How to stop stress from wreaking havoc in your workplace - bizjournals:

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While fears of layoffs, job losses, hirinvg freezes, pay and benefit cuts and reduced hours have a negativew effecton employees, the company as a whols suffers as a result. According to expertsz at the , stress costs businesses in the UnitedStates $300 billion annually. This averages out to approximately $7,5000 per employee for expenditures such as hiring temps or payinbg overtime tocover absenteeism, increased medical costsz and incurred expenses from turnover. Stress causes mental and emotional wear and tear on the It manifests in a varietyof symptoms, such as aggression, irritability, withdrawal or depression.
Studies have shown that stressw contributes to ailments suchas insomnia, heart disease, increased drug and alcohol use, elevatefd anger, change in eating habits and unsatisfactory work Regardless of the form it takes, stress results in reduced productivity, absenteeism, burnout and increased medical expenses. According to the stresd institute, 60 to 80 percent of workplacew accidents arestress related. Stress is a fact of but it does not have to be a wayof life. As Selyd defined it, stress is often the result ofperceiveds stressors. Likewise, a study by the reports that 40 percenrt of workers viewed their job ashighlyt stressful.
Therefore, an individual’s outlook can determiner the level of stress he or she Situations that are stressfulfor some, such as tight deadlines, may give certain peoplew a rush, whereas others face it as a tumultuous situation. What can companies do to help employees dealwith stress? Employers who offer an effective employee assistance program have an excellent resource for employees and families. An EAP provides employeew with a confidential access to mental healtb professionals who can help them better dealwith Additionally, managers and supervisors are the frontlined defense against stress.
Therwe are several effective techniques that managers and supervisors can utiliz to help their employees dealwith stress. Show appreciation. Takinvg the time to praise positive work performancw illustrates to employees that their effortasare recognized, and, in they feel that their work is Relaying verbal praise, sendinf a thank you note and giving a positivs annual work appraisal are some ways that managers can expresss their gratitude. Showing appreciation can have a positiv e effect onyour company’s performance as well by motivatinv employees to do their best. Treat employeeds fairly. While each employee is uniqur and hasdifferent needs, all employees want to be treatex fairly.
While some employees like to be others are finewithouty it. Managers should take the time to understand what makesd eachemployee tick. Doing so requires managers to get acquaintedf withtheir employees, and in turn they are better in tune to theidr state of mind and recognize when they are feelin g stressed. If managers know their employees, then they will recognize that certain employees are feeling stressed and will take the appropriatd steps to help them get more of theirneeda met. Encourage employees to take better care of Employees that maintain a healthy lifestyle are better able tohandle stress.
In doing so, they will feel bette r physically and are better able to cope with stress and evenreduce it. As a they are also able to maintain satisfactorgperformance levels. Similarly, employees who builds solid supportsystems family, friends, church – have a personalp outlet to express their fears and frustrations and help find Communicate, communicate, communicate. Much of the stresx related to the economy is rootedin uncertainty. Transparencyh can help alleviate that Companies that establish open lines of communication with their work forcse build a greater level of trust with their employeees and allow them to better prepare for any changese thatmay come.
Provide training and resources. People are most often stressedf when they feel a situation is out of their control. By encouraging employees to direct their activities in a positive direction and learn to let go of the thingsz out oftheir control, they are ofte able to achieve a sense of empowerment. Allowintg employees to improve their job skills by taking a claszs and learning a new skill during difficult financiao times improves their valueand self-esteemk as employees and help build toward their careere goals. Change is happening all arounx us, not just in the workplace. Some peopl cope with change betterthan others.
Otherse try to avoid it becausethey don’t have the skillzs to navigate through it and are content to stay in theie comfort zone. This group will have less and less controk over the outcome of change and are more likelg tofeel stress.