7 Tips + a Bonus Tip to Prevent Work-Related Stress Among Your Employees

  Feeling a little stressed out by your job? Almost everyone can relate to that-and it doesn’t have to be a problem. But unfortunately, many Dutch people suffer from excessive work-related stress. Especially in healthcare and education, absenteeism due to burnout is a major problem. What can you do about this as an HR manager or employer? During Work Stress Awareness Week, we’re sharing 7 tips to prevent stress among your staff. The numbers don’t lie: work-related stress is the most common occupational illness. In 2021, a whopping 21 percent of all employee absenteeism was stress-related, according to ArboNed . Among people who have been out of work for more than six weeks, mental strain and burnout are the cause in about 30 percent of cases. All that absenteeism due to work-related stress isn’t just a nuisance-it also costs a lot of money: as much as 2.8 billion euros per year , according to calculations by TNO and Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Those are figures worth taking a moment to let sink in. Yet stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, a little bit of work pressure is actually necessary to perform well. The problem only arises when the pressure is consistently too high, and you don’t relax enough in between. This year, Work Stress Week (November 14-18, 2022) is centered on the theme “physically and mentally strong.” What can you do as a manager to ensure that your staff is and remains strong both physically and mentally? Here are 7 helpful tips.

1. Ask your employees what they need

You can come up with all sorts of reasons why your staff is experiencing stress. But you won’t truly know where the root of the problem lies until you ask the people themselves. That’s why having a conversation is an important first step. Make work-related stress a topic of discussion during the annual performance review cycle. Keep in mind that employees won’t necessarily open up right away. Research by the Ministry of Social Affairs shows that many people are afraid to admit they’re experiencing stress at work. Nearly half of employees (45 percent) believe this will give their employer the impression that they can’t handle their job. Admitting that you’re struggling with work-related stress can make you feel vulnerable. That’s why it’s very important for you, as an employer, to invest in a safe work environment—for example, by communicating openly about your expectations, standards, and values. And by showing vulnerability yourself. Regularly ask employees for feedback. And don’t shy away from difficult topics-bring them out into the open.

2. Get people moving

Physical activity is a great way to reduce stress. When you move, you clear your head. And you produce endorphins. This chemical makes you feel happy and also ensures that your brain produces less cortisol (the stress hormone). So it’s a win-win. Want to encourage employees to be more active? Take a walk together during your lunch break. With the Ommetje app, you can even turn it into a fun competition. Or have your company participate in a running race. You can also take a more serious approach. For example, organize boot camps or yoga classes at the office. Or take a closer look at your employee benefits and reimburse the cost of a gym membership for your staff.

3. Don’t reduce the workload; increase resilience

Burnout isn’t caused solely by employees working too hard, but mainly because they don’t recover sufficiently. So don’t focus on having people reduce their workload; instead, focus on helping them increase their resilience. Work together to identify which tasks energize employees and which ones actually drain their energy. This is different for everyone! Discuss this as a team so you can redistribute projects more effectively. Perhaps one colleague hates a certain task, while another tackles that same work with ease. Also, introduce employees to the mental “Food Guide.”

4. Foster autonomy in the workplace

Autonomy is one of the most important sources of energy in the workplace. Employees who are given the freedom to organize their own work are happier and experience less work-related stress. And that ultimately benefits the organization as well, because satisfied employees are more productive. You might find it hard to let go of control. Still, it’s important that you do so. How? Focus primarily on the results, and interfere less with how, where, and when people work. That doesn’t mean, by the way, that you should completely let your employees run wild. An employer sets safe boundaries so that employees feel supported.

5. Help people log off on time

We live in a 24-hour economy. And since the COVID-19 crisis, the boundaries between work and personal life have blurred for many employees. That’s a risk, because people who feel like they’re never truly off work don’t rest as well. So make sure that “off” in your organization really means off. Resist the temptation to call employees on their days off or during vacations. And if you notice that someone is inclined to answer emails in the evening, talk to them about it. It might seem nice to have such a diligent employee. But ultimately, such behavior causes people to burn out more quickly. And as a manager, lead by example. Telling people not to take on work tasks on their days off isn’t credible if the boss is sitting there sending emails on Sundays. Is there a workaholic culture in your organization? You can let technology lend a hand. Belgian and Luxembourgish Lidl employees do not receive internal emails between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. In this way, the company aims to give people the chance to clear their minds after work.

6. Make your staff feel that their work is meaningful and appreciated

Employees can handle a lot, as long as they feel they’re doing meaningful work. The moment they realize all their efforts are in vain, it’s such a mental blow that they instantly lose all their energy and burn out. So it’s essential that you value your people’s efforts. Be generous with compliments, send flowers to someone celebrating a long tenure, or give a bonus or gift card to teams that have completed a challenging project. Such appreciation and recognition make employees feel that they matter.

7. Build a learning organization

People experience stress when they can’t do something well. So help them develop their knowledge and skills. Does that mean you have to send the entire company to training? You can, but there’s also a lot to learn in day-to-day practice-provided your organization has the right learning environment. A company with a positive learning environment is also known as a learning organization. In such an organization, employees feel safe to make mistakes, ask questions, and suggest ideas. As a result, they continually gain new knowledge and share their experiences and insights with others.

Bonus Tip

In addition to these 7 tips, would you like to use a valuable tool to tackle work-related stress among your staff? Then have them take an assessment. Stress can also arise, for example, because an employee isn’t in the right role. Digital assessments can be administered at various locations throughout the Netherlands. Candidates are warmly welcomed there and receive personalized attention, so they feel completely at ease. Curious about the possibilities? Check out the websites of Lamark or hrmforce and book an assessment right away.