Stress in the workplace is a major issue at the moment. And it's not going away.

Let me start off by hitting you with some general statistics.

• 73% of business owners say their health's suffered since they launched their firm;
• 38% of those said both their physical and mental health had worsened;
• 25% of those said their mental health had suffered specifically;
• 38% admitted to routinely working more than 48 hours a week; and
• 7% confessed they regularly worked over 64 hours a week.

These figures are all from from one survey, conducted by FreeAgent. The research gauged the responses of a pool of small business owners from around the UK, across various industries. 

So much has been written about the Elon Musk situation alone, that it's no longer possible to ignore the ramifications of chronic stress at work - whether you're planning the first commercial trip to Mars, or a multi-drop run to Western Scotland - changes in working habits may be worth considering.

While we're not medical health professionals, our years of experience in and around transport offices has given us certain insights into the strain and excesses that trouble logistics personnel - from the TM to the forwarder to the warehouse staff, and everyone in between.

For decades, the issue of stress has been swept under the rug, not only in transport but in all industries. 

But this mentality is quickly going out of the window. The dangers of overworking and of shouldering too much responsibility are becoming more and more apparent. Let's not forget - what impacts the health of one individual, can impact the health of the entire operation. Individual burdens don't exist in a vacuum; they can, if unaddressed, affect an entire supply chain. 

So, here are 3 things you can begin implementing today to make your job more stress-free.

1. Take Control

It's a common feeling in transport, and it manifests in a number of ways - whether it's sinking, drowning or walls closing in - the sensations are different for different people. Regardless, the meaning is universal: somehow, somewhere, we feel we've lost control. 

The first step in tackling this, is to know what is within your control, and what is not. No matter who you are, the success of the entire supply chain is not within your control. Do you see any CEOs or public officials taking responsibility for an entire sector? 

Let's break it down further. What's within your control? Your actions.

What's not within your control? The results of those actions.

You can plan that route to Newport down to the last detail, but when a pileup on the A4042 impedes the wagon for three hours, are you going to wring your hands and pull your hair, and have a go at everyone in sight? 

As the Stoic philosopher Epictetus said: 

'It’s something like going on an ocean voyage. What can I do? Pick the captain, the boat, the date, and the best time to sail. But then a storm hits… What are my options? I do the only thing I am in a position to do, drown...'

While your situation will not require that you perish in stormy waters, the quote (perhaps over-dramatically) illustrates the point: there are things you're directly responsible for; there are infinitely more things for which you're not.

So, what do you do? Make a list. A list with two columns. In one column, write what you're going to do. In the other, write the potential results (both desired and otherwise). At the top of the first column, write 'Under my control'. At the top of the second, write 'Not under my control'. And in this fashion, make your schedule for the day.

2. Minimise unhealthy habits

Bad food. Alcohol. Cigarettes. While we're all guilty of using these things to cope with stress, they inevitably make the problem worse. 

Of course, transport offices aren't exactly known for resembling health clubs. Due to workloads and deadlines, we'll often opt for fast food over anything nutritious, or anything that we've prepared ourselves. 

After all, we've got to keep the burger vans in business...

And though for a time we may feel sufficiently fuelled by the fistfuls of bread, gravy and chips, at some point we inevitably hit the wall - this is when the sugar and carbs stop working, and fatigue kicks in with a vengeance. Most of us are familiar with this 'afternoon crash', and casually put it down not to the food, but to the time of day. In reality, however, that daily dip in productivity can be blamed on the carbs.

 Forget about it: it might look delicious, but that's no excuse

So, what do you substitute? Try cutting out bread, sweets, and just about anything you can buy prepackaged or from a bakery counter. To keep yourself firing on all cylinders throughout business hours, try homemade broth or soup. I know, I know - boring. But here's the thing - a flask of good broth can last the entire day, it will curb your appetite and help keep your energy levels consistent. That means no spike, no dip, no cravings.  As for the long-term benefits, improvements to the immune, digestive, and skeletal systems are well-documented. Continuing with the immediate gains - razor-sharp focus has also been reported; and most importantly, considering the time of year - it's a tasty, cheap and efficient way to keep warm, as the gales blow in from the depot yard. 

 3. Manage Conflict

You knew it was coming. I can appreciate that telling anyone who works in a transport office to somehow minimise conflict is like telling a wounded gazelle to dissuade the leopard from munching on its leg. But there are things you can do to soften the impact that conflict has on your day. 

If you're in doubt as to whether conflict is a problem in your office, here's a list of common symptoms that can easily fly under the radar:

• Staff Behaviour: do the people around you typically address each other derogatorily i.e. are their interactions often aggressive, loud and expletive-heavy (more than usual, I mean)?
• Motivation: are there few volunteers for any given task? Is there little input from the staff, even when you explicitly ask for it?
• Absence: does there appear to be a shortage of available staff at any given time? Do you notice there are more 'sicknesses' and 'bugs' going around in stressful periods, when conflict among the team peaks?

If you answered 'yes' to any of the above, you may have a conflict problem. 

So, what causes conflict? You could pin it down to any number of things. A few of the most common are:

• Inadequate training;
• Unclear job roles; and
• Poor communication.

Fortunately, with some diplomacy and a bit of elbow-grease, these can all be remedied. 

No one admits they're a poor communicator. Failure in communication is so often the other person's fault. However in transport - when half of the communication effort occurs at high-volume across chaotic offices, and along crackling, hissing telephone lines, it's easy to blame whoever's at the receiving end. 

But tackling the issue's a two-way street. Taking time-out to deliver your message and ensure it's understood is crucial. Whereas verbal communication in this environment can cause confusion, written communication can help clear things up. Implementing a procedure whereby all important information is delivered electronically saves time, headaches, and reduces misunderstandings. You can get software that delivers information to your drivers, forwarders and administrators at the click of a button. Of course, getting everyone used to a new system is the hard part. But help's always at hand. Plus, once the transition's made, the situation is vastly improved. 

In this industry of ours, the personnel wear many hats. A driver can work the warehouse; a TM can double as financial executive. That confusion arises is not surprising. But making an effort to define job roles in clear-cut terms can work wonders when it comes to helping an individual understand their place in the business. Not only this, but a well-defined job criteria can aid a staff member's feeling of 'being part of a team' which generates any number of benefits for the workforce at large, including an increased sense of camaraderie. Implementing a culture in which each new recruit enters the business knowing precisely what's required of them (while also being flexible enough to adapt to the day-to-day reality of the transport office) is a course of action with no downside.

That people are inadequately trained in transport is a chronic area of concern. Especially in relation to drivers. Let's imagine you've got a driver standing at the other side of your desk, and they're raging (possibly not a difficult scenario to picture). They've got a drivers' hours infringement, and can't get their head around how they've offended. The reason for their lack of understanding is more often than not want of training (though, admittedly, personal application plays a big part, too).

So, what's the most efficient (and fruitful) course of action? Do you stand there shaking the driver memo at him, rereading the details of the offence? Or do you simply have him attend some form of training (which can take the form of anything from a 15-question tick-test, to a seven-hour CPC session)?

After years in this industry, I know which one I'd opt for.

Anyway, that about wraps things up. If you're interested in pursuing more information, there are any number of online resources on the subject. We're also going to be covering it in an upcoming webinar - for those who prefer to hear the important things in a 20-minute broadcast, as opposed to sifting through online texts.

The next one's happening on Tuesday 23rd October @ 10am, and will repeat on the 24th (@ 12:30pm) and the 25th (@ 4pm). You can register for it here: