In the last two articles in this series of posts we have looked at stress in the workplace and how it can affect someone’s mental health. It’s important to realise just how important the issue is, especially for those who run small businesses. Any employer, in fact, must be aware of the impact of stress on the workplace. Each new case of stress in the workplace works out, on average, to make up for a loss of around 29 days out of the average employed year. Therefore, it’s vital that the employer tackles stress.
So what can we do to manage stress in the workplace? There are a number of things that can be taken care of, and this article will look more closely at methods and strategies you can use as an employer to reduce and hopefully remove much of the stress that your employees may be feeling.
- One of the biggest causes of stress in the workplace is the demand for work. Sometimes employees feel overloaded with the work they have to do, and this causes stress to be created. One way around this is to make sure that your employee knows exactly what he or she has to do for the task, and that there are goals attached to those tests that you have been clear about. If you are clear on the task itself and its nature, as well as the goals around the task, then this will make the employee feel more confident.
- Another common cause of stress is control, or rather the lack of it. If you involve your employees in many aspects of the work that goes on in the workplace, this will reduce their stress levels. The more a person is empowered to do the tasks that they are doing, the better they will feel and the more confident they will feel. This is something you could take care of, by ensuring that they are involved in all aspects of the work they are asked to do. This works especially well with tasks that are linked specifically to their skill levels and level of responsibility.
- Finally, there is the area of relationships in the workplace. Ensure that you have proper procedures in place for any disputes or any issues that may need to be managed by a person in authority. The more you are able to offer a clear and structured dispute resolution procedure, for example, the more confident people will feel that they’ll be treated fairly. This will vastly reduce they stress they experience and make their working lives more positive.
·Essentially, to manage stress in the workplace effectively you have to be able to communicate better with people as an employer, and be clear in your demands, and how they’re going to meet the demands. The more you do this, the more comfortable they will feel.