Perhaps your greatest responsibility as a manager is your employees’ performance. One element of that duty is to solve any issues that might impede their success. If you want your company to succeed, you need cooperation from your employees.
So, even as you challenge your employees intellectually and physically through their work, you should be vigilant against stress. An employee cannot function at an optimum for an extended period if he/she is perennially stressed. It is also the duty of the company management to see that the employee gets a proper work-life balance. He/she needs to spend time with his/her family, and the social circle as well.
Studies have shown that employees perform better in an environment where there is almost no intervention from the top on a daily basis, and where he/she is given a free hand to deal with problems. Of course, all employees require, and appreciates the guidance and assistance from the management, and also expects the management to provide them with adequate resources for solving problems.
Ways in Which You Can Reduce Employee Stress in Your Company
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Allow frequent breaks in between work: An employee-friendly organization encourages employees to take short breaks in between bursts of work. This allows your team to rejuvenate their mind and focus on the tasks at hand.
- Arrange yoga or dance sessions in the morning and a weekly interactive session where employees from different departments can meet: Many companies tried this, and the results were encouraging. Many companies also have a weekly slot where inspirational movies, TED videos or a game session is organized so that employees can catch up with each other and discuss work as well as other things.
- Communicate frequently: Don't just speak to your employees, you need to hear what is on their mind too. So be accessible to your employees. Inspire and motivate them constantly. Do not misuse your authority. Be accountable and be a team player. Your employees would love working for you.
- Reduce distractions: If time is your employees’ most valuable resource, then unnecessary distractions are their biggest enemy. According to Psychology Today, employees take as long as 25 minutes to recover from distractions. Use an iPad receptionist to avoid visitors ringing a doorbell. And skip the open office layout in favor of a choice that reduces noise distractions.
Conclusion
Employee stress negatively impacts their performance. While stress is natural, you can take steps to reduce it’s affect on your team. Use the tactics above, and generally acting in a manner that suggests your team should respect and trust you. The return on effort will be unbelievably high.