Managing Stress in the Workplace
Stress is one of the most pressing challenges in today’s organisations, affecting both employees and employers.
Stress leads to sickness absence, increasing pressure on others to take on additional workload. This often results in job overload, more errors, accidents and strained working relationships.
Over time, this creates a 'stress spiral': stress increases, job satisfaction and commitment decline and employees become more likely to leave. Organisations struggle to attract talent, while recruitment and training costs continue to rise.
Can this spiral be broken?
Yes. Based on the work of Dr. Kenneth Nowack, one of the leading researchers in this field, organisations can take clear, practical steps to reduce stress and build healthier work environments. Let’s look at what organisations can do.
Invest in people management quality
Make it clear that unhealthy or inappropriate behaviour is not acceptable. Encourage and reward effective, respectful management practices.
Communicate openly and consistently
Even in difficult situations, people want to understand what is happening. Bad news may trigger reactions but lack of information creates far greater frustration. When in doubt, communicate more.
Manage the pace of change
After major changes, give people time to recover. Continuous pressure without pause leads to fatigue and disengagement.
Build a culture of openness and trust
Create an environment where people feel safe to speak up. Ensure they can express themselves without fear of negative consequences.
Ensure the right person - role fit
Support people in roles where they can succeed and feel motivated. This drives both performance and engagement.
Offer wellbeing support that is actually used
Wellbeing programmes, gyms, childcare support and similar initiatives only create value when people feel encouraged and safe to use them.
Adopt family friendly policies
Flexible working arrangements and parental policies help employees manage both work and personal responsibilities. Make sure these policies are actively supported not just formally available.
Manage workload and fatigue
Review working hours, shift patterns and travel demands. Fatigue significantly increases the risk of errors and accidents.
Show that the organisation genuinely cares
Provide clear channels for employees to raise concerns. Ensure they have support beyond their direct manager when needed.
When needed, seek professional support
If stress remains a challenge despite your efforts, it is worth seeking expert support.
Consultants and facilitators can help organisations better understand how people respond to stress and identify effective ways to manage it.
Professional assessment tools, such as StressScan, developed by Dr. K. M. Nowack and based on over 20 years of scientific research, can also provide valuable insights.
StressScan helps to quickly and clearly identify:
- areas of life where a person experiences difficulties,
- lifestyle habits that increase or reduce the impact of stress.
Learn more about StressScan
