Stress measurement
Why measure stress?
Overview of stress
Stress is a catch-all term that describes bodily reactions to a range of perceived threats, both physical and psychological. Once essential for survival, the pace of modern life and its myriad demands has turned stress itself into a major threat. Cortisol is secreted into the body by the adrenal glands and is an important hormone involved in a range of functions including being secreted in higher levels during the body's reaction to stress in the "fight or flight" syndrome. Small increases have positive effects such as providing a quick burst of energy, heightened memory functions and lower sensitivity to pain. However, prolonged high levels of cortisol can lead to a range of unhealthy conditions such as heart disease.
Health implications
If chronic, stress can have serious health consequences, and is a leading risk factor for heart diseases, diabetes, asthma and depression. However short term stress, which is the "fight or flight" syndrome, can affect sleep patterns in the form of insomnia and fatigue and also result in physical pain in the back, shoulders and neck and it may also affect a person's speech. It has been shown that psychological stress can suppress an immune system's response to infection and slow the rate of wound healing.
Measuring stress in the workplace
We have commissioned the use of physiological monitoring - an objective method which utilises the measurement of the body's physiology whilst undertaking tasks within a natural working and/or training situation.
We can determine whether a person has been subjected to a stressful situation based upon the activities undertaken during working conditions.
We can also make a Company aware of the tasks that appear to have the most significant effect on a group of employees, and we can advise if a specific employee's results are considerably outside of the group's norms in order for the Company to enhance their duty of care.
Measuring stress to enhance training
By using a physiological monitoring device to measure biometrics for an individual or a whole team, an organisation’s current training regimes can be enhanced. This objective measurement method can be used to assess a team or individual person’s ability to perform to a required standard and to provide personal and/or team analysis and feedback, establishing a continuous improvement programme.
Tailored solutions
There are a variety of ways in which we can work within your organisational structure providing a bespoke solution which can include:
- Loan of the equipment, personnel to monitor activities, results analysis and Final Report
- You purchase the equipment and software, we train you in its operation, and help you to develop your own personal data programmes
- You can either own or hire the equipment and send us the results for post activity analysis and reporting
- An individual can purchase his own monitoring device. After each training session the results can either be sent to us for analysis or completed in-house. This will provide continual monitoring of an individual through a number of training sessions to demonstrate his/her progress and control
Current deployments
Northamptonshire Police Scientific Support Department
In conjunction with the staff association UNISON, Crime Scene Investigators and Fingerprint Bureau Experts were assessed using the physiological monitoring system.
Read our case studyPolice Traffic Motorcyclists
One of the largest UK Police Forces' Traffic motor cycle section have utilised this device and subsequent analysis to aid their Duty of Care programme to operational Officers.
Read our case studyMinistry of Defence
The stress monitoring devices have been used by the MOD to ascertain personal capacities when testing a variety of loaded rucksacks over a rugged UK terrain.
US Marines
The devices were used by USMC in Afghanistan.
Brochures and Papers
Physiological Monitoring brochure (407KB, new window)
Links
Read about Physiological
Monitoring
Contact
Contact us about a custom solution
