A guest columnist from the Association for Consulting Expertise advises a reader on what has become an all-too-common business challenge.
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Q: With the uncertainty of business and the world, the level of stress is high at our company. What can I do to help employees reduce their stress and have more success at work?
ACE advises: Stress is a part of life. Workplace stress is different from stress that motivates you to learn or solve problems. This is good stress. Too much workplace stress is a symptom of a larger problem. This bad stress leads to negative physical and emotional responses. Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace 2023” report states stress reached an all-time high in the U.S. and Canada with 52% of employees experiencing daily stress.
Here is list of questions for employees, designed to identify sources of workplace stress.
1. Workplace demands: Is my job well-designed for what I’m expected to do?
2. Effort and reward balance: Are the effort and reward I receive in balance?
3. Control: Do I have autonomy?
4. Organizational change: Is organizational change causing stress?
5. Management issues: Is my manager equipped to handle the increasing scale of the work?
6. Social support: Am I receiving support from others around me?
7. Job security: Do I feel secure about my job?
Here's how employers can reduce employee stress.
1. Have regular, meaningful conversations: Have a once-a-week conversation around prioritizing task and outside-of-work challenges causing distraction. Co-develop strategies to help them.
2. Make the most of the days on-site: Use the time to connect, collaborate and do more creative work together.
3. Act how you want others to act: Managers and leaders must show how they are effectively managing their stress.
When leadership is involved with employees’ well-being, it sends a clear message that people are a priority, leading to increased engagement and a more positive work culture.
Francis Eberle, an ACE board member, is a leadership and organizational advisor at Price Associates. To learn more about workplace stress or administer a stress assessment in your company, contact him at francis@price-associates.com.