It’s no secret that workers are stressed – most people are! However, stress can lead to a decline in quality and productivity. This can lead to more stress, and the cycle continues.
Keeping office morale high starts at the top. Creating an environment that denounces workplace stress and fosters focus, productivity, and mental wellness can help you save money and prevent employee burnout.
Are you looking to reduce stress at work for your employees but aren’t sure where to start? Keep reading for some of the best ways you can help your workers relax and focus on their responsibilities in the office.
1. Set Realistic Expectations
When you set unrealistic expectations for your employees, they’ll likely fail to meet the mark more often than not. This can be taxing on the mental health of employees.
On the flip side, you may find that setting high expectations may increase productivity. Success! Right?
Often, this increased productivity will only last for a short period. Employees will quickly become overwhelmed and overworked trying to meet goals, resulting in a decrease in quality and subsequent employee burnout.
Instead, setting attainable, reachable goals will help employees get work done and feel proud of the quality. You may need to adjust the workload you give your employees based on their capabilities.
2. Employee Appreciation
One of the worst feelings in the world is when you put hours of effort into a project, only for it to go unnoticed. This can foster resentment as well as a “so what” attitude.
Instead, ensure your employees know that higher-ups recognize and value the work they do throughout the day. Whether this is regular check-ins or showing opportunities for growth, your employees will appreciate the appreciation.
Generally, you don’t want to go overboard or be cheesy with your appreciation. This can come off as insincere and have adverse effects on employees.
3. Encourage Breaks
Wait, what? Encouraging workers to take breaks at work? Won’t that impact productivity?
No! Quite the opposite, actually.
Your brain can become clouded and unmotivated when forced to work for too long. This can cause a massive decrease in quality and productivity.
When employees can take adequate breaks to reset their brains, it can actually increase productivity. Instead of forcing workers to remain at their desks and work, work, work, giving them a break can help get creative juices flowing.
Plus, when workers are sitting all day, it can lead to aches and pains. These then contribute to stress, and the cycle continues.
4. Open and Honest Communication
If you’re looking to reduce stress in the workplace, creating an environment where open and honest communication is a top priority is essential.
Let’s be honest. No one wants to work in a place where they’re afraid to ask questions or receive feedback.
Many workers are anxious around their higher-ups. While a power balance is necessary, your presence alone shouldn’t be enough to cause panic. Instead, keeping it professional yet comfortable is essential.
Open and frequent communication lets employees know what they’re doing well while also telling them where they can improve. This is essential to ensuring your workers feel comfortable approaching you with questions.
5. Don’t Keep Changing the Rules
One of the most common causes of employee stress occurs when rules constantly change.
Keeping standard systems across your office can help employees stay uniform. For example, don’t tell employees to enter data a certain way, only to change it the following week.
Whether it’s keeping your phone calls uniform or ensuring your human resources department follows the same problem solving steps for every incident, keeping the rules consistent can aid in reducing stress.
6. Provide Proper Resources
When you bring on new workers, it’s critical to set them up for success. Ensuring they receive thorough and proper training can help keep workers confident in their abilities.
While new hires should receive training, don’t neglect your current employees! Encouraging workers to learn new systems, methods, or styles can help keep workers feeling fresh and energized.
You’ll also want to create spaces for workers to relax within the office. Whether you make a cool break room for employees to unwind or teach them about managing stress at work, keeping employees in mind is essential.
7. Create a Safe Work Environment
Finally, you’ll want to ensure that your office or workplace is a safe environment for everyone, both physically and emotionally.
Instilling a zero-tolerance policy for harassment or intimidation can help workers feel like the company has their back. Similarly, ensuring that higher-ups can’t abuse their power helps keep management accountable.
You’ll also want to ensure that your office space is up to code. Keeping proper emergency equipment can help in crises. You’ll also want to keep the area clean to help prevent employees from getting sick.
You should encourage workers to be kind to one another and help out when need be. Though no one should take on another’s full workload, things happen. Helping to pick up the slack can create a sense of community among workers.
Kick Workplace Stress to the Curb
No one likes being stressed, despite the claims that some work better under pressure.
Don’t be afraid to show your employees how much you appreciate them! You’ll notice a big difference in productivity and quality when you reduce the amount of stress your employees endure.
Did you find this guide to alleviating workplace stress informative? If so, be sure to visit the rest of our website. There, you’ll find more great business tips and tricks to help you succeed.
