Prioritising Mental Health: Navigating Stress in the Workplace

April 3, 2024

In today's fast-paced and demanding work environments, stress has become a prevalent issue affecting employees across various industries. The workplace can be a significant source of stress due to tight deadlines, heavy workloads, interpersonal conflicts, and the pressure to perform. As a result, prioritising mental health and promoting stress awareness in the workplace has become imperative for employers and employees alike.

Understanding the Impact of Stress

Stress is more than just a feeling of being overwhelmed; it can have detrimental effects on both mental and physical health. Chronic stress has been linked to various health problems, including anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, and a weakened immune system. Moreover, stress can impair cognitive function, decrease productivity, and lead to burnout, ultimately affecting overall job satisfaction and performance.

Signs to Look Out For

Too much stress can affect our mood, our body and our relationships – especially when it feels out of our control. It can make us feel anxious and irritable, and affect our self-esteem. Burnout is a severe problem affecting many facets of life. It is a ‘psychological erosion’ emerging as a prolonged response to chronic interpersonal stressors affecting work and life. If you experiencing burnout, you might feel:

Exhausted
Lack of motivation to do your job
Finding less satisfaction in the things you do
Irritable
Anxious
Physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches
Trouble sleeping

Promoting Stress Awareness

Promoting stress awareness involves creating a supportive workplace culture where employees feel comfortable discussing their stressors openly. It begins with educating employees about the signs and symptoms of stress and encouraging them to seek help when needed. Providing resources such as workshops, seminars, and access to mental health professionals can empower employees to manage their stress effectively.

A few ways employers can help alleviate stress are:

Allow some control over schedules
Include employee input in decision-making
Balance responsibility and authority necessary for tasks
Set reasonable limits and timelines
Recognise a job well done
Implement resources in the workplace such as health club membership, on-site or near-site child care and elder care
Employee Assistance Programs and Wellness Programs
Review work distribution processes

How to Deal With Stress?

Managing stress is crucial in today's fast-paced world. While stress may sometimes be unavoidable, there are steps we can take to limit its impact on our wellbeing. For example:

Taking regular lunch breaks
Understanding our limits
Utilising apps like Headspace or Calm for mindfulness and relaxation
Identifying things you can change and things you cannot control and need to let go of.
Prioritising tasks that will make a difference. Work smarter, not harder.
Starting a stress diary of the people and places that heighten your stress levels.
Exploring your stress with others could lead to new ways of thinking and managing.

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Prioritising mental health and promoting stress awareness in the workplace is not only beneficial for employees' wellbeing but also for the success and sustainability of the organisation. By creating a supportive work environment, implementing stress-reducing strategies, and providing access to resources, employers can effectively navigate stress awareness and foster a culture of health and resilience in the workplace.

Stress awareness isn't just a one-time effort. It's an ongoing commitment to prioritising mental health.

Helpful Resources

TAC Healthcare Mental Health Services:

www.tachealthcare.com/mental-health-support

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Helpful links for those struggling:

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