Five Ways to Reduce Stress in Your Workplace in 2019

Five Ways to Reduce Stress in Your Workplace in 2019

As a manager, it’s up to you to reduce stress among your employees by creating a healthy workplace environment. If things are getting hot – aka, there are tight deadlines and tough customer demands – people need to de-stress, or their emotional and physical health, as well as their productivity, will suffer.

Here are five tips for you to reduce stress in the workplace:

  1. Set clear goals and expectations.

If you set clear goals, you help people de-stress as they have a sharper picture of what they need to do in order to succeed.

  • Crystal-clear expectations motivate employees to focus on top priorities. They don’t waste time or get lost in the weeds trying to decide what to work on next. The result is peace of mind for your team members, and better performance and results.

  1. Encourage mindfulness.

It’s not just fluff. Mindfulness through meditation really can make people better at their jobs – and their lives. This goes for everyone, managers and front-line employees alike.

  • Meditation helps you relax, clears your mind, and can improve your health. Its benefits have been scientifically proven.
  • The point of meditation is to focus strongly on one point, and continuously bring your mind back to that point whenever it wanders.

  1. Offer work/life balance.

What’s one of the best ways to reduce stress in the workplace? In a single word: flexibility. As long as your employees meet deadlines, stop birdwatching what time they arrive at work and what time they go home.

  • Offer the option to work from home or at the very least, come in late, leave early or take an extended lunch break for family or other personal commitments. People will thank you for it, and when all is said and done, outcomes will be better, productivity will be higher, and employees will be more loyal over the long term. Everyone will de-stress as a result.

  1. Support employee wellness.

Encourage your employees to get – and stay – healthy through such initiatives as regular exercise and healthy eating. There are myriad ways you can promote wellness in the workplace, including:

  • Healthy snacks in your vending machines, break rooms and cafeteria.
  • An on-site fitness center, or if this is not a viable option, discounts at area gyms, YMCA sites or yoga studios.
  • Reminders to take a break after two hours of working at their desk or computer. Encourage people to get up, stretch and take a walk. Reassure them that they won’t be penalized; in fact, let them know you encourage and support these healthy habits.

  1. Recognize and reward.

Employees who feel appreciated for a job well done show increased productivity, get higher scores from customers, and have better safety records. They tend to be happier, more fulfilled and experience less stress as a result.

There are myriad ways to offer employee recognition and at the same time, reduce stress. These include:

  • An Employee of the Month or Employee of the Quarter program.
  • Team rewards for key accomplishments.
  • Shout outs at town hall meetings or via internal media, such as newsletters and online social sites.
  • A personal thank you – verbally and/or written – from senior management.

Ready to de-stress?

For more ideas on how to minimize stress among your employees and build productivity and your employer brand image as a result, contact the Frontline Source Group team today. We offer personalized services to help you develop your industry-leading workforce. Looking for a staffing agency in Houston, TX? Contact us today to learn more. To find the branch closest to you, click here.

Tagged Blog
Published on Jan 15, 2019