Stress in the workplace is individual and collective all at the same time. Employees are usually the ones that categorize a workplace as stress-filled, NOT management. Unfortunately, when management doesn't understand and mitigate an environment that is viewed as stress-filled, it can cause workers to walk out the back door.
Great managers are hard to find and take time and intention to develop. However, they can be a difference between a stress-filled and a stress-less workplace. Part of workplace well-being is helping your leadership team understand what they are seeing and hearing in employee interactions. Having the ability to assess and understand when employee words, actions, and responses are stress-related is an important step. Having the tools and skills to help mitigate the situation is another. Could the lack of this understanding and skillset be contributing to your company retention issues? Are your leaders able to identify stress-related words, physical responses, and behaviors in the moment of the interaction? Are they able to determine if they are related to an immediate work situation or something else?
Helping your leaders lead from a person-centered approach can help mitigate both individual and collective stress. It is also a foundational focus of creating a culture of well-being in the workplace. It can be easy to dismiss the stress-filled action of an employee and give an equally stress-filled response that doesn't leave the employee feeling seen or heard. This can also lead an employee to feel like they are only a body to fill a position instead of a person that is important with a life and responsibilities outside the company.
Today seeing people is more important than ever, especially for the next generation of employees you are seeking to hire and retain. There has never been a better time to change your company culture and develop well-being as a core value and focus to retain the workers you need while attracting the workforce you want. Take a few minutes to learn more about how you can IGNITE your workplace culture, then set up a FREE consultation and get started creating a stress-less environment this quarter.