Five (5) Simple Techniques for Managing and Reducing Workplace Stress
Studies and surveys reveal that about 70 percent of all Americans consider their work or workplace stressful. But research simultaneously confirms that loving your job correlates with greater performance and productivity – so stress is definitely bad for business. Worker stress is attributed to a variety of culprits, and those range from fear of job loss or lack of career advancement to fatigue from working overtime and the lack of employer initiatives to educate and help employees with stress. The good news is that there are practical ways to manage and reduce workplace stress, and here are five simple ways to do that.
1. Promote Wellness in the Workplace
Poor health contributes to stress, just as stress triggers poor health. The American Psychological Association recommends meditation and other forms of biofeedback or body/mind realignment like deep breathing exercises. So why not consider having a weekly or monthly event where employees can enjoy a free yoga or T’ai Chi class, chair massage? A major cause of stress, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a lack of sleep – which also makes the workplace more accident-prone. Some of the most progressive corporations in the Fortune 500 have starting adding nap rooms to their facilities, where employees can go to recharge their batteries for a few minutes. Not all companies have the resources to do that. But providing health and wellness programs and holding free workshops that teach how to relax and eliminate stress is a great idea, and entirely doable.
2. Invest in Career Development
Since so many workplace stressors are related to fear and career insecurity, one of the most impactful ways to reduce employee stress is to actively support career development. In fact, Millennial Generation employees actually cite lack of career opportunity as one of their top-ranked stress factors. By offering mentoring or opportunities to acquire new marketable skills, for example, companies demonstrate that they are fully invested in their workers. Address those concerns proactively and it will improve retention, add human resource value, and fuel the organizational pipeline with happier, more productive and engaged employees.
3. Control the Distractions
An article in Forbes Magazine described that today’s workers are routinely distracted and interrupted, even though the corporate buzzword these days is “engagement.” These unwanted diversions happen about once every ten minutes, and account for about two hours of lost productivity per day. The takeaway here is that if you can control the interruptions you can help minimize stress. Ways to accomplish that include improved scheduling and project management, and leveraging technological tools and systems to avoid redundant tasks or interpersonal requests that can be better managed through more organized electronic communication.
4. Curtail the Digital Overload
Digital technology can, however, contribute to the problem, especially when boundaries are too fluid. Employees should know that when they are off the clock, they will not be unnecessarily burdened with phone calls, emails, and text messages related to work. There have even been lawsuits filed because employers were accused of demanding overtime work without compensation, so this is an area that every business should take seriously. Create a policy that ensures fairness and healthy boundaries to reduce workforce stress while enhancing team morale.
5. Take a Break
Americans are notorious for not using their personal days and vacation time, but HR departments and company leaders should recognize that a healthy work/life balance contributes to productivity. Yes, educating employees to spend quality time away from the office may require extra attention to scheduling changes and workplace flexibility. But it also makes for a more sustainable and competitive workforce and is, ultimately, good for the bottom line and healthier for everyone in the organization.
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