How are you managing workplace stress?
Stress. Everyone experiences it at some point, and it costs. Over a third of UK employees claim high levels of workplace stress. Half that number say they are disengaged. Stress may be a fact of life, but it’s a problem that every organisation should take care to address.
Rebekah Haymes is a senior consultant and wellbeing specialist at Towers Watson. She notes “high stress levels can lead to higher instances of disengagement and absenteeism – clear indicators of low productivity in the workplace.”
No employer wants disengaged, absent or unproductive staff, so what can be done? In this four-part series, we’ll share the key things that will help you maintain the right level of stress for peak performance:
1. Understand the causes of stress
2. Recognise where there may be too little stress
3. Identify stressors and signs for different individuals
4. Support those individuals to manage stress more effectively
First off, you need to understand what causes stress. It’s easy to bandy the word indiscriminately, but consider what leads people to call themselves “stressed”. These can be categorised into three main areas:
1. Volume of work
- Unreasonable deadlines or targets
- Too much to do in too little time
- Inadequate resources/equipment
Years ago, I did a lot of temping work as a delivery driver. I recall seeing my van loaded high with a ridiculous number of parcels, all of which were expected to be delivered that day. Overwhelming workloads - clearly unmanageable - create real stress.
2. Personal
- Lack of sleep
- Personal issues (physical or emotional)
- Change or fear of the unknown
People don’t ever truly leave their personal life at home. They may not talk about personal issues, but they are there none the less. Insomnia, illness, relationship challenges, moving home - all of these issues will have a bearing on the wellbeing of an individual.
3. Interpersonal
- Pressure
- Aggression (from others)
- Conflict
I’ve managed many teams over the years, some more collaborative than others. Stress can be caused by dysfunctions within the team, often where there is a failure to empathise with one another. Depending on your preferences, these dysfunctions can lead to high stress, even if you’re not the one directly involved in the conflict.
“If business leaders want to promote a lower stress environment in their workplace,” says Haymes, “it’s vital that they understand the real causes of stress in their organisation. Without this, even the most well-meaning management team can find itself focusing energy and resource on the wrong areas.”
Often, there are multiple stress factors and it’s essential that leaders truly grasp these. A simple 1:1 conversation is enough to draw out the issues affecting your people, though you'll need to understand different types to take the best approach. In our next article, we'll look at the importance of "positive stress" - the extent to which there is an optimum level of pressure that facilitates peak performance.
How is your own organisation managing stress? Are you aware of the issues facing your employees? If you’d like support, you’ll want to check out our Taking The Lead On Stress workshop.
Pastor of a growing Evangelical Church in South Oxfordshire
7 年That's all to come Simon. The point here is not so much the official definition of "stress", but to recognise the factors people cite as the cause of stress. In addition, leaders will be well placed to look at these causes and consider how many might apply to the people in their care. This first part is about understanding the causes of stress - coping strategies will come later.
Getting people and organisations to be at their best
7 年Interesting and ir may have been helpful to provide a defunition of stress. What you've listed here as causes if stress are external factors and mostly beyond the control of those experiencing stress. In most research into stress and the work I have been doing it's the way people think about what they're experiencing that is the key factor. Helping people recognise their thought patterns and enabling them to develop their ability to manage their brain is critical to developing the resilience needed to manage stress effectively and stay in the stress 'sweet spot'.