As Stress Awareness Month draws to a close, it’s important to remember that stress can strike at any time.

It doesn’t just go away and is something that your business should be aware of all year round.

Stress-related illnesses in the workplace can cause long-term absences, lower levels of employee engagement and productivity and also increase the likelihood that staff will leave which impacts heavily on any business wanting to grow.

So looking after your employees isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also good for business in the short and long-term.

Employees are an organisation’s most important asset and without them performing at their best due to mounting workload or poor mental health generally, it will have a knock-on effect on your business as a whole.

So what are you doing or can you introduce in your business going forward that will help to keep stress levels to a minimum and make sure employees are in a good state of mental health?

Here are some ideas to consider:

Reduce Excessive Workloads

Becoming snowed under with work is a common issue which can contribute to stress very quickly. It’s important you work with your employees to make sure work is distributed fairly and that other team members are on hand to support other employees, particularly during peak periods of activity. Being overworked means employees may not complete tasks to the best of their ability because productivity and engagement is low. Giving employees realistic deadlines is also key to reducing stress levels.

Encourage Breaks

Taking breaks is an important way to reduce stress. Taking a short break from the desk or stepping outside the workplace can make your employees more productive and focused when they return to the task at hand. Taking breaks also minimises mistakes.

It’s also important that employees take holidays to recharge their batteries and enjoy an extended break from the workplace. 

Manage Working Hours

Many businesses now adopt flexible working habits, but if your business doesn’t do this already it’s worth thinking about. Flexible working has been proven to reduce stress and improve work-life balance for employees. Giving employees the option to work their daily hours at different times, by starting or finishing earlier or later, can help them juggle the demands of looking after children and help them manage other life commitments.

Recognise Your Employees

If you can see that one of your employees is struggling, is quieter than usual or experiencing mood swings don’t just stand back and let it go. Ask them if everything is ok and if it is work causing their stress or affecting their mental health, support them and ask what your business can do to help. Understanding your employees and their needs is essential.

Social Activities

Employees spend a lot of time at work and it can be a stressful environment. However, getting staff together for social activities, team building sessions or catching up outside work as a team can really help staff to get to know each other and make them feel much more at ease when they go back to work, which can be a big stress reducer.

So remember. Stress Awareness Month isn’t just for April, it’s every month.

Make sure your employees don’t suffer silently and make their working life a healthy and stress-free one.