A 3-Step Approach to Managing a Stressful Workplace

Taking the time to understand the causes of workplace stress is key.

Source: Pexels/Antoni Shkraba

Often, leaders and managers resign themselves to operating in a stressful workplace. They become convinced that stress is entirely unavoidable in their particular industry, role, work environment, or for those with their particular tasks and responsibilities.

But you don’t have to resign yourself to leading or managing a stressful environment. Instead, take a systematic approach.

1. Assess Your Work Group or Organization

The method of assessment will depend on the gravity of the issues facing your group or organization, the size of the group, and available resources. You might consider a formal assessment by a professional team, either internal or external to your organization. Or, you may opt for a more informal assessment process, such as organized discussion groups, to really get a handle on the situation.

Whatever method of investigation you use, if you suspect that stress is a problem in your group or organization, you should clarify the nature of the problem and prepare to take steps to address it.

Some questions you may use in a formal or informal assessment are:

• Does your team or organization exhibit any of the following symptoms of an unhealthy degree of stress?
  • Absenteeism
  • Errors of judgment or action
  • Conflict and interpersonal problems
  • Customer-service problems
  • Resistance to management initiatives and/or instructions
  • Resistance to change
  • Missed deadlines
  • Diminished productivity and/or quality
• Are there certain individuals, relationships, tasks, projects, or other conditions which contribute to the stress?
• Are some people in your workplace under more stress than others?
• Do people in your workplace complain they have no control over their work?
• Do some people complain of exhaustion or burnout?
• Do some people refuse to communicate or work with other individuals, teams, departments, vendors, or customers?

2. Consider Organizational Best Practices for Stress Management

The most direct action a manager can take to reduce unhealthy stress is to identify and remove unnecessary stressors from the workplace. These can range from time schedules to physical conditions to interpersonal relationships.

In general, good management practices will likely reduce unhealthy stress, such as improving employee autonomy, training, working conditions, schedules, career development, support systems, communication, working relationships, and reward opportunities. However, it is not enough to say that a well-run organization with good managers is unlikely to have pervasive problems with stress. Therefore, it is important to consider the following stress-management best practices.

• Promote employee decision-making. Most individuals want to have input on matters that affect them, whether the effect is direct or indirect. They are far less likely to experience unhealthy stress when they have a reasonable degree of control over their work schedules, workspace, tasks, responsibilities, learning opportunities, relationships, and compensation. The more control someone has over these factors, the more apt that person is to perform demanding work without experiencing unhealthy stress.
• Require leaders and managers to model appropriate behavior. Stress tends to move downward through hierarchies. Since employees scrutinize their leaders’ behavior for signs of appropriate conduct, leaders should model stress management. Their behavior should allow the appropriate expression of stress and not permit it to spiral out of control. Their authority gives them the responsibility to provide support, coaching, and empowerment.
• Do not select or promote people who fail to manage their stress. When selecting individuals for open positions or promotions, be sure to evaluate their skills and track record on stress management. Often, organizations hire and promote people on the sole basis of financial or technical performance. Although such performance is certainly valuable, the value is outweighed by the damage inflicted on individuals, teams, and organizations when these people—especially those in positions of authority—express their stress aggressively and repeatedly. Selection criteria and all performance evaluations should give considerable weight to individual stress management, interpersonal skills, and the ability to build morale.
• Provide resources for stress management. It is important to build general awareness of job stress, to secure management involvement and support, and to secure employee involvement. Provide individuals with self-study materials and training programs that will teach them how to manage their own stress. In addition, provide managers with training in stress management, conflict resolution, negotiation, and coaching.
• Form a committee to maintain focus on the issue. Some leaders and managers may want to consider the formation of an occupational stress committee to maintain focus on the issue in their workplace. Such a committee may be charged with tasks such as: monitoring symptoms of unhealthy stress, identifying unnecessary stressors and ways to reduce them, providing support services to alleviate the effects of stress, and sponsoring stress management training. Make sure this committee is representative of the employee population, includes managers, and has a clear charge of responsibility and authority.

3. Provide Support Services to Alleviate the Negative Effects of Stress

This is a simple but important step for reducing stress and its effects. There are many different types of services, which are more or less appropriate depending on the situation at hand. These may include fitness programs, family care, and even concierge services such as personal shopping or dry-cleaning.