Impact of Stress in the Workplace
Demands in the workplace are escalating as companies have to compete across the world. Technology is a great tool for success within business, yet it turns everyone on 24 hours a day. How does a manager balance the needs of the company with those of their employees? Stress has become a regular visitor in most people’s lives and it does take it toll on the productivity of employees.
What is stress? Merriam-Webster definition: “a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.”
If you ask someone how stressful they feel, I’m not sure they would be able to gauge the level of stress and what is causing it in their lives. I see clients in the New York City area and the noise, people all around, intense stimulation is being absorbed even if I’m not aware of it. I’m use to it so I turn it off but do I actually turn off the level of stress in my experience?
Do we turn off our awareness of stress within the workplace? How many people are anxious about work and whether they can meet the demands of the job?
How much stress can you handle before it becomes unhealthy?
“Resilience training: Is your boss copping out on burnout?” by Australian School of Business on LeadingCompany site.
As many organisations slim down the resources, time and help they provide staff, managers – and even workers themselves – need to be aware of how to manage stress levels. But to alleviate the worst aspects of the problem, stress management needs to come from the top and be spread through the organisation.
It’s important when managing employees that you be aware of the stress levels of your team members. We all know that people have different thresholds of tolerance for stress. Some people are stoic and others immediately react when they feel any stress. It’s a tough job to balance the differences in your team members and still meet the business deliverables.
Include your employees as often as possible in the business decisions, asking for their support and find out what they need in order to meet the expectation. It’s not a perfect solution yet employees want to contribute so provide them with the necessary info to meet the demands.
Be well,
Pat
