Work-related stress, depression and anxiety accounts for around 11.4 million reported lost working days per year in Britain and often plays a major part in an employee's decision to quit their job. But there are a number of steps employers can take to reduce stress among the workforce:
1) COMMUNICATION
Staff must be consulted and employers need to listen to what they are saying in order to tackle the root cause of stress. A questionnaire is often a quick way to achieve this.
2) ACCEPT THERE IS NO QUICK FIX
Stress is not tangible, unlike other aspects of health and safety. It is not as easy as putting a first aid box on the wall.
3) STRESS MANAGEMENT COURSES
Organisations like St John Ambulance hold regular stress awareness courses and are a good way of teaching staff how to identify the early signs of stress and how to avoid it.
4) A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY
Try not to be overambitious - short-term initiatives, such as a punchbag in the corner of the office or a time-out room, work well.
5) LEARN TO SPOT THE SIGNS
Common symptoms of stress include increased susceptibility to colds and infections, headaches, tiredness, back and neck ache, short temper, eating without being hungry, smoking excessively and lack of motivation.
6) BE FLEXIBLE
The introduction of flexible working hours can help alleviate stress, although this is not always possible.
7) ENCOURAGE PRAISE
Managers are often quick to reprimand staff for poor work, but slow to praise good work. The impact a few kind words makes can be surprising.
8) KNOW WHEN STAFF ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE
More people tend to take sick leave at busy times. If you have a good stress management scheme, this should include knowing when staff are more susceptible to stress. Taking steps to combat this will help keep absence levels low.
Courtesy of Caterer's sister title, Personnel Today