Managing workplace stress

Reclaim your wellness at work.

Stress impacts our daily lives. During April, we are acknowledging Stress Awareness Month. Stress and poor mental health in the workplace are a significant public health issue.

Intrinsically linked, they cause physical problems like heart disease, insomnia, digestive issues, immune system challenges, etc to more serious mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Workplaces can contribute positively to counteracting this issue.

By opening dialogue and creating a safe space for people to have conversation can make all the difference.

Understanding stress

Not all kinds of stress have a negative effect on us.

Humans experience distress in response to real or perceived threats.

By contrast, when we experience excitement or the lead up to positive change, it is known as eustress.

Distress (negative threats) causes anxiety, increases our procrastination, and can diminish our performance.

  • Examples: bullying, the death of a loved one, controlling or manipulative behaviour, losing your job.

Eustress (positive challenge) causes excitement, increases our motivation, and enhances our performance.

  • Examples: A first date, seeing progress, travel, work that is challenging but fulfilling, desirable life changes such as moving house.

It’s a natural choice that we want to create a culture where we and/or our employees regularly experience eustress.

We cannot avoid feelings of distress or stress, what we can do is know how to best manage the moments we do.

Workplace stress

While an amount of stress helps us thrive, many of us are experiencing more than our share.

More than one in three professionals in the UK are experiencing at least moderate stress at work, research by Champion Health has found.

The most common self-reported stress level is moderate at 34%, followed by moderate-to-high at 26%.

The top five causes of stress cited were:

  • Workload – 76%
  • Lack of control – 35%
  • Lack of support – 26%
  • Senior staff – 25%
  • Peers – 18%

Other factors which featured included: insufficient training, job security, working from home and commuting, poor work conditions, work relationships, work/life balance and organisational culture.

The effects of stress

If we are feeling stressed or in distress, this can affect how in control we feel in ourselves, and in our role.

Work processes, decision-making and performance targets are just some of the areas which are outside of our control.

We’re often affected by things outside of work, both physical and non-physical:

  • Money
  • Transport
  • A stable home
  • Time
  • Knowledge
  • Energy
  • Health
  • Steady employment/job security
  • Healthy coping skills
  • Social support

The effects are well-known and can be long-term.

Beyond trouble sleeping, irritability and a weaker immune system, it can have some specific impacts women.

The Office on Women’s Health lists headaches, migraines, depressions, anxiety, heart problems, upset stomach and weight gain are some of the main impacts of stress.

Women can also experience problems getting pregnant, menstrual cycle problems and lower libido.

What workplaces can do to help

The most supportive workplaces will have a mix of proactive and reactive measures to support their employees.

One of the key tips for employers and employees to manage this is to communicate with each other.

This enables both parties to find the right balance of solutions for your situation.

If you’re a manager and you find yourself needing support to implement some solutions for your team, you can reach out to the CiC Wellbeing Manager’s support line.

Tips for managers

Put simply, an awareness of stress management is essential for leaders.

The important role they play in assisting employees experiencing stress and pressure cannot be overstated.

Worksafe UK recommends the following tips for managers who want to take initiative in their workplace:

  • Nurture positive communication – open communication is vital for this. A company’s production, efficiency, and morale are all dependent on constructive communication among employees, between employees and management, and within management structures.
  • Give praise – most managers don’t give enough effective praise. Research shows getting praise or recognition vastly increases morale and productivity by 10% – 20%.
  • Set clear goals for your team – take the time to schedule regular catch-ups with your employees so you can set realistic and attainable goals together.
  • Encourage mindfulness at work – there is scientific proof that mindfulness can improve mental health by boosting mood, reducing stress and anxiety, increasing focus and memory, and many other things.
  • Improve yourself – a manager’s role is to support their team, including their mental health. A proactive approach to this also means taking the same approach to yourself too.

Resources

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