Every job has its own set of challenges, and almost everyone will experience stress at some point in their working lives. Even if you love what you do, you may not be able to avoid stress. There are payments to worry about, deadlines to meet, worries about being appreciated, expectations of promotion and many other things. Stress in moderation is not considered to be dangerous for human health or for work. However, when stress in the workplace becomes chronic, it is inevitable that it will become overwhelming and will have an impact on health and work.
The American Psychological Association’s list of common causes of stress in the workplace are:
- Low pay
- Excessive workload
- Few opportunities for personal growth or advancement
- Work that is not interesting or challenging
- Lack of social support
- Lack of control over work-related decisions
- Conflicting demands or unclear performance expectations
Contamination risks
The stress we experience at work does not disappear in our private lives. According to experts, the spread of stress into our lives leads to problems such as headaches, stomachaches, sleep disorders, irritability and difficulty concentrating. In addition, chronic stress can lead to anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. It can also contribute to physical health problems such as depression, obesity and heart disease. People who experience excessive stress can often overeat, eat unhealthy foods, smoke or struggle with various addictions, compounding the problem.
So what can be done to reduce stress in the workplace?
Here are 11 suggestions
- Emphasise the value you place on employee health. Put people first, of course.
- Create an organisational atmosphere where people feel comfortable approaching their managers with concerns.
- Review your corporate wellbeing programmes. Take it out of small events and make it part of the strategy.
- Put in place solutions that help people to communicate with each other. Cooperation is more intense in an environment where people recognise each other as human beings.
- Involve management teams as well as employees in your learning and development planning and, where possible, prioritise employee welfare.
- Analyse the compatibility of the work environment with people’s health by seeking expert advice and developing solutions. Factors such as high levels of noise, non-ergonomic conditions and strong odours make the workplace a stressful place.
- Encourage employees not only to work more and more, but also to rest as much as necessary. Provide opportunities, allow and reward resting as well as working.
- Create a system where employees can ask for help with personal problems. Just as stress at work has an impact on people’s personal lives, stress in people’s personal lives has an impact on their work environment.
- Provide flexibility. Make arrangements for parents, especially those with caring responsibilities, to benefit from flexibility such as leave, working from home, early retirement, working 4 days a week.
- Ensure that remote workers have the infrastructure and environment to carry out their work. If not, make concrete plans to support them.
- Get to know your people. Who are they really? Where do they live? What are their hopes and fears?