Stress In The Workplace Doesn't Have To Be A Problem

Bad things can sometimes occur naturally.

Think of nasty, damp mold. In the loft of your house, where raging winds can rip between gaps in tiles and where rain can sometimes invade - mold can naturally grow there. No question about it - nobody would stand and do nothing about mold - it’s bad, right? You’d clean it up and try to prevent it.

That won’t stop it naturally occurring though. Bad things can occur and fester in natural circumstances.

Stress, depression and other issues can naturally occur at the workplace like mold in a cold and damp area. As a business owner it is up to you, and one of your key responsibilities, to ensure the workplace that you run is not a place where bad feelings can fester.

The American Institute of Stress acknowledges this:

‘Numerous studies show that job stress is far and away the major source of stress for American adults and that it has escalated progressively over the past few decades. Increased levels of job stress as assessed by the perception of having little control but lots of demands have been demonstrated to be associated with increased rates of heart attack, hypertension and other disorders. In New York, Los Angeles and other municipalities, the relationship between job stress and heart attacks is so well acknowledged, that any police officer who suffers a coronary event on or off the job is assumed to have a work related injury and is compensated accordingly (including heart attack sustained while fishing on vacation or gambling in Las Vegas).’

There’s plenty you can do to reduce stress in your workplace.

Firstly, sort it out! A messy and unorganized working environment is bad for your employees. It’s not only going to create headaches when people can’t find the items they are looking for - a dirty and grimy workplace can make your employees ill. Commercial cleaning options exist so that you can get your workplace regularly cleaned.

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Once the office is cleaned, let your staff bring their personalities through the front door. Their workspace needs to reflect them and become a home away from home - they are going to be spending a lot of time there. Allow your staff to be themselves at work and don’t try to restrict personalities. They aren’t there to shut off and become worker drones.

Keep an open communication policy with your employees - if they have issues with work or the working environment - they need to be able to come straight to you. If they can’t, it’s going to become a huge issue. Be the best manager you can be.

Stress can fester and grow in the workplace if you don’t resolve the issues that can cause it. It’s your responsibility as a business owner. Create the best working environment possible for your employees and they can succeed in their day-to-day work without any additional problems. They don’t want those now, do they!