"If you want something to happen, you have to make people able, and you have to make them want to."
- Dr. Steve Kerr
Stress in the workplace is on the rise. Research says that 40% of workers worldwide face high to very high stress at the workplace. 19% out of them choose to quit because even though they can get the work done but stress burns them out. Even more surprisingly, it is found that employee stress levels have risen by nearly 20% in the last three decades.
Stress is a reaction to what he or she feels when worried or nervous about something. Workplace stress is the negative response that employees have towards extreme pressure or an unfavourable change in the work environment.
Many employees feel that they can do nothing about their workplace stress. This attitude not only leads to a reduction in productivity rate, increased absenteeism, and unhealthy relationships but also affects their physical health drastically.
So, what causes workplace stress?
The answer is simple. When the demands of the job do not meet the employee's ability to cope up, it leads to emotional or physical stress.
In this competitive era, productive employees are a company's greatest asset. As an employer, if you are looking to boost the overall productiveness, it’s high time that you inspire your team. Employers all around the world have already started with their own ways to overcome the unwanted pressure on their employees. Have a look at the following points and get started if you think you are lagging behind!
10 Ways To Reduce Stress And Improve Productivity:
1. Say NO to multitasking:
Staying focused on one task at a time is the new productivity tip. Your employees need to block their time for the most important work first.
The one minute rule leads to efficiency, creativity and thus, better results. So, you can take pride in your multitasking employees, only if you are ready to compromise on productivity at work.
2. Recommend mini-breaks:
Concentration is the ultimate weapon of productivity at work, but it is not feasible for a human mind to work with 100% focus, all the time.
It is important to understand the value of taking quality breaks to get the right fuel to the mind. Most employees do not take a break except for lunch. A restroom can be a great stress buster for all those employees who spend more than 8 hours at work. Even short walks and exposure to sunlight and fresh air can reawaken the mind.
3. Start from a clean slate, every day:
Having a great start to work is the best way to achieve the best results. A quick team meeting of encouragement works wonders. Let not the previous discussions bog your employees down with the leftover stress. Encourage them to prepare a to-do-list and determine their achievable, daily targets.
Every day has a new scope, but the real challenge is to live without the burden of leftover tasks. Motivating them to finish what they start can be a great push to increase productivity at work.
4. Encourage bilateral communication:
A transparent workplace helps the employees feel more connected, as they can know exactly what’s going on around. Fostering a culture of open communication helps them to feel safe sharing their thoughts, ideas, concerns, and ideas for improvement. A simple face to face conversation can help in removing misunderstandings, encouraging them to be more productive.
Understand your employees and know what resources are important to them to succeed in their jobs. A proper feedback system can lessen a lot of work-life stress, strengthening employee engagement. But, be sure that they provide their comments without any fear.
5. Identify the most stress-prone employees:
The level of work stress varies from person to person depending upon their personality, choices and stress tolerance.
Studies suggest that top-level employees such as managers and supervisors are more prone to workplace stress. Again, young workers are facing higher stress in comparison to older colleagues. Inadequate staffing, low pay, unhealthy competition are some of the top issues that employees have to deal with.
Stress can lead to different health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure, weakened immune system, among others. Dedicate extra attention to those employees who need to be heard as soon as possible. However, confidential support or promoting health and wellness in the work environment can boost motivation at work.
6. Set transparent employee expectations:
It is an oversight on your part if your confused employee is wasting time at work. Do not let them be puzzled about their duties.
It is important that you understand and write down what you want from your employees. Afterward, meet them, discuss your objectives and gain their commitment to complete the task within a specific time. With these, your employees will get a clear picture of their job role.
Managing expectations is stressful but most beneficial in terms of improving productivity at work.
7. Surprise them with a stress-relief recipe:
There are several low-cost ways to bring your team together. Host a fitness challenge, a mindful workshop or send a thank you note on their Email. You can even treat your team with a healthy snack box once in a while.
Every little thing does matter. Weekly games and ‘Theme days’ are other interesting de-stressing ideas. Happy employees are always more productive. How they feel on the job can have a big impact on their productivity at work.
8. Let the music play:
Music plays an important role in improving work motivation. You can play it in speakers for all or allow your employees to use their headphones.
During long work hours, there may be times when employees lose focus, especially towards the day end. Music stimulates creativity and improves concentration to accomplish important tasks.
9. Boost employee engagement with gamification:
You cannot ignore the fact that fun activities increase the work efficiency of the employees. You can use some amusing, digital settings to help your employees grow.
Digital platforms make things easier and interesting as it has a greater impact on employee behavior. They feel motivated with rewards and recognition, inducing a sense of healthy competition. When done right, it can generate impactful results across the workplace.
10. Appreciate mutual learning:
The concept of “mutual learning” is all about open learning with a minimum difference of opinion. That is, despite any hierarchy, the entire force has to learn and work together to achieve the overall goal.
The employer-employee gap is often caused by unclear trust signals.
The development of trust and mutual learning are two sides of the same coin. For better productivity at work, each person must be responsible for the other.
Summing It Up...
Employees’ performance is an important factor in organizational success. The percentage of employees who are stressed at work is high, and it continues to mount. In this competitive era, finding a stress-free job can be difficult or impossible. But the issue can be easily dealt with proper action plans.
Employees must understand what they are experiencing, examine the situations which are inducing stress and know how to respond to them. But at the same time, management plays the biggest role in reducing workplace stress with the right ‘how to handle it’ spark.
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