Can your health cover help with workplace stress?

Published April 2023 | 6 min read
Expert contributors Jeremy Cowden, psychologist at PSYCH2U; Tanja Limnio, psychologist and corporate coach at Thinkahead
Words by Katherine Chatfield

Need to get on top of your work-related stress? Having access to mental health support programs, psychologists, osteopaths and apps that help you sleep better are some of the ways you can get support from your health cover.

Workplace stress isn’t a new phenomenon. Long hours, heavy workloads, job insecurities and difficult managers or co-workers are just some of the factors that can contribute to stress, anxiety and burnout at work.

Today, work-related stress is at an even higher level than in 2020 (the previous all-time high), according to a Gallup report, which says 44% of workers report feeling stressed at work.

The source of our work stress ranges from long commutes for many essential workers to workload and lack of time to focus on the job.

The global pandemic highlighted many of the problems in the modern workplace. While the shift for a lot of Aussies to working from home comes with its benefits, it’s also created a new set of problems.

“It's blurred the lines between work and home life,” says Jeremy Cowden, psychologist at PSYCH2U. “This means people often work longer hours because it’s harder to ‘leave’ the office. The intrusion of home life into your workspace can also add pressure; the dishes in the sink and the bills that need to be paid are in front of us all the time when we’re at home. This can mean we don't fully switch off like we might when in a workplace, so we can be left with both work and home [stressors] taking up our headspace.”

Working from home can also mean employees feel isolated. “It can make it harder to communicate with your manager when there’s an issue, and harder to form bonds with co-workers,” says Jeremy.

Rising interest rates and inflation have also led to increased financial stress, putting many people under pressure to work longer hours and take on extra responsibility. Research shows the number of workers under severe financial stress has doubled since 2020.

What can cause workplace stress?

Understanding the underlying reasons for your stress at work can help you understand how to tackle it and how to get help. These are some of the main areas that can lead to work-related stress if they’re not managed effectively.

• Demands: Heavy workload, long hours and tight deadlines.
• Control: No autonomy or say over how and when you work.
• Support: Lack of information or resources to do your job.
• Relationships: Difficulty with relationships with co-workers or managers, or bullying.
• Role: Lack of clarity around your role and responsibilities, causing uncertainty or extra workload.
• Change: Feeling disengaged or disempowered when an organisation is undergoing change.

What are the signs of stress in the workplace?

Symptoms of workplace stress can be physical, emotional or behavioural.

Physical symptoms of stress can include:

• fatigue
• difficulty sleeping
• aches and pains
• indigestion or nausea
• heart palpitations.

Psychological symptoms of stress can include:

• irritability with friends, family or colleagues
• feeling overwhelmed
• depression
• anxiety
• reduced ability to concentrate or make decisions
• feeling pessimistic.

Behavioural symptoms of stress can include:

• drinking too much alcohol
• change in appetite
• drop in performance
• not taking breaks
• lack of creativity 
• taking extra sick days
• rushing to meet deadlines
• not taking your annual leave allowance.

How private health cover can help with work stress

Everyone deals with some level of stress at work, but if you’re struggling to cope or it’s becoming unmanageable and taking a toll on you and your life, know that you aren’t alone.

Your private health cover is there to provide support and strategies to help with work-related stress. Depending on your level of cover and waiting periods, you may be able to access these services if you need support.

1. Psychology sessions in the comfort of your home

PSYCH2U is a virtual service that allows you to have psychology consultations from home, when it best suits you.

How it can help: A qualified psychologist or psychiatrist can help you pinpoint what’s causing your work-related stress and help guide you through the mental health support you need.

How to get started: We’ve partnered with PSYCH2U to offer our members easier access to mental health support through online video consultations with a psychologist. We’re offering a free telehealth HealthyMinds Check-in with a PSYCH2U psychologist for eligible*.

2. Online mental health support

This Way Up^ is a not-for-profit online hub. It offers a range of interactive programs to help manage symptoms including anxiety, depression and stress that you can do in your own time.

How it can help: These evidence-based programs can support your mental health in a convenient, effective and discreet way. You can access the programs online anonymously. The programs are created by experienced clinical psychologists and are based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is one of the leading psychological treatments for anxiety and depression.

How to get started: If you access the courses without a supervising clinician, the cost is $59 for each course. However, if prescribed by a clinician, the courses are free. Your provider will register with This Way Up and refer you to an appropriate online program under their supervision.

A GP at your fingertips

GP2U lets you speak to a doctor over video or phone, without having to visit a clinic.

How it can help: A telehealth consult with a GP can be done at a time that’s convenient to you, which is helpful if you’re working long hours.

How to get started: There are some restrictions on the GP telehealth consultations that can be bulk-billed through Medicare. If you're an HCF member and Medicare doesn't cover you for bulk-billed GP2U telehealth consultations, we will for a limited time⁺. See hcf.com.au/gp2u for offer end date.

4. Chiropractor, osteopath, physio and massage therapists

How it can help: Chiropractors, osteopaths and physios can help relieve stress-related body tension and aches and pains from standing all day or working at a desk with a computer.

How to get started: You can get 100% back^# on a first visit to a physio, chiro or osteo with over 16,000 extras providers in our No-Gap network. Find a participating provider with our search tool.

5. Sleep support

Sleepfit is an app that can help you identify sleep issues, recommend improvements and give you access to personalised tools.

How it can help: Improving your sleep can reduce mental health issues and stop stress keeping you up at night.

How to get started: Thanks to our partnership with Sleepfit Solutions, eligible HCF members** can get a 20% discount on a 12-month subscription to the Sleepfit app designed to improve sleep and overall wellbeing.

How employees can reduce stress in the workplace

Talk to your boss

“Talking to your manager about making changes at work can be a difficult conversation,” says Tanja Limnios, psychologist and corporate coach at Thinkahead. “Ask for a private meeting to discuss your concerns. Be specific; identify the factors contributing to your stress, such as workload, deadlines or lack of support. Then offer solutions. Come prepared with suggestions such as flexible work arrangements or reviewing workload priorities. Your manager may have feedback and suggestions of their own, so be open to their ideas and willing to compromise if necessary. After the conversation, follow up with your manager to ensure any changes you’ve agreed on are implemented.”

Address problems early on

Sometimes it’s not the workload that’s the source of stress. “Conflict and miscommunication are among the biggest sources of work-related stress,” says Jeremy. “In many cases conflict can be avoided if issues are addressed early and effectively. Tackle small issues head-on, politely, in a discussion. This avoids people feeling defensive and angry.”

Take regular breaks

“Regular breaks are crucial for relieving work stress and maintaining overall wellbeing,” says Tanja. “A break can improve your productivity and focus when you return to work. Your brain needs rest and time to recharge in order to perform at its best. Our cognitive functioning improves when our brain has rest periods.”

You don’t always need to take long breaks to see the benefits – taking an extra day off for a long weekend can help you feel more on top of life.

Ask for outside help

“Talking to a psychologist or psychiatrist can help you discover ways to manage your thoughts about work in ways that don't overwhelm you. They can also help you to regulate your physiological responses to stress that can impact your health as well as your capacity to cope,” says Jeremy.