When managing a business, there are many obvious culprits that interfere with workflow and the general success of an organization. These culprits can be anything from lack of time to workers who simply are not up to doing the job. But what most people managers don’t realize is that those factors don’t account for much. The real bandit responsible for millions of dollars in lost productivity is stress in the workplace. Some people don’t recognize when they are stressed. While others are consumed by it and don’t think they can do anything about it.
The reality is, doing nothing about stress can cause a loss of productivity, unhealthy workplace relationships, absenteeism and increased healthcare costs. It’s in the best interest of any organization to train their managers to recognize and understand common workplace stressors and how to deal with them.
Workplace Stressors – Lack of Knowledge
People get stressed out when they don’t have the right skills to deal with a situation or perform their job duties well. Feeling ill equipped to perform your job, or having constant feelings of doubt, will inevitably cause those feelings to come to fruition.
How to Overcome it?
As a manager it’s your job to create an environment where people are not afraid to say they don’t understand or need help. Know that if they are struggling, so to will the goals and success of the organization. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t challenge your staff, it just means that they should feel comfortable asking for support if a situation becomes “unsolvable”. It may seem extravagant to bring in extra staff or pay an expert, but when the project is done in less than half the time, it’s clear to see that the investment was worth it.
Workplace Stressors – Lack of Time
When you’re driving to work in the morning, typically you don’t have any stress. However, driving to that same workplace when traffic is stopped and you have 15 minutes until you’re due to make an important presentation – your usual blissful ride becomes stressful.
How to Overcome It?
As a manager, set realistic goals and deadlines for your staff. Deadlines are important because people need that guidance and certainty when assigned a task. Setting an unrealistic deadline will either get you a delayed project, or a half-baked project with a team that is stressed out. There will always be exceptions to that rule, but it should never become the norm.
Workplace Stressors – Change
There are some people who crave change. They get bored easily, and the boredom causes stress. However, this is the minority. For the majority of people it’s the change that causes stress. Dealing with professional and experienced staff, managers should recognize that it’s the effort that it takes to re-familiarize yourself with something new that is the cause of stress.
How to Overcome It?
Always focus on the benefits of change. If employees are hesitant, as the leader you have to gain their support. To do this you have to clearly articulate to your team the benefits vs. the threats of the change. If that doesn’t work then perhaps you need to re-think it. Having the power to force change on your team should not be considered. The stress it will cause will be huge and may not be something you can fix without extreme measures.
Different things stress people out, we are not wired the same. For some organizations, this is why they give up on stress management. But do not let it deter you. Be aware of the most common stress-causing factors. It will help you to be more proactive in reducing stress and will also help you grow as a leader.
