New data shows how one in 14 UK adults feel stressed every single day. A big contributor to stress can be work. If you’re feeling stressed at work, it is important to assess how you work to identify any problems which may be causing you any grievances.
In situations such as work, stress occurs when we experience too much pressure without the appropriate time to recover. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines stress as “the adverse reaction a person has to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed upon them”.
This pressure builds up resulting in a feeling of stress, which 7 per cent of UK adults feel every day, according to research from Ciphr. With so many suffering from work-related stress, it is clear that we need to reassess the workplace to ensure that your working environment isn’t causing you stress. At Myles Wellbeing we have researched the main causes of stress in the workplace to help you identify any areas within your work life which may be causing you additional stress.
1. Workload
Workers who are not able to cope with the demands of their jobs can often feel stressed– in fact, 18 per cent of UK adults say that workload demands are a cause of stress for them. If your workload is too much, it is so important to have an open discussion with your manager to discuss setting realistic targets. A smaller workload will mean that you will not be overwhelmed, but rather more productive as you’re not worrying about how many tasks you have to complete.
2. No work-life balance
A lack of a work-life balance will result in stress as you’re not giving your body enough time to recover if you’re constantly working. To ensure you divorce home and work life, especially if you work from home, try to stick to office working hours and don’t check your emails on your days off.
If you read something that seems urgent, it is likely that you will stop resting and return to work, or you will spend too much time thinking about what you have to do when you’re back at work. Both will not help any stress levels!
Try to also focus on your life outside work. Find something that you’re passionate about or interested in, and develop a skill that you don’t use at work. Also try to connect with the people around you who aren’t work colleagues, as any separation from work can help you see the difference between your work life and private life.
3. Work culture
Research from Mind shows that one in five people felt they couldn’t tell their boss if they were overly stressed at work. From such data, it is clear that people still feel that they can’t talk to their boss about their mental wellbeing, including their stress levels. This is why it is so important to create an open work environment in which employees feel comfortable to talk. A bad work culture can thus cause an added stress to your employee if they feel as though they can’t openly talk about any problems they are personally dealing with.
Having a conversation with your employees about mental health is where this open culture begins, but it’s important to remember that culture change doesn’t happen instantly; rather, the individual relationships built between employee and employer are key for this cultural change. If employees feel supported they will be open to talk about any problems and then together you can come up with a plan of action. It is therefore crucial that you make it clear to employees the support systems you have in place and how to access them.
4. Lack of support
A supportive work team and employer is crucial for stress levels. If workers don’t receive enough information and support they will feel more stressed at work as they lack proper guidance. Here are a few ideas on ways to support your team:
- Regular team meet-ups outside of the office. Particularly if you are a remote company, it is so important to organise an in-person activity to have some fun and see your colleagues outside of the office.
- Change of workspace– e.g offer a different working environment which will suit all workers including quieter, more or less busy work areas, and dividing screens
- Training and support within the workplace for an employee who wants to progress e.g a mentorship scheme
- Reallocation of some tasks or changes to people’s job description and duties. Find your employee’s strong suits and play to their strengths!
5. Poor management
Data from TeamStage shows how managers are responsible for 70 per cent of deviations in team engagement, so it’s clear that good management is key for a good team performance. A strong team effort is only possible, however, if all the team are comfortable and not overly stressed at work.
To alleviate stress, employers should take an active role in what their employees are doing. For example, giving employees praise on what was done well and providing tips on how they could have done better, to get the desired outcome, is so important. Employees will feel listened to and valued which is crucial for a worker to feel comfortable enough to bring up any issues, such as stress, with their boss.
6. Poor communication
Managers should also have regular catch-ups to help with stress staff levels. In such chats, bosses can really connect with their colleagues and talk through how they’re getting on. You will be able to assess areas of opportunity for improvement and actively assist workers on reaching their goals, which can help to alleviate employee stress levels.
If you find that employees are struggling with their mental health as a result of stress, there are many free resources and tools for your workplace to help. For example, the charity Mind offers a free guide to their Wellness Action Plans to help start a conversation with your workers about their mental health.