April is stress awareness month. Led by the Stress Management Society, the aim is to raise public awareness about the causes and effects of stress and to help promote ways of managing stress by reducing stigma, delivering advice on coping mechanisms and providing resources to help people manage their mental health. Stress can be caused by and exist in all areas of a person’s life, but work-related stress is common and its impact on individual employees and those companies who they work for can be huge. While employers should be mindful about monitoring and managing employee stress levels throughout the year, stress awareness month can provide a good opportunity to reevaluate the company’s approach and to check in with employees in order to take stock of stress levels across the business.
Create a culture of wellbeing
A certain amount of pressure or stress is to be expected in most jobs. Where it becomes an issue may be if the stress or pressure becomes too intense or if an employee has other stressors in their life meaning their tolerance for work-related stress is lower than it may be otherwise. The first step in encouraging better stress management is to normalise conversations about stress and general wellbeing. If staff feel able to talk openly about times of high pressure, rather than worry that they will be stigmatised, it is more likely that they will tell someone that they are struggling sooner rather than later, allowing the problem to be addressed before it has reached crisis point. Communicating with staff regularly about the support available should they suffer with stress and advising where or who they should go to for help is a good starting point. Some workplaces appoint a dedicated Mental Health First Aider and/or Mental Health Advocate who is trained in supporting staff with issues such as stress and can act as a point of contact across the business for anyone who is feeling the strain.
Spot the symptoms of stress
Although it would be ideal if everyone who was suffering with stress felt able to speak up, this is often not the case. It is therefore important that managers are encouraged to look out for signs of stress in their teams and that they trained as to what they should do if they suspect a member of their team may be experiencing stress. While it is not always possible to know what is going on in the personal lives of staff, if the company does become aware of a potential stressor, such as divorce, family illness or a bereavement, it should be mindful that this is likely to lower the individual's tolerance for workplace stress. Where the individual is open to discussing the matter, meet with them and ask how the company can best support them. There are multiple things an employer can do to help an employee who is suffering with stress such as offering flexible working arrangements, allowing time off for them to recuperate and being mindful of workload or reducing it where it is a contributing factor to their struggles. It is also important to be proactive: providing access to wellness initiatives and encouraging participation can help equip staff with the skills they need to navigate times of high stress successfully and avoid issues further down the line.
In creating an environment in which employees feel able to be open about their stress levels, by providing the right support when those levels become too high and by taking steps to help employees understand how best to manage their own wellbeing, employers can create a workforce which has better resilience, is more productive, takes fewer sick days and feels supported and valued, benefiting both employer and staff in equal measure.
