A New Approach to Reducing Stress for Your Employees

Did you know that, according to a survey conducted by CIPD, 79% of people reported that they have been absent from work due to stress? In organisations with over 250 employees, this number rises to 91%.

Work-related stress remains a major issue that affects the health and well-being of employees, as well as their performance at work. It’s the employer’s responsibility to identify issues and offer viable ways to combat them.

While there are procedures in place, only half of the respondents believed that their organisations were taking effective steps to tackle stress in the workplace.

Yes, introducing benefits, yoga classes, and bringing puppies to work are great ways to reduce stress in the workplace. However, we need to look at the core stress factors employees are facing and how they can adequately be addressed. In return, your workforce will be thriving in a stress-free environment and will help you take your business to the next level.

How stressed out are British employees?

According to HSE, stress is “the adverse reaction a person has to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed upon them”. Stress is different from pressure. The latter exists on a daily basis and acts as a motivator to perform to the best of our abilities, while stress is the accumulation of pressure from which we haven’t had the chance to recuperate.

CIPD has identified several factors that amount to work-related stress, including unmanageable workload, poor management style, COVID-19 induced challenges and anxiety, non-work personal issues, and relationships at work.

Regardless of the awareness of those factors, nearly one in five of the respondents claim that their organisation currently isn’t taking any action towards reducing stress in the workplace. Those organisations that are taking steps focus on implementing a range of procedures to address the issue, yet 50% of the respondents feel like the actions are ineffective.

So how can companies leverage an effective strategy towards reducing work-related stress?

A fair volume of work

The number one stress factor that 59% of the respondents identified in the CIPD report was workload/volume of work. However, organisations seem to omit this from their efforts to minimise stress in the workplace.

Both excessive and insufficient workloads can have a negative impact on employees’ performance. Overload can result in errors and slower task performance, while underload can lead to boredom, reduced alertness, and lack of attention to detail.

That’s why the workload needs to be assessed adequately within the whole team. Perhaps an additional hire might help take a load off overworked team members. The introduction of more tasks or the rethinking and expansion of job roles can tackle the lack of sufficient workload.

Adept management style

Management style is also one of the factors organisations aren’t taking into account, yet 32% of respondents reported that it impacts their health and well-being.

The manager’s role isn’t just to oversee workload and performance. They are also responsible for addressing employees’ issues, offering solutions and assisting in providing help. All of that is outlined in HSE’s Management Standards.

The manager is also in charge of boosting the team spirit and promoting unity and equality in the workplace. For example, if the job role entails workwear, it’s their responsibility to ensure adherence to the uniform standards.

Ann Dowdeswell, sales and marketing director of Jermyn Street Design, a global workwear supplier, commented: “Uniforms are vital for facilitating a healthy work environment where employees feel like they are being treated the same way by staff, management, and customers. They position all employees at the same level and reinforce equality. That’s especially important in the current landscape where race and gender inequality is still an issue.

“However, failure to adhere to uniform guidelines can have the opposite effect. It can hint at superiority, which can then bring such issues to the surface. That’s where adequate management style comes into play.”

COVID-19-related stress

COVID-19 has definitely had an impact on employees’ stress levels, and new challenges associated with changes to the work style and environment have arisen. 31% of the respondents pointed out this factor as prevalent.

23% of respondents reported COVID-19-related anxiety, such as fear of contagion, and 20% indicated poor work-life balance due to homeworking,

The British Psychological Society has proposed an approach called SHARE to help deal with COVID-19-related stress and adaption to the new ways of working. The five components are the following:

1. SAFE working through assessing and addressing risk at the workplace.

2. HELP yourself and others through communicating and meeting needs.

3. ADAPT to change through offering diverse workplace situations and flexible working hours.

4. RELIEVE the pressure through helping each other cope with the ‘new normal’.

5. EVALUATE through regularly evaluating the situation.

Non-work factors

Not all stress that affects employees’ performance is work-related. In fact, 25% of the respondents reported that relationships and family issues can cause stress, while personal illness or health issues were a factor for 22% of those surveyed.

In that instance, organisations can implement employee assistance programmes and psychologist sessions. A comprehensive company culture that includes workshops on mental health, meditations, yoga sessions, and after-work activities can also be extremely beneficial.

Relationships at work

20% of the respondents claim that relationships at work can also cause stress. This involves not just peer-to-peer relationships but also those with management and directorship.

What an employer can do to encourage friendships at work is implement bonding activities, as well as a dedicated break and social room where staff can mingle. A welcoming interior and a range of activities, such as darts and a pool table, can go a long way in fostering healthy work relationships.

Facilitating a healthy, stress-free work environment is extremely important when it comes to employees’ well-being and productivity. While there have been gaps in the way stress reduction is being addressed, an adequate awareness of employees’ needs can lead to success.