4 ways to help employees lower their stress levels

Long-term stress in the team is something  every manager should be afraid of. High stress levels lead to mistakes being made, to more sick leaves, and often, also to burnout. If you sense that your employees have unhealthy stress levels, here are four things you can do as their manager.

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Learn what causes the stress

First of all, you must find out what the stressors are, and then, based on your findings, you must choose the right solution. As Entrepreneur.com states, there are multiple types of stressors – excessive workloads, an unhealthy company culture based on competition, the wrong  technological and digital tools, obsolete and useless processes, or personal problems. If stress is a long-term problem in your team, talk to them and find out what the core of the problem is.

Working towards a sustainable work routine

Based on the findings from the first step, you should now set up a plan to transform your workplace into a healthy environment. Establish processes and work routines so that it is sustainable in the long run. Of course, occasional fluctuations, crises and times of heightened stress can never be totally eliminated, but it should not be a daily occurrence.

Support informal meetings and take your employees' mental health seriously 

More than ever, now in the pandemic times, it's  necessary for employees to meet informally. Video calls and remote work mean that informal socialization is often neglected in many workplaces. Make some changes. Support informal meetings and for example, organize remote dinners, breakfasts and parties for your team. Set up your workplace so that people are not afraid to talk about their feelings and stress. Be interested in how employees are doing outside their work and work out a prevention system that identifies  overly stressed individuals before they burn out.

Talk to the HR department or other specialists

The topic of stress in the workplace is a serious one. Many managers simply do not have the theoretical and practical knowledge to solve the problem effectively. Do not hesitate to talk to external specialists who are able to help you with the problem, or talk to your HR department, who will definitely provide many incentives and new ideas.

 

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Article source Entrepreneur.com - website of a leading U.S. magazine for entrepreneurs
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