I refer to the write-up Improve Stress Management Programmes, Companies Told (May 15).

Praise and acknowledgement cost management nothing- Deborah Marshall-Warren, Żabbar

The author rightly says we need to identify the actual causes of stress and cites “personal capabilities” and “employers’ demands” as reasons for absenteeism due to stress. But what has also become apparent to me in my work as a hypnotherapist here in Malta is that an underlying maelstrom of emotions plays a role in responding to external pressures by engendering stress and the knock-on effects of stress such as sickness.

An employer may put pressure upon an employee to achieve more within the hours of any one day or night but what is being stirred up at an internal level is “fear of failure” and “guilt” that one is not up to the job. Self-doubt can create a fear of being found out as “less than” and “unworthy” of the work.

Many employees have never had a chance to resolve the psychological effect of past “failures” at school. They may have experienced bullying at school or later and been at the receiving end of belittling and undermining treatment by peers or superiors, which has damaged their self-esteem. Hence, an external pressure may push fear buttons, hurt buttons, humiliation buttons. Repressed feelings and experiences then emerge from the subconscious.

The corporate world tends to regard this as simply a response to the working environment but its roots are much more profound than that. A manager’s criticism, “your work is not good enough”, may be translated as “you are not good enough”.

How often does a manager state loudly and clearly “you are doing a good job” and celebrate success? A lot of stress within the workplace could be managed cheaply with simple praise for what is right in an employee.

Stating what is right, said with presence and whole-hearted meaning goes a long way to neutralise the inner tensions in a worker’s inner mind. Praise and acknowledgement cost management nothing. And, of course... what we say about others... we are equally “hearing” on some level about ourselves. This works both ways. So remember, heartfelt praise “works” wonders!