One of the most difficult barriers to employee engagement in the modern workplace is stress.
Employee satisfaction is decreased by the excessive workload, lack of job security, and personnel concerns. In fact, stress has such severe effects that the WHO (World Health Organization) has classified it as a global epidemic.
While many people have attempted to compile exhaustive lists of ways to reduce office stress at work, new investigations have revealed that there is no one size fits all method.
Creating a good fit between the work environment and the employees should be the main priority for any company and employer. The worker will be at ease if they like the environment and feel it’s a good fit. Stress and tension and heightened by a bad fir. In order to ensure that our offices meet the definition of “not stressful” for our employees not only how we imagine it to seem, managers and businesses must also take certain precautions.
How can employers reduce stress in the workplace?
We have some suggestions on how employers can reduce stress in the workplace, but be sure to customize them for your staff. Put these suggestions into practice, and never forget that the best tactics always begin with good leadership.
1. Encourage workplace wellness.
How to deal with work stress and anxiety, this question arises in every workplace these days and the answer is that the two biggest defenses against them are exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
Workplace tension is removed through exercise, allowing workers to concentrate on the task at hand. Endorphins, the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, are produced more, which elevates emotions as well.
- Encourage employees to take strolls during lunch breaks
- Subsidize gym memberships
- Invite a yoga instructor into the office twice or thrice a month, which will boost your confidence and help to focus on your task.
- Organize a step competition between teams of people who wear fitness trackers.
- Offer wholesome snacks in the office
When your employees believe you are concerned about their well being, they feel appreciated. A study says that 83% of respondents thought having access to fresh and healthy snack alternatives was a significant bonus, and 66% of respondents indicated that having the refrigerator and cabinets supplied on a daily basis made them extremely or very pleased. Simple things like keeping cartons of yogurt or fresh fruit in the refrigerator go a long way with staff.
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2. Upgrade the environment
Stress is often caused by the surroundings. Consider each feature of your office and what it contributes to (or detracts from) the team’s overall wellness. Employee engagement can be impacted by seemingly unimportant factors such as the quality of the coffee or the height of the cubicle walls.
Add more plants, a cheerier colour palette, or new silverware to the office to update it. If you have the space, consider installing a foosball or ping- pong table to give your employee a brief break is an easy way to reduce stress at work. Employees will feel less stressed as a result of any improvements that boost their enjoyment.
3. Permit remote employment and flexible hours
Let the people you employed show you that they have what it takes to complete their jobs well and on time. Instead of feeling like a prison, your office should be a place that makes it easier to complete tasks. Inform your employee that their performance, not the time they clock in or out, determines how well they do their jobs.
Give your employees the option of working from home, and be flexible with their start and end timings. The policy demonstrates to employees that you trust them enough not to babysit, which is fantastic for workplace morale. By giving the employees flexibility in every aspect of work, employers can reduce stress in the workplace.
4. Promote social interaction
Many employers or companies always look for easy ways to reduce stress at work for their employees and they leave no stone unturned to find out the ways. One of the ways is promoting social interaction because if employees spend time together, they will feel less stress and will be comfortable among themselves. Expectations and communication barriers are lowered as coworkers get to know one another, smoothing the way for future interactions.
Because they spend so much time together, employees will feel less stress if they are comfortable. Expectations and communication barriers are lowered as coworkers get to know one another, smoothing the way for future interactions.
5. Create quiet time.
While stress cannot entirely be avoided, it can be lessened when it does. Having a rest area available for your employees is considered an easy way to reduce stress at work.
According to research, it shows that more than 80 percent of disengaged and hostile employees preferred the opportunity to have stress-relief breaks, such as a nap, massage, or required break. A small room, a lounge area at the end of the hall, or even a bench outside can properly encapsulate the chaos of the daily grind. Think about going on longer, more reflective journeys, which can provide the same result.
Consider launching “No Meeting Mondays” or a similar initiative if your company can do so or something similar, that would allow the employees to concentrate on individual tasks without being distracted by meetings or a heavy workload.
6. Offer to counsel remotely or on-site
In order to help employees with their mental stress and find ways to reduce stress at work, several companies have started to offer counseling services. According to a recent study, nearly half of employees said they required assistance in learning how to manage the pressures of their professions. Employees can use this technique in or out of the office, in a group environment, or alone, to get ready for any stress that may come their way.
7. Praise your employees
Employee engagement is significantly increased when their accomplishments are acknowledged since people want to be complimented for a job well done. Remember that each individual has a unique personality when deciding how and when to recognize. Some employees enjoy being acknowledged during a meeting or receiving praise in an email addressed to the entire company, while more reserved types would prefer a card on their desk or a thank you in person.
Your employee will be grateful that you honor their accomplishments in any way you decide and that you wish to spread the word about it. This could be a wonderful and efficient way to reduce stress at work because praising verbally or by incentivizing your employee will make them become happier and more at ease.
Also Read: 5 Tips to Improve Office Space Working Environment
Conclusion
There are plenty of opportunities to show to your employees that you are concerned about their stress levels and overall well being of the business.
Premisin uplifts the opportunities or ways to reduce stress at work in every way. We, as an office space provider, have a team of 100 employees who equally prioritize mental and physical health. We encourage them to participate in activities conducted on weekends, have a refreshment zone, and keep an open office environment for interaction with no barriers/ boundaries. If you want to know more about our company and need an office space with a positive environment for your employees, visit our website Premisin and talk to us.