Let's Talk About Stress: How It Affects Work and Employees During Stress Awareness Month

April is Stress Awareness Month, a great opportunity for employers to identify, understand and manage the cause of stress in their workplace.

Stress is a normal part of life, but it can become a problem when it's chronic.

Up to 80% of workers experience stress on a regular basis; this means that if you're not feeling stressed out at work right now, there's probably someone around you who is!

It's important that employers create an environment where employees feel comfortable bringing up issues, so that they can be addressed before they become serious problems.?Creating a supportive environment for employee’s wellbeing can also help employers with employee retention and recruitment efforts.

There are strategies available to employers that can help to reduce stress in the workplace. Judy Keir, Chief People Officer at SMS Plc gave us some insight into her views on stress in the workplace and some of the initiatives they have implemented:

“Employee wellbeing is paramount to the success of any organisation and its great to see that most employers now understand and support this.?Two-way communication is essential, coupled with wellbeing initiatives. We have 28 accredited mental health first aiders, an SMS employee wellbeing hub on our Intranet, and supported effective leadership across the company to embed and maintain health and wellbeing as part of everyday conversations via our bespoke ILM/CMI recognised Management Development Programme, with a module dedicated to “Being A Mindful Manager”. We also share learning opportunities including a new Resilience Leadership Training Programme, with wellbeing at the heart of this.”

From MM Search’s perspective, communication is hugely important. A workplace is not a vacuum; it's made up of people with varying needs and personalities, who may have different perspectives on what constitutes a stressful situation. By encouraging open dialogue about work-related stressors, you can get everyone on board with implementing solutions that will help reduce their own stress levels as well as those of their colleagues. We hold regular one to ones with each team member and twice weekly catch ups with the whole team. In terms of communicating the longer-term strategy, we hold a Quarterly team day where the leadership team presents the results from that quarter, highlight the trends, and discuss our intentions for the future (next Quarter and beyond) so that everyone in the team is both informed and invested.

Another excellent initiative is to promote healthy habits among employees such as exercising regularly, eating well and focusing on personal wellbeing. Staff benefits such as private healthcare and insurance which promote and support healthy lifestyle choices can be made available at low or no cost. The office environment is also important, flexible space can create dedicated spaces to relax or areas where people can have some time away from their desks but still want some privacy or a quiet space.?Flexible and hybrid working allows for greater work-life balance.

A recent survey in the news even suggested adding an afternoon nap to the workday to enhance productivity and lower stress levels – although this idea might be a bit too much for some employers to embrace!

People are a business’s most important asset it’s essential that they are given the proper support to empower them to do their best work. We put this mantra into practice every day by ensuring that each member of the MM Search family is valued and supported by the wider team.

In addition to emphasising staff well-being during Stress Awareness Month, we consistently prioritise our team's wellness by providing each member with a personalized development session led by our kinesiologist (Melanie Higginbotham) and talent coach (Tony Stanger), ensuring they feel both balanced and content.

Thanks for reading, and remember to take time to breathe....