Onebright’s Head of Adult Psychological Therapies Dr Glenn Mason
Stress Awareness Month is April, and the theme this year is to approach people with kindness and compassion, no matter what they are facing.
It is especially important this year to help employees deal with stressors in their lives. From financial worries caused by the ongoing cost-of-living-crisis, to problems arising within families and in their children, such as ADHD or Autism, no two employees are the same, and neither are they under the same levels of stress.
It’s not just anecdotal evidence, either. Internal data from Onebright shows, between 2023-2024, the overall diagnoses relating to stress and issues it can exacerbate have more than doubled as a percentage of all diagnoses. This shows that employees are not only more stressed but that their stress is affecting their work in a way that requires support or therapy.
Poor mental health is responsible for 18 million lost days of work in the UK every year. Businesses incur costs for these absences as they would for any other illness. They may have to pay for overtime to other employees to cover for the workers who are absent, or even hire temporary staff. The frequent absence of highly skilled employees can also disrupt the workflow and timelines for projects, which will further affect the bottom line. This has a knock-on effect on the rest the team, increasing stress and possibly worsening issues already present.
Understanding that high levels of anxiety are not only a part of the “fast-paced workplace” or a part of normal business, but can also be unhealthy and counterproductive is a part of how to address this problem.
By providing employees with a variety of resources and support, you can prevent stress from becoming burnout or causing other mental health problems. Here are some strategies that you can use to prevent this.
Develop necessary skills
It is more effective to prevent poor mental health than wait until someone becomes ill. A’mental-health at work’ plan can be a good place to begin. To weave mental health advice into corporate strategies, it is important to revise the company’s policies on sick leave, health and safety and other aspects.
Mental health awareness and training for employees is essential. Businesses must put their employees’ needs first, by implementing the appropriate policies and training. They should also be prepared to deal with any mental health issues that may arise.
Motivate and communicate
If employees do not know about new policies and training, they are of little use. Communication is key. It’s important to let employees know that help is available if they need it. Opening up communication between managers and employees is also important to foster a positive, constructive working environment. It is important to work closely with employees in order to identify areas where the employee can take their own decisions or manage their time. This will help to improve mental health at work.
A good communication can help to prevent mental illness that is exacerbated at work, reduce the number of absences due to mental health issues, and provide support for employees who have a mental condition. It is important to manage stress, anxiety and uncertainty. Employees who receive regular company updates will feel that they’re not left in the darkness.
Set achievable goals
It is admirable to set lofty goals, and this is often what managers do. However, if these goals are not attainable, they can quickly demotivate. Setting goals that relate to the work your team members do and that they can control as well as seem achievable will both motivate and relieve stress.
Be flexible with your approach
All of your employees will have their own ways of working, and they’ll all be able to deal with different challenges. Managers can be flexible to meet the needs of employees who are struggling with their workload or are stressed. Consider any changes that could be made to the employee’s job, including adjusting their hours, workload, strategies, breaks or providing a mentor.
Set boundaries
For happy and productive workers, a work-life balance is crucial. But it’s important to set clear boundaries to create a healthy working environment. Regular breaks, self care and recreation time are essential for employees who will be productive over the long term. You can help your employees achieve a healthy balance between work and life by clearly structuring your organisation’s hours and including regular breaks and annual leaves for all.
Make sure your employees are aware of where to get help
It is a great idea to create a page in your system that explains how people can get access to mental health resources within your organisation, and external resources like NHS Mental Health. Signposting all relevant resources to your team in a clear and concise manner will allow everyone to get the help they need.
It is important for leaders to be aware of individuals who might need help with their mental health. You can help your employees by providing them with expert clinical advice and training on mental health.
The original version of this article, Helping Employees Deal with Stress at Work, appeared first on HR News.