How to help your people keep calm & carry on

Stress is a given in any work environment. In fact, a certain amount of stress is even a good thing, as Ian Robertson, cognitive neuroscientist at Trinity College Dublin, explained in his benchmark book The Stress Test: How Pressure Can Make You Stronger and Sharper.

The dependency between stress and productivity is known as the 'Yerkes-Dodson law', which shows that very low levels of stress are counterproductive because people have no reason to act and remain idle or waste too much time on their assignments. When stress increases, so does performance, but only up to a certain point.

It's this tipping point that we're concerned with at the moment.

The uncertainty that rides on the coattails of the rapidly changing economy is having an impact on every person around the globe. While we've all been affected in different ways and while some seem to be 'coping' better than others, I think we need to be aware that we still live in a culture where openly admitting stress and feeling the pressure is not a sign of strength.

One thing is for sure - whether they admit it or not - employees are feeling the effects of stress levels that go far beyond anything we’ve dealt with before.

Here are a few things you can do to help your people manage their stress levels right now:

Keep a sharp eye out for signs of stress

Every employee is different, and will react differently to added stress. With remote work, it's more difficult for a leader or manager to keep an eye out for the typical signs. More regular check-ins that include asking open ended questions, deep listening at a subtle level and paying extra careful attention is therefore required to spot some of the telltale stress signs:

·            Working crazy hours and powering through breaks. 

·            Increased irritability, twitchiness and nervousness.

·            Appearing visibly tired or displaying signs of lethargy.

·            Shying away to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

·            Lapses in concentration and memory.

·            Being more sensitive and/or emotional than usual.

Also, I've found that by adding the word, Really, changes this question completely:

How are you, Really?

It shows people that you genuine care and want to know. It usually always elicits a different response to, 'how are you?'

Dial up the compassion as high as it can go

If your team is still working from home, the novelty (if there ever was one) has probably worn off. They are not simply working from home, they are at home during a crisis, trying to work. The situation may be a lot more trying for certain employees who may have challenges like a spotty internet connection, a house full or relatives or a lack of childcare.

Open up the lines of communication and work together to find a way to address these pain points. Some employees may require a more flexible schedule that allows them to work at night when their kids are asleep, while others may need access to data or company resources like cloud-based storage or routers. See how you can make it work.

Encourage employees to unplug

Chances are, more members of your workforce are concerned about the economy right now and are working long hours to show their commitment. Make a point of encouraging people to unplug at the end of the day so they can recharge, connect with family and friends and avoid long-term burnout.

Place a strong focus on wellness

Lead by example when it comes to wellness – share resources on proper nutrition, home-bound exercise routines, mindfulness activities, etc. As a leader, it's a great idea to tell people what you're doing to fill your own cup.

You could also widen the scope of wellness by addressing aspects such as financial planning and home administration by arranging expert speakers, or setting up personal consultations, for instance.

Recognise and reward strong efforts

Regular, timeous employee recognition is one of the simplest ways to boost morale. A happy chemical is actually released in the brain when we receive appreciation. By showing a team member that you value their contribution, you encourage them to take a step back and acknowledge their own achievements. This reminds them that they are a capable member of your team - something that's easy to forget when the pressure is on.

These are just a few ways in which you can support employees through stress. Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] if you would like to discuss fresh ways to communicate, inspire and empower your people right now.