Four ways to reduce employee stress in the workplace

April is Stress Awareness Month and in the workplace, it is necessary to experience a certain level of what experts refer to as ‘positive stress’. This is a pressure that motivates us to complete tasks on time.

Grit, for example, ‘a form of passion or perseverance’, has become a popular term to describe this necessary stress. However, while it is true that a healthy amount of pressure is needed in order to remain productive, too much can have many unhealthy consequences. These include tight muscles, increased cortisol levels, burnout and added costs to companies as a result.

To prevent this, how can employees and businesses get on top of stress reduction in the workplace and what are the tech tools that can help them?

View rest as productive

A recent study shared by Harvard Business Review found that rest and relaxation are needed to increase productivity and reduce stress at the same time. The idea is that the more rest an individual factors into their schedules, the more productive they will be able to be in future. Therefore, it is essential that rest, pampering and self care be viewed as a productive activity, essential longevity, energy and stress reduction. A productive approach to rest could look like, booking days of leave in advance two months ahead or creating at home spa experiences to relax and connect with oneself every fortnight. Consider looking into whether your organisation has a wellness programme or is prepared to offer discounted massage vouchers at a select spa.

Sabashni Naidoo, the managing director at Amani Spa, Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, says: “Companies are able to invest in wellness programmes, which, in turn, fosters a strong culture as employees and clients realise that their physical, mental and spiritual well-being is valued by those who they work with and work for.”

Use technology to assist in productivity

Working smarter rather than harder is easier with the aid of technology and more specifically technology tools geared towards productivity. These could include productivity tools such as weekly planners, grammar or writing tools and workplace software. Some employers even believe that using technology to monitor employee productivity can aid in getting more work done.

However as Andrew Bourne, the Africa regional manager of the workplace software firm Zoho, warns: “While the rise of employee monitoring software is understandable, particularly in a post-pandemic world where remote and hybrid working have become the norm, all too often they monitor the wrong things. Good task management software, for instance, will easily allow you to manage and track the life cycle of whatever projects you’re working on. Even better ones won’t just monitor performance against set tasks but will also make it easier for employees to be productive by converting emails into tasks, for instance.”

What’s important is that any productivity tools used, allow employers to filter out employees who are overburdened and distribute work evenly and also keep track of important key performance indicators to reduce stress and boost performance.

Foster connection from top down

There is a growing need for companies to cultivate a culture of connection as one way to reduce workplace stress. This connection needs to happen between employees but, more importantly, the leadership of an organisation needs to ensure that they are engaging and connecting with teams in a relevant way.

It’s increasingly recognised that people seek a sense of connection and belonging in the workplace, which calls for empathetic and value-driven leadership that encourages diversity, prioritises purpose and offers rewarding employee experiences

“Communication is the cornerstone of connection, and just as the workplace has evolved post-pandemic so has both the form and purpose of communication. Thanks to technology, the tools are there to meet us wherever we are, while connection, though harder to attain, is what ultimately helps to drive better outcomes, for both individuals and organisations,” comments  Linda Saunders, the director of solution engineering at Salesforce South Africa.

Promote a healthy work life balance, positive workplace culture

Workplace stress can be detrimental to employees and even more so to the organisation as a whole. This is because of stress’ role in causing decreased productivity and burnout. “Like most NGO environments, our teams are often dealing with emotionally charged situations, therefore it’s crucial to have effective strategies in place to manage stress,” says NGO Relate Bracelets brand consultant Dalit Shekel.

Organisations can prevent the impact that a stressful workplace environment can have on it by working towards building a company culture that promotes as much well-being as possible. To do this correctly, staff should be consulted around what a positive work environment looks like to them.

“When we consulted our teams some of the elements around well being included, fostering a culture of work-life balance, teamwork, collaboration and also looking at creating an inclusive and supportive workplace to accommodate the diverse needs and backgrounds of our team members,” concludes Shekel.