Stress in the workplace is something that should concern every employer. Not only can stressed employees become disgruntled and less interested in their work, but it also can have serious health impacts on those employees. Employees who are stressed at work may look for more reasons to take time off from their jobs. The result of all those “mental health days” is lost productivity and the prospect that employers may have to replace some of their most experienced and tenured staff. Although stress is an inevitable fact of life in any job, it’s in an employer’s best interests to take steps to mitigate stress and help their employees cope with it more effectively.
Fortunately, there are a number of strategies employers can utilize to reduce stress levels in the workplace, and many of them are relatively easy and inexpensive to implement. For example, allowing and encouraging employees to take brief breaks to step away from their desks or workstations to take a walk and clear their minds can give them an opportunity to refocus and recharge. Even a few minutes away from the crush of their tasks and responsibilities can help employees attack their jobs with renewed vigor. It’s also helpful to create a culture within the office that encourages employees to share their concerns with management. Keeping an open line of communication between management and employees can go a long way toward helping to ease stress levels in the workplace. Healthy bodies also cope with stress more effectively, so providing nutritious snacks and/or instituting a fitness break for employees to practice stretching or other light exercise can make a significant difference in alleviating stress.
If you’re looking for other ways to help your employees deal with workplace stress more effectively, consider the following infographic. It contains these and many other tips to help lessen stress levels in the workplace and teach employees some coping strategies that have proven to be successful. Your employees’ stress isn’t just their problem — it’s yours, too.