There has been much discussion about the subject of stress in the workplace over the years. I don’t know if we can ever create totally stress free work environments because of the challenges in today’s world, our competitive businesses and the expectations in both the private and public sector; however, there are ways to relieve stress which may help employees become healthier and consequently more productive individuals in our society.
With today’s economy what it is and our unemployment rate being at one of the highest levels in years, most workers find themselves grateful for even having a job. But, what about their health? I would venture to guess that most of them don’t feel very healthy. According to statistics provided by a Families and Work Institute study, one out of three workers is suffering from at least one symptom of clinical depression, 41% are complaining that they often feel under stress, and one fifth has sleeping problems. Generally, 14% are undergoing treatment for high cholesterol, and one out of five is using medications to lower their blood pressure. Although there are many causes and reasons for these increasing numbers, we in the workplace can definitely assist in changing these trends to ensure that our workforce is healthy, happy and productive.
One of the ways in which we can help is to look at how we can make our work environments more efficient, which will lead to happier and more productive employees. Happy and healthy employees produce better results. Researchers have found that workers feel healthier if they have an opportunity for self-development and challenge, balance between their job and private life, autonomy, a supervisor who encourages success, economic safety and a working climate which is characterized with respect and confidence. Promoting an efficient and healthy working environment doesn’t necessarily increase an employer’s overhead. It can be accomplished simply in the way people are treating one another. As HR professionals, we need to strongly encourage our employers to make every effort to try and implement as many of the factors identified by researchers as possible.
Another option in reducing employee stress levels is to have competitive paid sick and annual leave policies in place. These types of policies can increase employers’ costs, but in the long run, it will be well worth the investment. Many organizations have combined their leave policies into a PTO (Paid Time Off) program. This program allows employees to take time off for various reasons and thereby gives them an opportunity to decompress. I worked with a client who offered three weeks of vacation after one year of service. No matter what position you hold within your organization, time off is a must!
Other ways in helping decrease employees’ stress level is to encourage staff to slow down. There are tricks to keeping oneself calm in a work situation. Some creative and fun ways to tackle the stress issue at work would be to take a quiet break, walk around, laugh as a cure, send an email to a friend, writing, turn your thoughts away or enjoy a cup of tea. We had a client in the U.K. whose employees always took time in the afternoon for a cup of tea…there’s something soothing and calm about this concept. For more details about these tricks, visit the Career Insider website or the SHRM website. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to make decompressing to relieve stress a part of your daily routine. I strongly believe you will find yourself less stressed at your worksite and your employees more productive. I gave it a try, and it is working!
