Why should you invest in stress management for your employees?
As noted by experts at Farleigh Dickinson University, the work impact that symptoms of stress can result in include higher absenteeism, turnover, workers compensation and medical insurance costs, lower morale and productivity, and damage to your employer brand, as word spreads quickly about a company with a negative, stress-inducing work environment.
What do those symptoms look like? According to the American Institute of Stress, they rear their ugly head in the form of:
- Frequent headaches and colds.
- Neck aches and back pain.
- Excessive anxiety, nervousness, frustration or defensiveness.
- Difficulty concentrating, learning, making decisions, or effectively communicating.
- Constant fatigue.
- Weight gain.
- Mood swings.
- Increased smoking, alcohol or drug use.
You don’t want to experience any of these effects – and neither do your employees. Use the following tips to avoid stress in your workplace and help those who may already be feeling its effects:
Set clear goals for employees.
Be crystal clear about each employee’s goals and expectations. Make sure they understand them and how they support the overall mission and goals of your organization. This gives people peace of mind, as they know what to focus on and why. Involve employees in developing their goals, so they buy into them and feel part of the process.
Foster work/life balance.
The operative word is “flexibility.” As long as deadlines are met, give people as much freedom as possible to get the job done at their own pace and in their own time. Allow for remote work, telecommuting, and flex scheduling to accommodate family and other personal needs.
Help employees stay focused.
According to research at the University of California, Irvine, every time a person is interrupted during a task, it takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds for them to regain focus. Discourage employees from multitasking unless it’s absolutely necessary. Encourage them whenever possible to complete one thing before moving on to the next.
- Eliminate distractions. Unless they need them to do the work, have people turn off their phones and other devices while working.
- Recommend short breaks every few hours. This helps the brain to recharge, allowing employees to better focus on their next activity. Plus, they can plug back in and catch up on anything they may have missed while they were laser-focused on work.
- Lead by example. Make sure you’re fully present at meetings or in other employee interactions – not looking at your own phone or tablet. Give yourself time between back-to-back meetings to catch up, so neither you nor others feel stressed about emails and other messages piling up.
Partner with the experts at PrideStaff Modesto as you build and nurture your industry-leading workforce and help your team members to be the best they can be – every day – and flourish with your company. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.
