Why Workplace Stress Is Harming Your Productivity And Your Staff
How stress affects the individual
Stress can have very negative effects on certain people. The amount of stress that affects a person depends on several factors. This includes their personal resilience levels, the coping mechanisms they can use, how severe the stress is, and how long it has been going on.
Whenever we feel challenged, pulled out of our comfort zone, the body automatically initiates a mode of survival called the stress response, commonly known as “fight or flight.” This is an ancient and inherent human trait; a survival mechanism that allows people to respond quickly to danger and return to a position or sense of security. To this day, the stress response serves as a way to properly cope with negative situations. Short-term stress results in increased awareness and thinking, increased heart rate, increased muscle tension, strength and aggression, and a momentary decrease in digestive and immune activity. This is simply the body preparing for immediate and decisive action to mitigate the perceived threat.
However, if stress continues for long periods, if this elevated state continues unabated, these symptoms can become harmful. The effects of prolonged or excessive stress include, but are not limited to, insomnia, anger, decreased appetite, bingeing, withdrawal, obsessive thinking, anxiety, depression, and even chronic diseases such as type II diabetes and asthma.
How stress affects the work environment
Even a single person who is experiencing the effects of prolonged or excessive stress can contribute to the development of underlying stress in the work environment. It can quickly start a chain reaction, which can affect the entire company. Employees can lose motivation to work and they certainly won’t want to stay up late. They will half do the job they once expected.
What to do about it
The workplace will always have a certain amount of change. There is nothing that can be done about it. Things like restructurings, changes to deadlines, employee turnover, and difficult customers will happen. What is within your power is to develop and implement the policies necessary to provide your staff with the skills they need to self-manage the physical and psychological effects of change.
For your staff, a great resource is stress management training. This simple training will give them the coping skills necessary to better cope with any challenge that comes their way.
In terms of policies, be sure to enact a “zero tolerance” policy for workplace bullying, which is one of the main factors in a stressful environment. Take a look at your overall approach and implement the necessary changes to make your company an even better place to work.