It is estimated that Americans focus one-quarter of their lives on work-related activities. Stress in the workplace can make a challenging environment impossible to deal with. This is especially true during times of economic downturns, when layoffs and salary cuts contribute to workplace stress. It is important to recognize when employees display signs and symptoms of stress before things deteriorate to a critical stage.
Absenteeism
Nearly everyone needs an occasional mental health day away from work. On the other hand, if an employee who has always been reliable in the past begins showing up late to work, or not at all, she may be reacting to stress. It is important to eliminate other causes for the change, such as illness or heavy responsibilities at home. However, in the absence of such factors, absenteeism is a flashing neon sign of employee stress.
Substance Abuse
Unfortunately, people sometimes self-medicate as a reaction to stress, including workplace stress. Substance abuse does not always mean that an employee shows up in the office obviously intoxicated. Signs of substance abuse often manifest themselves in personality changes, such as increased agitation or irritability with colleagues. An employee who seems to demonstrate money problems when others who make similar salaries are able to budget their money well may be supporting a substance abuse habit.
Decreased Productivity
Taking a coffee break or a few minutes of downtime to chat with fellow employees during the day is completely normal. Spending hours of company time surfing the web or conducting personal phone calls is not. However, laziness may not be the real cause behind this behavior, especially if it is a recent development. An employee whose work productivity falls off dramatically may be reacting to stress. This is likewise the case if a high performer suddenly begins submitting subpar work.
High Staff Turnover
One disgruntled employee leaving a workplace may be attributed to personal difficulties involving that particular individual. However, if there is continuous turnover of staff in a particular department or company, it may be due to a generally stressful environment. This is especially true if the high turnover rate persists during periods of high unemployment, when people are more likely to try to endure difficult work situations rather than deal with the stress of seeking a new job.
Prevention/Solution
Employers should be watchful for signs of stress in their employees. A confidential conversation may be all that is needed to clear up any difficulties involved. Additionally, giving employees as much autonomy in performing their jobs as possible as well as clear feedback on performance can also reduce stress. During times of economic difficulty, keeping employees informed about company plans, even when the news is bad, can minimize rumors, which can also be a major source of stress.
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