Strategies to decrease employee stress levels
Editor’s note: Dean Mathews is the founder and CEO of OnTheClock and a Simpplr author. This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared under the title “5 strategies to curb employee stress and burnout.”
Many organizations grapple with the challenges of maintaining productivity. While the knee-jerk reaction might be to increase task assignments to boost output, this approach often exacerbates an already prevalent issue: employee stress and burnout.
According to a Deloitte survey, more than one out of three employees feel exhausted, stressed and overwhelmed, and leaders often fail to understand or address this concern. This raises a crucial question: What are the root causes of employee stress and burnout, and how can you effectively identify and mitigate them?
What causes stress and burnout in the workplace?
Despite how common burnout has become and the effects it has had on employee engagement and productivity, some leaders still don’t understand its causes.
1. Employees are overworked
When employees are constantly faced with an overwhelming volume of tasks and deadlines, their stress levels skyrocket. This chronic pressure not only diminishes productivity but also takes a toll on their mental and physical well-being.
Employees being overworked remains one of the leading causes of burnout in modern workplaces. To address this problem, strategies should be implemented to monitor and manage workloads effectively. These strategies include providing realistic timelines, prioritizing tasks and offering resources or support to alleviate excessive burdens. It is also essential to foster a culture that encourages work-life balance and emphasizes the importance of rest and relaxation.
2. High-performing team members go unnoticed
Another significant contributor to burnout is the failure to acknowledge employees’ contributions adequately – or at all. When individuals feel their efforts go unnoticed or unappreciated, it can lead to feelings of disillusionment and disengagement.
Employee recognition should be a fundamental aspect of your culture. This involves not only acknowledging exceptional work but also publicly celebrating employees’ achievements, both big and small. By fostering a culture of appreciation, you can instill a sense of value and belonging among employees to reduce the risk of burnout.
Tip: Tailor recognition – whether in the form of praise, awards or incentives – to individual preferences and accomplishments. Consider leveraging a unified employee experience platform with built-in recognition and rewards that align to company values and that enables personalized, peer-to-peer recognition.
3. Employees are inadequately compensated for their work
A whopping 87% of employees say that fair compensation should be a top organizational priority. Fair compensation is key to deepening workers’ sense of well-being and preventing stress and burnout. While financial rewards alone might not fully motivate employees, inadequate compensation can exacerbate feelings of stress and dissatisfaction.
Strive to offer competitive salaries and benefits that reflect the value of employees’ contributions. This includes conducting regular reviews of compensation packages to ensure they remain aligned with industry standards and employee expectations.
Additionally, be transparent around compensation policies and opportunities for advancement to help alleviate concerns about financial stability and promote trust. By demonstrating a commitment to fair compensation, you can mitigate financial stressors and cultivate a more supportive and sustainable work environment.
How your organization can prevent employee stress and burnout
You can implement a range of strategies and policies to identify and address situations where there is a risk of burnout. Here are some of the most effective.
1. Prioritize psychological safety
Empower employees to express their thoughts, share concerns and propose ideas without the fear of judgment or reprisal. This includes creating opportunities for employees to highlight the parts of their daily work that cause them the most stress and encouraging them to contribute solutions.
Creating a work environment where psychological safety is prioritized lays the foundation for open communication and innovation. Leaders can foster psychological safety by:
- Actively listening to employees.
- Valuing diverse perspectives.
- Addressing conflicts constructively.
Establishing channels for anonymous feedback can also encourage candid communication and help identify areas for improvement.
2. Invest in training and development
Investing in employee training and development is crucial for maintaining a skilled and adaptable workforce. By offering comprehensive training programs, workshops and learning resources, you can empower employees to continually enhance their skills and stay abreast of industry trends.
Providing opportunities for professional growth boosts employee morale and job satisfaction and boosts productivity and innovation. Another benefit? Employee retention. Failing to provide sufficient employee training and development increases the risk of losing talent to competitors that offer more comprehensive development programs.
3. Promote teamwork and collaboration
Promoting a culture of teamwork and collaboration creates synergy and builds collective success. Encourage collaboration by fostering an inclusive environment where every voice is heard and respected.
Team-building activities, cross-functional projects and collaborative problem-solving sessions can strengthen interpersonal relationships and break down silos between departments. Recognizing and celebrating team achievements reinforces a sense of unity and motivates employees to work towards common goals.
Tip: Offer a workplace platform that allows employees to stay connected regardless of how or where they work.
4. Reduce digital friction
Streamlining digital workflows and minimizing unnecessary tech obstacles can significantly alleviate employee stress and burnout. By simplifying interfaces, enhancing user experience and ensuring seamless integration of digital tools, employees can accomplish tasks more efficiently and with less frustration.
This reduction in daily tech hassles allow employees to focus their energy on meaningful work rather than troubleshooting or navigating cumbersome systems. The result? A lighter mental load, more enjoyable work and a lot less stress stemming from dealing with digital inefficiencies. This not only boosts productivity but also fosters a healthier work environment, ultimately contributing to reduced employee burnout.
5. Hold regular meetings with all employees
Meetings with all team members improve communication and alignment across the organization. They provide an opportunity for leadership to share updates on company goals, strategies and performance metrics while also soliciting feedback and addressing employee concerns.
By fostering open dialogue and transparency, these meetings cultivate a culture of trust and accountability. Plus, showcasing employee achievements and milestones during these meetings can boost morale and cultivate a sense of pride and belonging among team members.
Preventing burnout by creating a culture of support and connection
Creating a positive and supportive work environment requires concerted effort and commitment from individual leaders and executive leadership. By establishing clear values, embodying them in your actions and articulating a compelling mission and vision, you can shape a culture that prioritizes employee well-being and resilience.
Addressing employee burnout demands a multifaceted approach that encompasses workload management, recognition, compensation and organizational culture. Implement the proactive strategies covered in this article and focus on fostering a supportive work environment to mitigate the risk of employee stress and burnout and build a thriving workforce.