Here’s How Employers Can Reduce Workplace Stress

Job stress is a hazard that quietly chips away at the health and productivity of your employees. Chronic stress may lead to absenteeism, poor performance, conflict, mental health concerns, and high employee turnover. Clearly, it is bad for your business.

And it is a threat that is easy to miss.

Some amount of stress is part of daily life. It can be a positive influence when it motivates an individual to put in their best. For instance, the stress associated with a big project deadline or when planning a vacation. But excessive stress over a long period is damaging.

Workplace stress and mental health

A study completed by Statistics Canada found that among employed people, 7.5% of people had taken time off from their job due to stress or mental health reasons between April 2022-April 2023.

This study also found that just over 4.1 million (21.2%) of all employed people surveyed in April 2023 between age 15-69 indicated that they experience high or very high levels of work-related stress.

Severe stress raises the risk of mental health problems like depression and anxiety, besides causing sleep issues. It may also cause many physical problems, such as frequent headaches, muscle tension, high BP, cardiovascular disease, and a weak immune system.

According to a survey, 1 in 3 Canadians cited job-related stress as the main cause of their mental health problem.

But as an employer, how do you tell when an employee is struggling with chronic stress?

What are the signs to watch out for?

Some common signs of excessive work-related stress include emotional outbursts, low productivity, anger, irritability, social withdrawal, and restlessness.

However, not all symptoms (such as mental or physical ones) may be easily noticed by co-workers or managers. Such symptoms include changes in sleep patterns, weight loss or gain, forgetfulness, feelings of sadness, low energy, headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, etc.

This is why it is important that you educate your employees on the importance of mental health and the long-term effects of poorly managed stress.

What are some common causes of work-related stress?

The stressors may vary depending on the nature of the job, the company culture, and individual temperament. But some common reasons for job stress are:

• Job insecurity, especially during a crisis
• Excessive or unrealistic workload
• Struggle to maintain a work-life balance
• No clarity on employer expectations or no feedback on performance
• Poor workplace communication
• Unhealthy work environment (Lack of support from co-workers and managers, cliques at work, bullying, harassment, discrimination, favoritism, etc.)
• Unsafe working conditions (physical hazards, such as excessive noise, or ergonomic or chemical hazards)

What can employers do to reduce stress in the workplace?

It is important to figure out the source of the stress to be able to take appropriate corrective measures. Employers should strive to provide a healthy work environment where all employees are able to achieve a work-life balance.

To ensure proper workplace stress management we recommend that you:

• Conduct a stress risk assessment of your workplace
• Set clear job expectations and provide regular feedback
• Ensure project deadlines and workloads are realistic
• Make sure your employees have the training, resources, and support they need to do their job well
• Have policies in place on workplace bullying and harassment and conflict redressal
• Recognize the good work of your employees
• Provide learning opportunities to your staff through training sessions, workshops, etc.
• Train your managers to spot the signs of chronic stress
• Get staff feedback on work processes and decisions that may affect them
• If the nature of your work allows it, offer flexible or remote work options to those interested
• Offer an Employee Assistance Program to support the mental health and well-being of your staff.
• If severe stress is a major issue in your workplace, you could consider providing stress management training. But alongside you must also identify the source of the stress and take steps to eliminate or minimize it.

A stress-free workplace benefits your business by:

• Attracting talented candidates
• Reducing employee turnover and the costs associated with frequent hiring
• Boosting workplace morale and productivity

Do you need help updating your HR policies?

Our experts can help you develop company policies and with any HR or health and safety advice you may need. To learn more about how our services can benefit your business, call us today: 1 (833) 247-3652