As an employer, it can be hard to identify whether you have an actual issue with workplace stress in your contemporary office, or whether everything is regularly “normal”.
A little stress is actually helpful and in most cases, there will always be a small amount in existence. However, large amounts of stress, or prolonged periods of stress, can be extremely damaging for the employee and for business in general.
Employers need to understand the signs of stress and then work towards helping employees to manage stress whilst sitting at their office desks or collaborating around the modern boardroom tables. Too much stress is dangerous, and it’s also important for employees to recognise the signs. Check out this infographic which gives you that particular information.
Source - https://www.positivehealthwellness.com/infographics/11-signs-symptoms-much-stress-infographic/
As a manager, it’s important to know what to look for, so to help you out, let’s examine 8 signs of workplace stress, so you can be on the lookout for them.
Sign 1 - Low Morale
If your office is suffering from low morale, you’ll know about it. Employees seem down, lacking in energy, they don’t come up with many ideas during brainstorming sessions, and the time they spend at their office chairs seems to drain them. This is one of the signs of stress being prevalent in your office.
Sign 2 - Increase in Mistakes
An increase in mistakes can be a sign of employees feeling under pressure and stressed. Ensure that workloads are fair and reasonable across the board and that you're not expecting your employees to hit unrealistic deadlines.
Sign 3 - A Generally Low Feel to The Office
Again, you’ll notice this with morale but if your office just feels down when you walk into it, it’s a sign of a problem. This problem could certainly be stress because even though stress makes you feel frenetic and under pressure, it also makes you feel down and anxious too.
.jpg)
Sign 4 - Uncharacteristic Outbursts
You will know your employees better than anyone, so are they starting to act a little out of character? Are they doing and saying things which just aren’t in keeping with their personality? This could be a sign of stress, as well as having outbursts which they would never have before. It’s a good idea to give your employees somewhere to go if they need a quick time out, such as a space with breakout furniture or office booths.
Sign 5 - An Increase in Office Conflict
Whilst conflict is part of an office environment occasionally, if you’re noticing more in the way of conflict between employees, that could be because they’re feeling under pressure. This can cause employees to clash when they would normally get along well.
Sign 6 - Increased Sickness Absence
Stress is one of the most common reasons for employees going off sick. If this is happening more and more in your office, that’s a definite sign that something needs to change. Again, assess workloads and deadlines, and put into place a stress management package for your employees to take advantage of.
Sign 7 - It’s More Difficult to Retain Existing Staff
Are your staff leaving quite regularly? Whilst stress might not be the only reason, it could be a contributing factor. This will mean you need to spend more money on recruitment, which is time-consuming too, and you will probably struggle to attract new talent if word gets out that your office is a stressful place to be.
Sign 8 - Lower Productivity And Reduced Profits
A very worrying sign is productivity dips and lower profits as a result. This can certainly be as a result of lower morale, increased mistakes, and stress overall. Businesses rely upon profits, so if you’re noticing this particular issue, it’s time to take action.
By understanding the potential signs of a stressful office, you can work to reduce its effects with effective stress management techniques.