3 Ways Managers Can Help Reduce Stress at Work
If your team is tackling mission critical projects under tight deadlines, employees may start to feel squeezed between a rock and a hard place. While you need your team to be productive, the last thing you want is for your employees to become completely burned out and drained.
As a manager, you can't always necessarily lighten their workload, but you can definitely help reduce their stress with these three tips:
Employee recognition. Recognize your employees for their hard work whenever they meet major deadlines or overcome difficult hurdles. You can organize a pizza lunch or bring in free gourmet ice cream and popsicles, schedule a masseuse to stop by and give free massages, or give out mini-bonuses in the form of gift cards. You can even sign up for online team bonus programs like Bonusly, where team members reward each other. Whatever you choose, make sure to praise each of your team members for their accomplishments, and remind your team of the light at the end of the tunnel.
Open lines of communication. When workplace stress builds up, employees only have each other to talk to. Often, this increases everyone's stress all around. As a manager, you need to maintain an "open door policy" when it comes to communication. Listen to your employees and don't try to judge them or tell them what to do. Instead, ask them what would make their work environment better, and then work together to find a solution that benefits everyone.
Time off to relax and recharge. It can be hard to tear yourself away from the office when the work never stops. Employees may feel like they'll be penalized if they take a day off, or may miss out on important information or critical decisions. When stress builds up, employees need a break from it all to recharge their batteries and reset their focus. Encourage your team members to take time off and relax whenever they can. Sometimes, one extra day of rest in the middle of a busy period can make all the difference.
Don't let stress become a roadblock for your employees. You've already hired the brightest minds and assembled the best team, so now it's your turn to pave their way to success and help reduce stress at work. At HireVibe, we want to help you build effective teams that thrive together. Take our Career Clarity Assessment below!
