HR strategies to manage stress in the workplace

How can HR reduce stress in the workplace?

Although every business is different, there are common ways you can go about reducing pressure on your teams. From managing workloads to offering flexible working schedules, read on to make the most of employee performance.

HR strategies to manage stress in the workplace​

Your managers should already be able to identify the signs of workplace stress. However, being able to take appropriate and supportive action is a more difficult matter.

Whether through benefits such as free lunches or gym memberships, or resources and services such as counselling or mindfulness sessions, you can take significant steps towards ensuring employees are healthy, happy, and productive. These are our industry-leading tips:

1. Manage workload clarity: Set realistic expectations for your staff by clarifying their roles clearly and reviewing their performance capacity at intervals.

2. Offer balance and flexibility: Set a business policy of flexible hours and encourage regular annual leave. Both support work-life balance and ensure staff get the rest they need.

3. Promote hybrid working: A major perk for any employee, by offering WFH days you can well and truly support their work-life balance.

4. Provide support structures: Consider introducing an EAP (employee assistance programme) to provide staff with confidential counselling.

5. Train managers: If your managers are lacking in people skills, train them to make sure they can spot signs of fatigue or low morale.

6. Promote business transparency and open communication: This creates an environment of trust so your workforce can share concerns and feedback, taking the edge of their struggles.

Ultimately, your business will also need innovative solutions to suit your exact industry. For example, if you work in construction you'll need an advanced set of strategies to support your team. Whereas in an office, strategies are easier to manage.

The importance of communication and business transparency

Naturally, communication plays a central role here. For employees to feel heard, supported and appreciated, managers must be encouraged to convey this at every possible turn. 

While this approach should be maintained in all scenarios, 1-2-1 meetings are a particularly effective outlet for managers to display these skills. In this setting, the employee can be encouraged to speak freely about any worries or concerns they might have; managers can then respond by offering counsel, with the intended effect of alleviating stress or anxiety. In many cases, a simple, solutions-focused conversation can make all the difference.

What’s more, as if the global pandemic wasn’t a clear enough indicator, numerous studies have suggested that this approach to leadership is sorely needed in today’s working world. For instance, a survey by Mind UK titled 'Taking care of your staff' found that 30% of employees don't feel comfortable talking openly with their line manager about stress. This is a sobering statistic, and one that should encourage organisations to continually review and refine their approach to leadership development.

Maintain a healthy, happy workplace with specialist support

At WorkNest, we help UK employers to build highly engaged teams and keep them safe through a combination of expert Employment Law, HR and Health & Safety support. 

Whether you want to better understand your obligations under health and safety law, need guidance on managing a difficult employee wellbeing issue, or would benefit from specialist advice around implementing new policies and developing your HR strategy, get in touch on 0345 226 8393 or request your free consultation using the button below.