How to reduce stress is something that the working class has to deal with virtually on a day-to-day basis; it is something that you as an entrepreneur must plan to manage not just for yourself, but for your employees too. Repeated exposure to stress-causing situations without re-mediating actions is simply put, bad. Stress is often exacerbated by how we think and respond to the different situations around us.
The anxiety that is often a result of stress can have not only emotional but also bodily health repercussions. That is why it is of paramount importance for an entrepreneur to deliberately address office stress proactively. When you are stressed, your concentration levels decline. Stress can cause habitual escapism, a deterioration of the relationship between employees and eventually lead to poor delivery in the work environment. However, it is not only job execution that will suffer; more importantly, not catching it early enough can have long term and costly health repercussions on the individual involved.
So how do you as an entrepreneur reduce stress in the work environment? First thing you need to address is employee working hours. Anyone working long hours is a prime stress candidate and that should be a red flag for you. Work towards making sure your employees have a healthy work life balance. Of course, in the real world, this is a tricky balance between managing expenses and employee welfare but always remember that there is no point pushing your staff hard only for them to eventually burn out.
Another way to reduce stress is clearly charting employee roles. This is related to the earlier point. When reporting lines for example are not clear and job descriptions are virtually nonexistent, it is very possible for employees to find themselves doing work from several bosses. This means no one supervisor has the ‘overall picture. This is especially compounded where the employee may feel too intimidated to speak out against taking on more than he or she can handle.
Assurance on organizational stability and job progression is another key element. A perception that the institution is not stable or lacks opportunities for growth can lead to disillusionment and therefore office stress. In addition, exemplary performance must be rewarded; and it does not have to be expensive. Even something as seemingly minor as a citation in front of other employees is a major booster of self-esteem and a source of the impetus required to drive the organization one notch higher.
People management, though a broad term encompassing many other areas, deserves special mention as a separate way to reduce stress. Unless the circumstances dictate otherwise, avoid reprimanding your staff publicly. The exception here would be instances where the member of staff is instances where the issue may be one they have been warned about many times before or where there is clear insubordination. Otherwise, honest mistakes would best be dealt with one on one unless other members of staff stand to learn one way or the other from that particular member of staff’s mistake. Steer clear of an emotional reaction and always display professionalism. That way, the employee will see your correction is in good faith.
You are Awesome!!!
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Keep Moving Forward!
-Dave
Crush Anxiety, Stress and Live Your Dream Life Audio Series
