How to Deal with and Recognise Stress in the Workplace

By: Yvonne Bleakley

Stress, simply put, is a person's natural reaction to the demands and pressures of everyday life, both in the workplace and in our personal lives. Appropriate amounts of stress can stimulate and motivate all of us into action. This in itself is not a dangerous or harmful thing; indeed it is quite necessary.

However, if the demands and pressures we face are too great, or are prolonged, the stress we experience can become harmful. In this difficult economy, workplace stress is a very real occurrence.

Stress in the workplace reduces productivity, increases management pressures, and makes people ill in many ways, evidence of which is still increasing. Workplace stress affects the performance of the brain, including functions of work performance; memory, concentration, and learning.

Typical causes of workplace stress

- Lack of job security
- Lack of recognition
- Bullying or harassment, by anyone, not necessarily a person's manager
- Feeling powerless and uninvolved in determining one's own responsibilities
- Continuous unreasonable performance demands
- Lack of effective communication and conflict resolution
- Long working hours
- Excessive time away from home and family
- Office politics and conflict among staff
- A feeling that the reward is not congruent with the responsibility

How to Recognize Stress

Stress can be the cause of certain behavioral changes and as managers, it is not only important to recognize this in yourself, but also those around you. Here are some clues as to what may be going on:-

- It may be hard to remain focused and concentrate on tasks in hand.
- It can become easy to lose the thread of what is being thought or said, even in mid-sentence.
- Memory declines even for familiar things.
- As a result of all these above, more errors are made than was previously the norm.
- The ability to relax, to feel good or happy, to "switch off" anxiety reduces.
- Personality traits or standards might change
- Feelings of self-esteem and competence might diminish.

How to Deal with Stress

- Improve communication
- Share information with employees to reduce uncertainty about their jobs and futures.
- Clearly define employees' roles and responsibilities.
- Make communication friendly and efficient, not mean-spirited or petty.
- Consult your employees
- Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their jobs.
- Consult employees about scheduling and work rules.
- Be sure the workload is suitable to employees' abilities and resources; avoid unrealistic deadlines.
- Show that individual workers are valued.
- Offer rewards and incentives
- Praise good work performance verbally and institutionally.
- Provide opportunities for career development.
- Make management actions consistent with organizational values.

Stress is just an emotion and it is important that we feel no attachment to it. When you notice any of these clues to stress, just allow either yourself (or your staff member if applicable) to become aware of the emotion and to feel it rather than try to ignore it. It is when we ignore and stuff down our emotions that we incur problems.

Reprinted from: Communication Skills Articles.

Yvonne Bleakley is the manager's mentor, director of www.coachuk.ltd.uk and creator of The Silent Motivator System, the proven step-by-step programme to maximise staff and gain true respect and commitment. Download your free e-book "How to Maximise your Staff and Gain Respect" at www.silentmotivator.com

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