Our L&D Insider research survey showed that mental health is at the forefront of employees’ minds, more so than ever, as a result of the pandemic. 47.6% of respondents to our survey indicated that mental health was one of the top three challenges they’re facing post-COVID.
So, with nearly half the workforce feeling stressed out, there’s no better time to check in and see how team members are getting on. Read on to hear our 5 top tips for keeping stress levels at bay in the workplace.
Manage workloads and delegate
One of the best ways to reduce team stress is to make sure that everyone is on top of the tasks they should be working on. At IW, we have a short stand up meeting on a Monday morning so the whole team knows who’s working on what for the week ahead, followed by a status update on a Wednesday morning to ensure everyone is on track to complete what they need to. This is a great opportunity for team members who are feeling overwhelmed to speak up and have some work distributed, so that all tasks are completed on time. There’s nothing worse than a member of the team suffering in silence and drowning in work.
Stay social
Part of the fun of work is getting to surround yourself with fun, motivated and like-minded people. Having regular socials can build rapport and help everyone work better as a team. Luckily for Team IW, we have a social tonight – a game of Dungeon and Dragons led by our very own Dungeon Master, Ross. This is also a great example of bringing yourself to work, and sharing a hobby or passion of yours with the wider team. The activities (we’ve also had football kickabouts) might not be for everyone, but it’s great to get involved and support the team members sharing their real interests.
Celebrate the wins
A kind word can go a long way. It can be easy, especially during busy periods, to overlook all the wins that happen in the workplace on a day-to-day basis. Organising tasks on a Kanban clearly shows what has been achieved each day at a glance. When a team is in tune and feeling good about their successes, the mountain of tasks to tackle on a stressful day looks that little bit smaller.
Clear expectations
It sounds simple, but clear communication from senior levels can help employees manage and prioritise their own workload. Plus, it avoids any awkward conversations when work isn’t completed on time. Setting deadlines and outlining desired outcomes keeps everything ticking over smoothly. It’s proven – a study on accountability by The American Society for Training and Development (now the Association for Talent Development) found that you have a 65% chance of completing a goal if you commit it to someone else. Even better, you have a 95% chance of completion if you diarise this with an ‘accountability appointment’. So, pick a goal buddy and keep each other accountable!
Encourage growth
As consultants we spend time helping organisations with their growth both for their people and for the business as a whole. Knowing where employees fit into this wider strategy keeps everyone on track, aligned with the business’ values and striving towards the same goal. Plus, it keeps everyone on their toes and staves the boredom away. No getting stuck in a rut here, thank you very much.
National Stress Awareness Day takes place on the first Wednesday of every November.
Intrigued to find out more from the L&D Insider research? Chat to our team to request a different cut of the data or to book a call to use the research to propel your L&D offering.