Tackling stress – you don’t need bean bags and whale music!
May 29, 2009
It’s well known that during the current difficult economic times, stress levels in organisations are increasing as workers are required to put in longer hours, with fewer breaks, and are often taking on tasks that were not previously part of their remit due to staffing cuts and reorganisations. Organisations that are looking to save in the short term could lose out in the long term if they fail to recognise the causes of stress and manage them effectively; as work related stress can cause a huge amount of illness and absence within the workforce, as well as having a detrimental effect on productivity, which is the last thing companies need in this situation.
There are many ways to reduce stress in the workplace, and most of them don’t cost loads of money or time. Being clever and realistic with what needs to be achieved will go a long way to making sure the required job is done without making workers ill or totally demoralised. Being clear with objectives and giving specific timescales for completion will ensure employees are focussed on the task rather than risking ‘headless chicken’ syndrome. It is even possible to get employees to give longer hours to the company for short periods of time without turning the job into a stress-nightmare, as long as there is a positive reason for the need for longer hours and the objectives of the work in question are clear and timed.
Ensuring employees take breaks is really important if the company needs productivity and enthusiasm to be high. I am one of the world’s worst culprits for not taking breaks, and really it doesn’t get me anywhere because the time I spend working through the break can often be lost in the afternoon if I am lacking in concentration due to staring at a screen for too long, or lacking in energy from not having anything to eat. Many companies unwittingly develop a culture in which taking a break is seen as a lazy thing to do and staff can feel fearful of getting a drink or taking a short walk, but this culture is counter-productive in the long run. Companies that have a specified break area are probably more likely to get staff taking time away from their work – and it doesn’t have to be a really fancy area with bean bag chairs, tropical fish and whale music! Just an opportunity to escape, have a chat to a friend and a cup of tea will refresh the mind and allow the employee to re-focus on what they’re doing for the next part of the day.
What’s your organisation like for stress? Do you have clear objectives and time for breaks, or are you suffering the effects of stress as a result of increased pressures in the organisation?
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Great stuff mate.