National Stress Awareness Day: Combating Stress in the Workplace

Today is National Stress Awareness Day, a day dedicated to bringing personal wellbeing and health to the forefront of everyone’s mind. While stress on the whole is an extremely relevant and somewhat poignant topic, it’s also something that needs to be carefully considered in the workplace.

You see, research from The American Institute of Stress has revealed that 80% of workers feel stressed in their job and, whilst it’s common to feel under pressure at work sometimes, too much pressure can lead to serious consequences for both your employees and your business.

It’s a well-known fact that excessive stress can affect both productivity and performance, which is why I work closely alongside my management team to ensure they and everyone else at the Cadman Capital Group are receiving as much support as possible to reduce work-related stress.

Here’s a few things to consider:

1. Flexible working

I recently wrote a post sharing my thoughts on the phenomenon of flexible working. Whilst I feel that certain personnel benefit more greatly from flexible working, allowing staff to do their hours on a flexible basis can be a huge stress reliever. Often homelife can make working a normal nine to five week difficult, but by offering parents flexi-hours around the school run or long distance workers the opportunity to work from home once a week, a huge amount of worry can be instantly negated.

2. Encourage ‘time out’

It’s become all too common for employees to spend their lunch breaks in the vicinity of their desk. Working lunches are becoming increasingly popular and time away from a screen is becoming limited. Encouraging staff to step away from their desk, go for a walk or sit and enjoy their lunch in a different part of the office can do wonders for relieving stress, as it allows them a small period of time to switch off and return to their desks revitalised ahead of the afternoons tasks. Time away from the computer can do a lot for perspective.

3. Offer optional physical and emotional wellbeing practises

Some people lack the time outside of work to engage in physical and emotional wellbeing activities, so offering the option during the working day can be hugely beneficial. It’s no secret that exercise or meditation type activities are great for relieving stress, so why not encourage your employees to do exactly that? It’s also a great way to incorporate team building into your culture, which leads me to my next point…

4. Focus on team building and interaction

The average UK employee spends over 34 hours a week at work, which means getting along with colleagues is of the utmost importance. In certain cases, employees spend more time alongside their workmates than they do their family, so encouraging them to interact and really get to know their colleagues can have a huge impact on their everyday happiness. Additionally, having other members of staff you feel comfortable to lean on can significantly help to reduce stress.

While it’s not the sole responsibility of the employer to ensure an employee’s wellbeing, a sign of a great business is when they take the time and initiative to help reduce stress in the workplace.

I reiterate my point from above – excessive stress can cause both productivity and performance to dip, so taking care of your employees is a huge part of taking care of your business and that’s something we all want to do!