5 Ways to Manage Workplace Stress and Job Demands
No matter what your workplace might be – whether it’s a remote home office, in a field alone, or patrolling a dark building at night – we all experience some kind of workplace stress for a range of reasons that vary from person to person. Employers must do everything in their power to help their team members deal with stressful situations so that they can perform their jobs well and if possible, stress-free, knowing that should an emergency happen, they can get help right away.
The health and safety of your team should be your top priority and a major component of that is the workplace stress and possible anxiety they’re experiencing. As you’ll read further, the sources of stress can be many and can come from the work environment as well as from employees’ concerns about issues such as job demands, and health and safety.
Work-related stress and stressful situations
Everyone, regardless of the position and industry, deals with job demands and experiences work-related stress in their own, usually personal way. The range of stressful situations varies from position to position and employee to employee. To get an accurate picture of what safety hazards and stresses the employee is facing, hazard assessments must be conducted regularly to determine any safety risks that could be causing workplace stress and other issues. A hazard assessment provides the employer with an exhaustive list of safety hazards (short term and long term) their team members are facing at the moment, identifying any harmful physical and emotional hazards that will impact the worker’s well-being as well as productivity. Unless they’re addressed and mitigated immediately, high levels of workplace safety hazards can equate to high levels of anxiety and work-related stress.
There are many ways to manage stress in the workplace, ranging from quick exercises to more intensive interventions involving many employees. In this list, we’ll look at some of the simplest ways that you can manage your stress.
Mental health issues and mental illness
1 in 8 Canadians will experience major depression.
In the United Statesthe “anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.”
Sometimes stressful work situations can cause increased levels of anxiety or exacerbate any existing mental illness that the worker is dealing with. According to experts, many of us will battle mental health such as depression and anxiety, in some sort of capacity at some point during our lives. The Canadian Mental Health Association estimates that 1 in 8 Canadians will experience major depression eventually. In the United States, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America says that “anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.”
The manager needs to not only look at and assess any potential safety hazards and safety risks, but also at the individual needs of the employee, how to lower levels of anxiety, and how these safety hazards impact them professionally and personally.
Look at your work environments
When looking at ways to mitigate workplace stress, the employer must look at both the individual and their mental health challenges, as well as the work environments where they perform their jobs. Yes, some work environments – like a construction site – have more severe workplace safety hazards than others, however, work environments like a seemingly safe home office have unseen biological safety hazards that need to be addressed for the physical and mental safety of the employee.
When assessing the work environment, make sure you of course identify the current safety hazards but also the long-term safety hazards and try to anticipate any dangers that may emerge down the road. In order to properly improve the safety of the workers and employees, no matter where they are, employers must address both short-term and long-term safety hazards and issues.
Sources of stress
Again, the stress on the job can include the objective safety hazards identified on the hazard assessment, safety hazards that affect everyone in the work environment. And again, sources of stress can be internal, coming from how the employee is faring emotionally and psychologically. However, there are sources of workplace stress that are often overlooked as potential safety hazards such as:
Unrealistic job demands/workload
Outdated equipment/tools
Disinterest with work/tasks
Work schedule
Lack of work-life balance
Weather and climate
Bullying/harassment (from coworkers and public)
Lack of training/education
Noise hazards
Tight deadlines
Isolation from other coworkers
Limited communication with coworkers and management
How to improve stress management
There are many ways to improve stress management in the workplace, ranging from quick exercises to more intensive interventions involving many employees. When introducing these stress management strategies, make sure that both the physical and emotional responses of the workers are considered and documented so that adjustments can be made along the way – you may need to try different strategies to see what works best with the team.
In this list, we’ll look at some of the simplest ways that you can manage your stress:
#5 Deep breathing
As the name suggests, slowing your breathing and taking deep breaths from the abdomen is a technique often used to combat stress. There are many breathing techniques available, but the most common involves filling your lungs as you inhale through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Deep breathing also pairs well with meditation and relaxation techniques.
#4 Meditation
During meditation, you focus on a single object or idea and clear all other thoughts from your mind. Meditation can mend your emotional well-being after a particularly difficult day in the workplace and leave you feeling energized.
#3 Relaxation
Often paired with deep breathing and meditation, relaxation techniques can help to increase your physical well-being by removing muscle tension. One of the most common techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, involves tensing a muscle group for a short count before releasing. There are many guides to progressive muscle relaxation available online for free covering a variety of muscle groups.
#2 Exercise
Exercise can be a great way to relieve stress. Exercise makes you feel good by releasing endorphins into your body and just like the techniques above is a great way to focus your thoughts and release tension built up during the day.
#1 Journaling
Evidence suggests that journaling can have a positive impact on your well-being. By writing about your stressors, you can get in touch with your emotions and release tension that otherwise negatively affects your health. This doesn't need to be daunting. As little as 15 or 20 minutes of journaling a day can be beneficial. Stress that builds during the workday not only affects your happiness but your entire well-being. Next time you’re feeling stressed, be proactive and try one of these techniques because your body and mind will thank you for years to come.
As you reflect on the strategies to manage workplace stress, remember that implementing a holistic approach towards employee well-being is crucial. Our Lone Worker Safety Solution App offers tools to support your team's mental and physical health. Explore our pricing plans to find the best fit for your organization. Additionally, understanding Workplace Hazards can further enhance your efforts to create a safer, less stressful environment for your employees.