Stress is a problem in many people’s lives, including those who suffer from workplace stress. Defining stress is not straightforward, however. The use of the term ‘stress’ extends to conditions ranging from even the mildest challenging stimulation to severely aversive conditions.
The last few years have seen a rise in stress factors, not least due to the pandemic and changes to the world of work. Looking into some of these changes for Digital Journal is Chelsea Coates, Head of People at GWI.
Coates states: “Whether it’s political turbulence or changes brought on by the pandemic, in recent years everyone has had a lot to deal with. And now with the cost-of-living crisis acting as an extra stressor, it’s critical that mental health support is prioritised in the workplace.
This means real, action-based support.”
There is a big focus on employers and the actions they take to address stress. Coates recommends: “For companies today, superficial strategies aren’t enough. An important element to any mental health programme is training, both for leaders and managers – recent data from GWI found that 34 percent of employees want to see this type of training across the business.”
Coates adds that training and development are essential for developing the ‘health at work’ toolkit: “A manager that’s had this training is much more likely to spot when a person is struggling with their mental health and put plans in place to best support them. The right level of understanding and training around mental health is no longer a nice-to-have but necessary.”
Coates extolls the benefits of such approaches as: “We also found that 51 percent of people want employers to provide mental wellbeing leave or days off. As the line between our work and personal lives blurred during COVID-19, giving employees this headspace can help to safeguard their mental health and create a positive, productive working environment”.
Also looking into the topic of workplace stress is Alyene Schneidewind, Chief Performance Officer at LogicMonitor.
Schneidewind says a key aim should be to “Help people recognise, manage, and reduce stress in their personal and professional lives. While there have been significant strides in the last few years, we’re still not there, and protecting the wellbeing of staff is an ongoing process of learning and improvement.”
This is something that people need help with and here the employer needs to play an important part: “It is crucial that companies recognise the stressors of the last year. We’ve come out of a global pandemic and into a cost-of-living crisis in the UK, while also facing a looming, global recession. Now, and always, we need team leaders to not shy away from the tough conversations around the myriad of external factors that impact staff at work and can upset work-life balance. Leaders must serve as valuable guides and coaches, who lead by example in promoting self-care and create safe and supportive environments that provide a sense of belonging.”
Schneidewind sets out some recommendations: “One of our key areas of focus for employee wellbeing is around flexibility, which came to the forefront during the pandemic and is a priority that is here to stay. In order to support flexibility and our remote staff, we are helping teams define new operating rhythms that enable them to collaborate synchronously, while allowing them to unlock their high performance potential asynchronously. We believe this will play a critical part in reducing stress, preventing team burnout and will go a long way in empowering people to bring their best selves to work.”
Looking at local practices, Schneidewind finds: “We aim to offer a holistic approach to employee wellbeing, that includes access to meditation sessions, fitness reimbursement, and global fitness challenges. But after years of being deprived of human connection, our approach has also focused on ensuring our staff feel connected. These efforts have ranged from creating connections through purpose – doing a trash clean up together in kayaks – to creating connections through humor – doing a “Yes, And…” improv exercise together over Zoom.”
Schneidewind’s closing recommendation and observation is: “As the modern workplace evolves, what will never change is our culture of belonging and connection. We will always care about each other’s success and win as a team, wherever we are in the world”.
