Managing workplace stress is a key responsibility for HR and Wellbeing leads. While the pressures of maintaining or increasing productivity, potentially with reducing resources, are ever-present, it’s crucial to recognise that employee wellbeing is not at odds with productivity; in fact, a well-supported workforce is often more efficient, engaged, and resilient.

With 17.1 million days being lost to work-related stress in 2023, and strong links to poor mental health and organisational outcomes, workplace stress is an area that should be a top priority. Despite this only 40% of 726 organisations surveyed by CIPD in their Health & Wellbeing Report were taking steps to identify the causes of stress. To address this the Health & Safety Executive have commissioned Project OSCAR, which will provide an updated evidence base for guidance to be pinned on.

In the meantime, here are 5 tips that may be beneficial.

5 Ways To Reduce Workplace Stress

1. Encourage Open Dialogue: Improving communication at all levels and having regular one-to-one check ins can create space for concerns and challenges to be expressed. These check ins could consider balancing workload or clarifying expectations. Pulse surveys, interviews and focus groups can also help gauge how employees are feeling more widely. Addressing any challenges or concerns raised will also help to build trust within your organisation.
2. Offer Flexible Working Solutions: There has been lots of flex with how people do their work. Giving your team agency in how they do their work, whether through remote working, flexitime or compressed hours, may increase productivity AND job satisfaction.
3. Develop Team Cohesion: Workplace stress may be exacerbated when individuals feel isolated or unsupported. Promoting team cohesion and peer support may relieve this burden and reduce overwhelm. By building a supportive team culture, stress management can be a collective responsibility rather than a top-down directive.
4. Train Leaders & Managers: Leaders & managers have a key role in preventing workplace stress. They are often the first to notice signs of stress in their teams, yet they may lack the skills or confidence to facilitate difficult conversations to effectively address it. Training managers in stress recognition and management is vital. Leaders and Managers often have genuine care for their teams’ wellbeing, and making sure they have the knowledge and skill to provide support is essential.
5. Provide tangible stress-reduction support: Managing workplace stress isn’t just an issue within an individual, however it is important to ensure that employees have access to support and tools to manage stress, should it arise. A health coach is a great starting place, as they will be able to explore what is going on and provide some practical tips to reduce stress in the moment.

It’s totally understandable that those charged with health and wellbeing within an organisation may feel a tension between a drive for productivity and the need to safeguard employee wellbeing. Hopefully these tips will help you support your team. Start small, measure the outcomes, and be prepared to evolve your approach, based on your own organisational context and any new guidelines that are shared over the coming months.

Reference: ChatGPT (2024)