Blog
Written on 02.03.22
In today’s high-speed, hybrid working world, measurable performance is defined by how many things we can do in the shortest time. Stress has become a prevalent issue in the workspace, even in pre-pandemic times.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, burnout and stress issues many of us have faced can lead to severe repercussions.
74% of UK adults have felt so stressed in 2020 they were unable to cope
According to a study by UK Mental Health, up to three-quarters of adults in the UK have felt so overwhelmed with stress that they could not cope, while 32% had experienced some suicidal thoughts due to stress.
Leaders of the organisations need to consider now, more than ever, adapting future work strategies to tackle challenges such as employee burnout, labour/supply issues, and new coronavirus strains.
Being productive while maximising team performance should be on every leader’s wish list.
Harvard Business studies show how the best performing workspaces have employees who feel good about themselves and their jobs.
Having a mentally healthy team and looking after their wellbeing has become crucial to every organisation’s success.
Stress can easily lead to burnout, exhaustion or more disengagement from your employees.
A survey done by Micro Biz Mag found that in 2020, 22% of adults have experienced job-related burnout at least once.
It’s no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a large volume of stressed-out employees due to job insecurity, organisational changes, or the transition to a remote/hybrid workspace.
According to research done by BMJ Journals, the list is highly correlated with the social and organisational context of work.
Intrinsic to the job, multiple factors have been identified, such as long hours, time pressure, complex tasks, not enough breaks, or poor work conditions.
The possibilities offered by the organisation to its employees to grow and develop new skills are highly related to minimising stress.
In addition, organisational culture plays an essential role because understanding your employees’ needs is vital to their well-being.
The first step is to encourage a culture of autonomy and responsibility.
Flexible work schedules do not work when employees do not have the freedom to carry out the project and require constant monitoring.
Trust should always come from both sides, and you should always be optimistic that your team will achieve tasks by deadlines.
While this is always important, it is essential when people work outside the office.
Provide all the necessary details and requirements of the project to avoid further confusion and misunderstandings.
While you may hire employees with excellent skills, offering guidance is essential to understanding all the requirements.
Adapting to a flexible work schedule should be gradual. You will not suddenly make a change.
For example, you can start giving employees a day of work at home every week/month, or maybe you will begin offering the option to attend remote meetings, so employees do not necessarily have to be at the office.
These small changes allow you and your team members to quickly adapt to a flexible work schedule without being overwhelmed by the enormous difference.
Using a work management platform is another step that ensures you achieve effective team communication by reducing meetings and making them more efficient and collaborative on projects.
Individual and organisational approaches are required to prevent or relieve stress.
Training and one-to-one services such as counselling can help change people’s skills and mindsets.
Training to prevent stress can help to teach your employees about signs of stress or techniques to cope with tight deadlines and pressure.
Many skills can be associated with learning to deal with stress, such as communication skills, problem-solving or time management.
So, while hybrid working is becoming the new norm, we understand that it can be challenging for your business.
Whether you are looking to accommodate your employees into hybrid working, reducing your office space or looking for the right tools to support you on this transition, we can help.
Contact us to discuss any concerns you may have, and we can look at the right solutions to assist both you and your organisation.
