Best practices for dealing with workplace stress

According to the American Institute of Stress, 40% of employees claim to have highly stressful jobs, with the most common reasons being people issues, excessively high workloads, and increasing difficulties finding an optimal work-life balance. Unfortunately, and despite the fast-growing prevalence of workforce mobility, work-related stress is only getting worse in today’s fast-paced world. It’s harder than ever for people to switch off, and it’s becoming a serious epidemic across the developed world.

To maximize the productivity and morale of employees, it’s imperative that businesses take the problem seriously and educate their staff accordingly. Here are some of the best ways to combat stress in the workplace:

#1. Stop micromanaging remote employees

Remote work is all the rage these days as employees and businesses alike come to treasure the freedom and flexibility of a work-anywhere culture. At least, that’s how things are supposed to be. Unfortunately, the reality is very different for most remote employees, who often feel they’re constantly on call and being micromanaged around the clock.

For both parties to enjoy the benefits of remote working, expectations should be clear from the outset. Employers should also shift from from time tracking to measure productivity. Instead, they should look at productivity through a per-task or per-project basis.

It’s time for business leaders to show more respect for their employees’ free time. Too many take advantage of remote employees by expecting them to be available at all hours under various conditions, which defeat the purpose of working from home. Rather, business leaders should lead by example by working from home every so often.

When introducing remote working, it’s much more effective to transition employees slowly and steadily into the practice, instead of suddenly moving them out of the office. This reduces culture shock and gives employees more time to find the best work-life balance.

#2. Encourage a harmonious workflow

There are only so many hours in the day to get work done, so it’s important to keep employees as productive as possible. But with high productivity comes high morale — people work far more efficiently when they’re not stressed and when they have an organized workflow. By implementing the right tools, it’s easier to establish a continuous workflow in which processes and tasks are parallel. It’s also important to prioritize effectively by using a modern scheduling system that helps employees focus on the right tasks at the right time, rather than running about their tasks blindly. For example, cloud tools like Trello can help teams track and prioritize workloads.

Automation is another core element in enabling a harmonious workflow. Many repetitive and tedious manual tasks can easily be automated; not only does it free up time for employees, but it also costs less and eliminates the risk of human error. As a rule, if a task can be automated, then it should be. Numerous everyday administrative tasks can easily be automated, such as scheduling meetings, sending reminders, booking paid time off, reporting, acquiring supplies, and much more. If your employees are spending a large portion of their daily routine working on such tasks, then it’s undoubtedly time for a rethink.

#3. Transform your company culture

In the end, workplace stress usually comes down to the company’s culture. On one hand, you have highly conservative companies driven by arcane processes and corporate bureaucracy. On the other, you have those with no clear vision, which leaves employees at a loss. Both extremes are equally undesirable, which is why business leaders need to lead a culture change that puts the well-being of their employees first. A happy employee is almost always a more productive one, and higher productivity means happier customers and greater profitability.

Zenops helps bridge the gap between people and technology. Call us today to learn how our solutions can minimize stress and maximize productivity in your workplace.