Managing our mental health and helping others with theirs is becoming increasingly important. As a responsible employer, it is probably something that you have already given some consideration to, but we thought we would dedicate this month’s blog to helping employers to manage workplace stress.

Managing workplace stress

Workplace stress can be inevitable but there are many things that we can do to minimise stress for ourselves and others.

Morning stress – getting to work can be stressful especially if you have children or an unpleasant commute due to traffic or transport delays. Allowing a flexible start can help employees to manage their children or avoid peak travel times and reduce morning stress.

Conflict – workplace conflict can be a big cause of stress and should be avoided wherever possible. As an individual, you should avoid working with those where conflict can occur and you should let your manager know to prevent them from putting you together. As a manager, you should look for signs of conflict between staff and try to minimise situations that may cause conflict whether that is pairing employees on tasks or activities that may increase the likelihood of conflict occurring. It is worth understanding who your team members work well with and not so well with when you conduct 1-2-1s to assist you with this and tackle any issues where appropriate.

Organisation – Organisation on an individual, team or business level is crucial in minimising stress. If everyone knows what the processes are, and the workplace is organised visually it can make a difference in making a situation feel less stressful.

Expectations – Ensuring that your team understand clearly what is expected of them avoids confusion and any unnecessary stress. It is also important to ensure that you don’t place too higher expectations on yourself or your team and that whatever you are doing is achievable in the timescales.

Environmental factors – Physical factors such as discomfort and poor working environment can lead to staff being more reactive to stress. So consider the space your team works in and their comfort and whether any changes are necessary.

How can you reduce work stress?

Learn to say no and don’t take on extra when your workload is full. Learn to switch off when the working day is done, don’t just check that email on your phone or reply to a message.

Organise your workday to give yourself a bit of time out, like taking a walk in your lunch break. Listen to music (preferably something to lift your mood) or a podcast on your commute to help you unwind and distract you from the stress of commuting.

If you work from home, walk in your lunch break and play music at mealtimes to help lift your mood and get you moving. You should also make the effort to use the phone rather than emailing and messaging colleagues all the time, so you get some social interaction.

You can also try to practise some mindfulness techniques or you can get a free guide for dealing with stress from the Stress Management Society.

You can also learn more about mental health including stress on our Awareness of First Aid for Mental Health courses.