight, I feel quite lucky not to have wigged out completely on more than one occasion.

 

It's a fortunate person indeed who has sailed through life without feeling stressed out about something at work. Never mind at home. And this balance between pressure and stress is a tricky thing.

 

Unlike, say, a broken leg which is either broken or it's not; one person's perfectly acceptable level of pressure could be weighty enough to tip someone else over the edge and into mental illness. And therein lies a potentially big problem for business.

 

Little wonder this article about stress in the workplace has struck a chord with so many readers.

 

From a business owner or manager point-of-view it seems to me to be, well, crazy not to have a stress policy in place. It will help protect you and your employees.

 

I also think there's a lot to be said for "management by walking about", per one of the tips for bosses in the piece about connecting with the people in your organisation.

 

"Our greatest asset is our people" is another favourite corporate phrase. So, while sweating your assets do try not to stress them beyond repair.