Calm Down: 5 Steps for Leaders To Reduce Employee Work Stress
How can women leaders deal with the issue of workplace stress among their employees?
Nearly every employee today is experiencing work stress, perhaps in varying degrees and in different forms. This is especially true given the current global health crisis brought on by COVID-19 and the resultant changes in today's workforce.
Even prior to COVID, a 2018 Fidelity Investments survey found that in America, the workplace has been deemed the top stress factor among employees. In the U.S. workplace stress is responsible for losses of up to $300 billion.
“Even prior to #COVID, a 2018 @Fidelity survey found that in America, the workplace has been deemed the top #stress factor among employees. ”
It is not uncommon to hear employees complain about the toxic nature of their workplace, abysmal company cultures, unrealistic work expectations, little free time, inaccessible leaders, and more. And this problem does not go away just because most non-essential workers now have to work remotely.
In these tense times, women will play a significant role in helping employees buck the stress trend and perform their duties without the risk of burnout. But this is going to be an especially difficult task for women leaders.
Why? By default, the corporate world hasn't been very receptive to female leadership—at least not as much as it should be.
According to the World Economic Forum, only one out of every four global leaders is female. Women leaders often have to put much more effort than their male contemporaries to achieve the same level of recognition, respect, and inclusion.
“#Womenleaders often have to put much more effort than their male contemporaries to achieve the same level of recognition, respect, and inclusion. #womeninbusiness”
The onus is on women leaders to step up in the business world and find effective ways to minimize work and pandemic-related anxiety and stress. Here are a few ways to do that.
1. Hire passionate employees. Most of the time, everyone is trainable. A book lover can learn to cook, and a budding chef can become a freelance writer. The question here is: do they have a passion for these careers? Beyond skills, leaders can hire from the place of passion. It is easier to manage a team of people who are passionate about the company and their job descriptions. Passion reduces the chances of workplace stress because the employees are self-motivated and enthusiastic about their jobs.
“Beyond skills, #leaders can hire from the place of passion. It is easier to manage a team of people who are passionate about the company and their job descriptions. #hiringadvice”
Even when stress threatens—just as with the current global health crisis and the enforced remote working situation—a passionate team would be easier to manage than people who see their job as burdens.
2. Appreciate their efforts and invest in their growth. Sometimes genuinely appreciating your employees is all it takes to keep them happy and loyal. Demonstrate that you appreciate all the time and effort they put into helping you build your company. Put it on full display. Remind them often. Reward them publicly.
“Appreciate their efforts and invest in their growth. Sometimes genuinely appreciating your employees is all it takes to keep them happy and loyal. #employeewellness”
Since millions of employees are currently working remotely, you will require a bit of innovation to achieve this. Consider sending out a team-wide email, thanking everyone (do this privately too) for their specific contributions to the company's growth. You can also do the same whenever you're meeting with your team members on Zoom or other video conferencing platforms.
A business with employees who like and respect their boss, each other, and are happy with their work, is good for your company culture and bottom line. Besides putting in the work, ensure your employees can see and measure their growth in the time they've been with your company. Identify the ways that you can improve their work and interpersonal skills. Organize seminars and workshops. Team up with relevant institutions and enroll your employees for executive degrees. With the current health crisis, many of these institutions and programs have taken their learning online, which is perfect for remote workers.
“A business with employees who like and respect their boss, each other, and are happy with their work, is good for your #companyculture and #bottomline.”
3. Adopt a flexible work schedule. According to Medical News Today, there is a clear link between long hours of mentally taxing work and diabetes in women. According to a publication in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, women who worked at least a 55-hour week exhibited much more depressive symptoms than women who worked standard hours.
“Adopt a flexible work schedule. According to a publication in @JECH_BMJ, women who worked at least a 55-hour week exhibited much more depressive symptoms than women who worked standard hours. #employeewellness”
But, of course, the risk of depression due to stress and anxiety is not gender-specific. With male and female employees alike, multiple responsibilities emphasize the need for flexible working conditions. Your employees have a life beyond the office (even though most are likely working from home at the moment). Adopt a work scheduling system that allows them to attend to that part of their lives.
This scheduling flexibility will depend on your business objectives and the employees' unique job and personal situations. Try to ensure that their work schedule allows them time to attend to their non-work responsibilities. It could mean assigning flexible working hours on an individual basis. An employee whose schedule allows him time for work, family, play, and rest is less likely to experience stress or burn out.
4. Incorporate breaks, holidays, and workplace wellness programs. Sitting for hours on end does a lot of things to your posture and health, none of them good. This fact makes it imperative to encourage mobility during work hours.
Maggie Hanna, head of the QA Department at the paper writing service review company where I work, Online Writers Rating, advocates the use of the "Sit 60, Move 3" principle. Something every female leader and manager should be implementing with their employees.
Encourage your employees to move around for a few minutes after every hour of work. It helps them to stretch and get the blood circulating again. They should take the stairs more often than the elevator; go for a stroll in the neighborhood; do some stretching exercises; keep their phones a few feet away so that they always have to get up to answer a call or reply to a text—anything to get them moving around.
“Incorporate breaks, holidays, and #workplace #wellness programs. Encourage your employees to move around for a few minutes after every hour of work. ”
Sometimes, it could just mean giving them longer breaks or a higher number of breaks. Allow them time to unwind and refuel, nap, spend some time with their kids, and more. Intermittent disengagement from work also ultimately helps productivity.
Introduce employee wellness programs that encourage exercise and prioritize physical and mental health. They can follow this while working remotely. Ultimately, encourage them to use their vacation times—after the pandemic is over, of course. Give them paid leaves if you can afford it. Working overtime isn't always a good thing.
5. Lead by example. It's interesting how much exemplary and effective leadership is seemingly lacking in today's business world. According to Level Up Leadership, 71 percent of companies don't feel their leaders have what it takes to move them into the future. Only 19 percent of business employers believe that they have a handle on developing effective leaders. And 84 percent of business employers think there's an impending leadership deficit in the next half-decade.
“Lead by example. It’s interesting how much exemplary and effective #leadership is seemingly lacking in today’s #business world.”
The most effective leaders are those who don't just tell but show, according to the Corporate Finance Institute. Employees will be more willing to take the plunge if they see their boss rolling up her sleeves and making the first dive as an exemplary leader.
“The most effective leaders are those who don’t just tell but show, according to the @CFI_education. #leadership #management #womenleaders”
A stress-free boss and a stress-free team create a recipe for success.
Nancy Williams is a writing specialist for Best Writers Online, a service for writers and is an editor at the review service, Online Writers Rating.