If you own or manage a business that tends to be stressful at times or you oversee a staff that works with the public, that are under any career pressure needing to meet deadlines, a quota or be resilient during financial lulls–then you may want to consider implementing a plan for staff stress maintenance. Most businesses also have a melting pot of personality types and learning styles which can be a challenge in itself. In recent years, everything has become faster, the competition higher, and once you grasp a concept or an advance in technology, it is likely time for it to change. There is a plethora of facets that make the workplace and our careers more and more stressful and I do not see the dynamic going away any time soon.
We hear about work life balance pretty consistently. But is it really possible? Possible yes—easy? No way. Our careers have become more demanding, time consuming and complex. It is imperative that we take the issue of stress and work life balance seriously. Encouraging stress maintenance will not only be appreciated by your staff but it will likely improve productivity for the business.
We know as business owners and managers that it is critical to find our balance but why is it such a power move to ensure the same for the employees? Encouraging balance with all staff members is essential because they need to know that the leadership of an organization cares about them as an individual and not simply how fast they can get through their “in box”. Make sure they are taking adequate breaks, not skipping lunch, and actually being able to clock-out when they leave work. Of course, there are exceptions to this but making a conscious effort to try incorporating these unspoken rules of stress reduction for your staff will pay out in the end.
The research shows that a happy employee that feels appreciated and is not consistently burnt out will produce more, work quicker, and call in sick less often. The mind body connection is powerful and when we feel better psychologically, mentally, physically, and even emotionally, we are better workers, thought-provoked thinkers, leaders, and managers.
Another implementation to consider is corporate wellness programs. You would be surprised on what a 5-10-minute chair massage can do for the stress and morale of a staff member. Or an on-site yoga class offered after the work day. Consider bringing in a motivational speaker for a short presentation or a multi-hour professional development. As a professional speaker, I am able to help point out ways a staff member can ensure stress maintenance; keep things in perspective, encourage teamwork, and become empowered with resilience.
If you haven’t considered any of these options, check out what the research says about the positive impact of corporate wellness programs. Then, give me a call for a complimentary consultation or visit my website at DeitraHickey.com. Your staff deserves a little de-stressing and so do you!
Here is the first page of this article in Soar to Success magazine, read the entire article, Why it’s Important to De-Stress Your Staff, and other articles in this issue by clicking on the image:
