April is National Stress Awareness Month.
All month long, we will be giving you tips on how to lessen your stress levels at work, at home, and everything in between.
Did you know that 1/4 of employees view their workplace as the number one cause of stress in their lives? It’s true. And when employees are stressed at work, everyone suffers. Early warning signs of on-the-job stress include:
- headache
- upset stomach
- difficulty concentrating
- problems sleeping
- low morale
A long term stressful environment can also lead to increased depression, heart disease, and some studies suggest a relationship between workplace stress and cancer.
Obviously, this is not good for your employees. It also affects your clients, too; a company that has an overstressed workforce will eventually let their stress and unhappiness seep into their relationships with your customers, causing a negative experience.
What can we do to make the workplace a more positive environment and reduce stress for both your employees and (by default) you?
First, foster positive attitudes in your company. Of course “I’m positive that this isn’t going to work” isn’t the kind of attitude you’re looking for! Friendly, positive people working for your company is the sort of thing you want. Think of a positive attitude as the sunlight that provides electricity for the machine that is your company, like the solar battery in this fun flower that we have scattered around our offices.
Secondly, create an open-door policy within the company. When your employees feel empowered, they can take the negatives (stress) from something internal and release it in a healthy manner.
Finally, always let your employees know that they are appreciated! A small act of gratitude can change a negative attitude.
What ways can you think of to foster a positive workplace culture and relieve stress where you work? Let us know what works for you in the comments!
