Five key steps to tackling workplace stress
If the pressure is too much, our stress response kicks in. This fight or flight response is helpful in dangerous situations, but not for most of modern life and certainly not at work. We cannot think clearly or work well, and the long-term effects of stress can be damaging for physical and mental health.
According to the CIPD’s annual Health and Wellbeing at Work report, stress is one of the highest causes of short and long-term absences at work. It can also have a significant effect on productivity, performance and company reputation if left unchecked.
Here are five steps every workplace can take to reduce the harmful effects of stress.
1. Risk assess
Be proactive and try to get out in front of stress. This is much easier than dealing with problems once they arise. Free risk assessment guidance and questionnaire templates are available from the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The six areas to look at are demands, relationships, role, support, change and control. It is recommended that workplaces use the HSE risk assessments on an annual basis.
2. Benchmark and use data
It’s also really important for a workplace to understand where to focus attention and the impact interventions are having. Monitor data throughout the year including:
- sickness absence rates (as well as the cause of absence)
- turnover – high stress and burnout accounts for X% of turnover per year
- performance
- the number and type of wellbeing initiatives delivered
- engagement with the initiatives
- employee opinions, health status and behaviours, captured through a wellbeing survey or health checks.
3. Create a healthy workplace culture
Encourage employees to be proactive about wellbeing issues. Share information on stress and other wellbeing topics to help raise awareness. Around two-thirds of people do nothing and try to ignore stress, according to The Mental Health Foundation. This means problems can quickly get worse.
4. Support line managers
This is key. Managers need support to build engagement in their team, spot the signs and symptoms of stress and how to support employees who may be struggling. Despite stress being a common challenge, less than half of organisations have trained line managers. Investing in training makes a huge difference in helping managers and their staff. And this can set organisations apart as employers of choice.
Share guidance and resources with managers and make sure they understand their role and where to signpost employees who need further support to. The Mental Health at Work resource library is a great place to start.
5. Provide support
If risk assessments have taken place, employees are building self-awareness and managers are ready to help, then clear pathways are needed to signpost for employees who may be suffering from stress. These might include:
- an employee assistance programme so employees always have expert listeners on hand
- referral pathways into counselling for those with ongoing issues
- employee benefits and perks to increase wellbeing and help build resilience
- signposting to free external resources like Rethink, the Samaritans or Mind
- tools to help educate and build resilience like wellbeing apps such as Thrive.
Stress is a part of day-to-day life that affects us all, but for many of us, we try to ignore it and hope it’ll go away. Unfortunately, this doesn’t help an individual or a workplace. By being proactive and taking the steps covered in this article you can reduce and better manage stress levels within your workplace.
The author is Matt Liggins, head of wellbeing at Health Shield.
This article is provided by Health Shield.
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, Health Shield
At Health Shield we're passionate about improving people's everyday health.
