Date 10 December 2010
Stress in the workplace is an increasingly common problem. Aside from the debilitating effect upon the individual, employee absence due to stress can prove costly for employers.
The Health & Safety Executive estimate that around 13.5 million working days were lost in 2007-2008 due to stress-related employee absence.
Whilst it will be difficult to eliminates stress entirely, here are some tips on how both employees and employers can minimise the risk of stress, and maintain a stress-free workplace as possible.
Tips for Employers
1. Have clear policies on managing stress
As an employer, it is important for your employees to feel that they work in a supportive environment. Ensuring that you have clear policies and structures in place for dealing with stress will help those affected to speak out and feel that they are supported. Consider running training programmes on methods of reducing stress and encouraging employees to speak to their colleagues about their work targets and any associated concerns. A counselling service may be considered to provide support for those employees struggling with stress.
2. Appraisals and Feedback
Ensure that employees have regular appraisals, not only so they can receive feedback on their performance, but to offer them an opportunity to air any concerns or views on their work and the working environment. 360 degree feedback is also increasingly popular and allows staff at every level the chance to comment on working life and their peers. This regular communication allows employees to feel they work in a culture which values their opinions and supports their contributions.
3. Encourage social activities outside of work
So that employees feel relaxed and confident in communicating with each other, employers should encourage their workers to engage in social activities outside of working hours. Organising quiz nights, drinks evenings and other social events will create a feeling of camaraderie amongst employees.
4. Reward employees
Create a programme which rewards employees for specific achievements, whether it is winning a new client, completing a training programme, or exceeding a profit target. Making employees feel valued will incentivise them to work harder. Praising good work will create an upbeat and positive environment.
5. Offer efficient administrative support
As an employer it is important to ensure that your staff have adequate administrative support with matters such as IT systems and accounts. This will leave your employees time to focus on their work and not cause unnecessary stress and distraction over other issues.
Tips for Employees
1. Prioritise
Assess which of the tasks you are working on is the most urgent, and allocate realistic time estimates to deal with each. When estimating time frames to a client, always provide an achievable estimate to allow yourself enough time, rather than leaving yourself with numerous pieces of work piling up at once and being unable to meet the deadlines.
2. Communicate
Ensure that members of the same team or department have regular meetings and are communicating with each other to discuss and share workloads. Regular communication between employees and their management teams can help to ensure that people are not “suffering in silence” and feeling overwhelmed.
3. Delegate
If, as an employee, you feel you simply have too much on your plate, speak up at an early stage before the deadlines pile up and become more urgent. This ensures that the work can be effectively handed over to a colleague in good time for them to take over. Employers should encourage a culture of team work to facilitate delegation within departments.
4. Take a Break
When feeling stressed and over-whelmed with work, there is a danger of shutting yourself away and feeling the need to work constantly without a break. It is important to take regular breaks away from your desk, even if it’s only for a five minute walk, to clear your head and re-focus on the job in hand.
5. Separate your work and home life
There is a temptation, when the work is piling up to take work home with you for the evening or the weekend. To reduce stress it is important to try and maintain a separation between your home and the office. Allow your home to be a place where you can switch off from work, and feel relaxed. If working at home is unavoidable, try and set a realistic time limit on how long you will spend working.
For more information, or to discuss a particular matter relating to stress in the workplace, please contact Solicitor Chris Cook on 01727 798017 or chris.cook@salaw.com
More hints and tips about how to manage stress in the workplace can be found at The Stress Management Society website.