Easing Workplace Stress

Studies indicate modern-day stress is taking a toll on our lives – our sleep, health, relationships, performance and overall well-being. Every working individual has experienced work-related stress at some point in time – ranging from pressure to meet a target to accomplishing goals and milestones. While we all require a certain amount of stress to remain motivated and efficient towards our objectives, when stress becomes chronic it can adversely impact an employee’s personal life and emotional and physical wellbeing. Chronic stress at work can hamper productivity and lead to burnout. It is important to identify signs of workplace stress to understand how to reduce it.

Common causes of workplace stress

The current work world values stress – the more stressed or busier you are, the more important or valuable your role is. According to the World Health Organization, workplace stress is common when employees are expected to take on tasks that exceed their ability, know-how, coping in the absence of support from peers or managers. A stressful work environment can lead to physical and psychological concerns like aches and pains, sleep disturbances, irritability, hypertension, mood swings, lack of concentration, impatience, anxiety or depression. Unhealthy coping like relying on smoking/drinking to relieve the stress and eating unhealthy foods can further compound the problem. Some common workplace stressors are:

• Excessive workloads, unclear or unrealistic expectations
• Lack of control or autonomy over job-related decisions
• Few opportunities for growth or advancement
• Long working hours and job insecurity
• Lack of support
• Work that isn’t challenging
• Long commute to work

While resigning from a stressful job may not always be a handy solution, working on reducing or eliminating workplace stress can be helpful. Managers can take effective measures to help ease workplace stress and support employees. Here are a few ideas for managers to try:

Watch out for the signs

Observe the signs of stressed-out team members – dip in productivity, impaired performance, poor quality of work, increase in errors, increase in sick leaves or absenteeism.

Be realistic

Set clear goals and realistic deadlines – communicate clarity, help employees prioritize and focus on the task at hand, reduce long working hours and offer flexible work options.

Promote safety at the workplace

Encourage open conversations without the fear of retribution - employees need to feel safe to open up, express their concerns and share their suggestions.

Respect boundaries

Establish a work-life balance for yourself and respect theirs to reduce work-life conflict – avoid placing too many demands during off-hours so they can switch off from work.

Help them unplug

Encourage team members to exercise, take time off, take regular breaks and attend in-house wellness programs – set an example by using the resources yourself.

Provide regular updates

Keep employees updated on the latest technology or changes in processes and working systems at the workplace – this can enhance security and instil a sense of control over the environment.

Recognise and appreciate

Employees are likely to feel engaged when they feel appreciated – let them know what a great job they have been doing through an informal chat or make an announcement at a briefing in front of colleagues.

Offer support

Develop a rapport with your team members and be around to support them for any challenges they may face - create opportunities for social interaction through team building and team bonding exercises, direct them for professional support if you see them struggling to cope.