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How can employers help employees cope with stress?

7 ways employers can reduce stress in

the workplace

- Leadership - Mar 24, 2014

Stress is overwhelmingly prevalent in modern society. Sleep depravation,

poor health, relationship woes and financial concerns can all take their toll,
however the number one cause of stress, according to Statistic Brain is work
related pressures.
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workplace

High stress levels often cause or can worsen a long list of health issues,
including heart disease, obesity, depression and diabetes. In addition to
paying 50 percent more annually in health costs for stressed workers,
employers are dealing with additional effects of stress that directly impact their
profitability, such as loss of productivity, absenteeism, turnover and
disengagement. According to the American Institute of Stress, job stress costs
US businesses more than $300 billion annually.

Everyday work pressures are compounded by the current troubled economy

and near constant news streams of foreclosures and layoffs, meaning
employees are feeling the effects of anxiety and stress more than ever before.
With this in mind, there has never been a more important time for employers
to make reducing stress a top priority.

HOW CAN EMPLOYERS REDUCE STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE?

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

In order to reduce stress in the workplace, it’s important that managers lead
by example. As a leader its critical you keep a lid on your own emotions; don’t
let negativity, anger or stress rub off on your employees. Practice what you
preach and ensure you give yourself enough time to de-stress at the end of
the working day – go for a run, enjoy quality time with your family or arrange
to socialize with friends. Likewise, organizing walking meetings rather than
meetings in the boardroom, taking regular breaks and booking holiday will not
only put you in a better frame of mind, it will also show your employees that its
okay to take some time out.

SEE MORE: What should you look for in a mentor?

INTRODUCE WORKPLACE WELLNESS SCHEMES

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It has been said time and time again, but exercise and a healthy lifestyle is
extremely important when it comes to combating workplace related stress.
Employee wellness schemes, such as paying for a portion of employees gym
memberships or running group-wide healthy eating challenges is a good way
to help employees unwind and feel better about themselves.

CREATE SOCIAL ACTIVITY

Employees spend a lot of time with their co-workers and therefore its
important they get along. The more people enjoy their time at work, the better
the atmosphere will be – and a better office atmosphere leads to productivity,
creativity and collaboration. At least once a week set aside an hour to bring
your team together in a fun environment; play a game, go out for lunch or
arrange for a motivational speaker to come into the office. Social activity is
good for reducing stress, boosting morale and team building.

SEE MORE: How to create a positive work culture

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES

Open communication is critical in leadership; keeping employees up to date

regarding changes, expectations and their own performance not only keeps
them on track but also reduces feelings of stress and anxiety – after all there
is nothing worse than being kept in the dark. As a manager be sure to keep
your team abreast of the latest developments and departmental changes.
What’s more, open communication is a two way street and the more you
converse with your employees, the more likely they are to share concerns,
ideas and thoughts making for much stronger working relationships and a
healthier overall company culture.

PROVIDE A ‘CHILL OUT’ SPACE IN THE OFFICE

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Sometimes people need 15 minutes to relax, re-group and disengage from

technology and general work related interactions. Providing a quiet room, or a
chill out zone where employees can spend 15 minutes with their thoughts can
dramatically help reduce workplace stress and burnout. After taking a short
break free from distractions, people often feel refreshed and re-energized to
tackle the rest of the day. If you can, provide comfortable seating and paint
the walls a neutral color – a pleasant environment is good for boosting
happiness.

SEE MORE: Finding the balance: Don't let your job ruin your life

THINK ABOUT THE HABITAT

What do the likes of Facebook, Google and Twitter do different? Well for
starters they think about every detail including their employees work
surroundings. Not every company can build its own workers village, complete
with health food restaurants and indoor bike lanes, however there is always
room for improvement, particularly when it could boost productivity and overall
job satisfaction. Think about budgeting for some brighter, more modern office
furniture, consider changing the color of the walls (out with the sludge green
and in with something fresher, cleaner and brighter), introduce some plants in
the office, invest in some new pictures – even small changes like new office
cutlery and kitchenware will make the working environment conducive to, well,
work. If you have the room, a Ping-Pong or foosball table will go a long way to
boosting employee morale too.

ALLOW FLEXI-TIME AND REMOTE WORKING

A major stress inducer, particularly for women, is stringent working hours.

Allowing employees to work remotely, or even on a flexi-time scheme is
proven to be good for morale and thus profitability. Not only are you saying to
your employees, “I trust you,” by allowing them to manage their own time, but
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you are also taking away added stress such as child care considerations from
working parents. Just make sure you manage this sort of flexibility with open
communication and by outlining clear expectations and parameters.