Having problems with your employees saying that they are stressed out?
Unfortunately this is much too common these days with employers looking to do more with less people in order to save money. The impact on our people is great. So what is it that you can do as a manager to positively impact your team?
Here are some thoughts:
Encourage time off
Everyone needs and deserves time away from work. There are many studies that point to increased productivity to those that truly get away. They come back refreshed, re-energized and more focused. Whether this is time during the work day to take a break outside of the office, or whether this is time off. Ensure your people take this very valuable time.
Maintain a positive attitude.
Smile. Your employees will see this and appreciate it. A smile and positive attitude is contagious! And…it doesn’t cost anything!
Listen to your people
What are they saying? Are there things you can do to improve the work environment? Are you responding?
Celebrate!
Celebrate team accomplishments! Whether it is a cake, a fruit tray, a pat on the back, gift certificates etc., ensure to notice and celebrate these milestones. It will allow employees to look back on their hard work and know it was all worth it.
Have fun!
What can you do to encourage some fun and some laughter? Team building, a bulletin board with comics and funny stories, a fun column added to the employee newsletter…think outside of the box.
Flex time – do you offer it?
Look at establishing core hours and creating some flex time in and around these times as long as the hours of work are put in in a day.
Stress management workshops
Consider offering a workshop to your employees to provide them with some additional tools to assist with coping mechanisms.
Have you looked at the workload? Is it too much? Can it be spread out? Can you hire more people? Is there anything that can be done to minimize a consistently very heavy workload?
Burnout is very common and employers lose many employees due to prolonged exposure to stress in the workplace. Keep “in tune” with your people, talk about stress, discuss solutions and act on them. When employees see action, and understand that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, it will help carry them through these periods.