How to Reduce Stress in the Workplace

Author
aleksandra
Read time
3 minutes
Published
November 1, 2019

When you have an administrative task at hand, by checking analytics and numbers all the time, you can see what’s working and whatnot, and make sure you make the changes necessary in order to make progress. However, when it comes to managing people, things become a little more complicated. There are a lot of things you need to keep track of, and so many things to be mindful of when it comes to people management. There isn’t a magic number that you can keep track of every day, and notice right away if something is not going the way you planned.

That’s why it takes a lot of experience, patience, and skill to be a great manager, make sure you notice problems straight away and take action. If this isn’t done right, you’ll have a team of stressed-out employees who might experience burnout and eventually leave the company. In order to avoid this, as a manager, you have to be on top of your game at all times, and make sure you’re keeping track of everyone.

Do not micromanage people

When we say you need to keep track of your employees, it doesn’t mean you need to micromanage people. It’s actually the complete opposite. Managing people means looking at the big picture, and making sure everyone’s stress-free and up to the tasks, but it does not mean standing over their heads every single day asking them how they’re doing, and constantly checking their progress. This can backfire very quickly.

You need to trust your employees, and more importantly, you need to prove to them that you trust them and that you know they are up to the tasks you’ve assigned them.

If you are micromanaging your employees, they will without a doubt become stressed, and they won’t feel comfortable in their workplace. This will result in burnout, which is something no manager (or employee) wants. In order to avoid stress in the workplace, give your employees space, and the freedom to speak up when they want to. This leads us to the second piece of advice for a stress-free work environment.

Give feedback

Everyone likes to be told when they’re doing something right, or when there is something that needs to be changed. Create feedback processes in your company, and make sure your employees know they can speak freely.

Feedback isn’t a one-way thing. You need to give feedback to your employees, but they should also have the liberty to do the same. If there’s something they like or dislike in the company, they should have the opportunity to say so. Make sure they know that your doors are always open, that their concerns are heard and that the workplace is a safe environment where everyone’s opinion matters.

Whether you have monthly, or quarterly feedback, it will make a huge difference in your company, and it will ensure that your employees are stress-free and productive.

Encourage time off

Many employers don’t encourage their employees to take some time off work, and they even offer bonuses to those who simply never take some time off. Even though they do not understand this, they are making a huge mistake. Offer bonuses for a job well done or for special occasions, but do not offer this as an incentive for not taking any time off. When there is a deadline, and you need to finish a project as quickly as possible, it’s okay to ask your employees to refrain from taking some time off during that period. However, after that, you can reward them with a few extra days off and encourage them to take it. Why?

Because taking some time off helps employees (and managers, yes, you’re included in this too) to recharge, and come back to work with a clear head, ready to take on any new challenges. If an employee never takes time off, they will eventually become stressed out and overwhelmed which will lead to burnout.

The most important task you have as a manager is to create a stress-free environment, where everyone feels safe to speak their mind and where people aren’t afraid to give feedback when something isn’t working right. Stress in the workplace is a serious topic, and it should never be pushed aside. Learn from your employees, listen to them, and only then can you create a healthy workplace environment where stress is out of the picture.