How to Manage Stress at Work and Boost Well-Being

Have you ever had a day at work when your mind was somewhere else, and you couldn’t focus? It might have had something to do with stress. According to the American Institute of Stress, 77% of U.S. employees(opens in a new tab) say that work-related stress has negatively affected their mental health. That type of stress, along with the associated burnout and anxiety, has direct consequences: over the course of one year, it costs US employers an average of $3,999 per hourly employee(opens in a new tab) in a non-managerial position. The costs increase for non-managerial salaried employees ($4,257) and those in managerial ($10,824) or executive positions ($20,683).

Stress is a normal part of work and life, but too much of it can have dire effects on team morale and productivity. As a business leader, knowing how to manage stress at work can help your employees as well as your company. We've compiled a few ideas to get you started.

10 Ways To Reduce Stress at Work

Small businesses are well-positioned to reduce workplace stress. Because you know your employees personally and can make changes quickly, you'll often see improvements faster than big companies do. Here's what tends to work well, based on both research and real-world experience.

1. Encourage Open Communication

It's no secret that most employees’ workplace stress(opens in a new tab) comes from their bosses. In fact, research has linked stressful employment relationships to ailments such as sleep problems, anxiety, headaches, and cardiovascular disease. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Focusing on employee engagement strategies that work, including management training and feedback channels, can give your team and managers the tools to work with employees in a positive and constructive way.

You can also open the training to your entire company. Courses on emotional regulation, giving difficult feedback, and managing conflict help employees communicate better and become more aware of their stress levels and the triggers that prompt it. The more self-aware your team is of their behavior, the better equipped they’ll be to handle interpersonal challenges as they arise.

2. Offer Mental and Physical Health Benefits

If your employees are feeling the profound effects of stress, their mental and physical health will likely suffer as well. Providing a safety net to address those problems will help the overall health of your employees and of your organization. Although offering access to high-quality benefits can feel expensive at first, it yields plenty of returns. Employees with access to health insurance will perform better and be more loyal to the company, as well.

3. Bring in Meditation Classes

What better way to help your employees relax than to bring the relaxation to them?

Many companies have adopted meditation as a way to deal with stress at work because they’ve seen the immediate benefits. You can start small with weekly 10-minute guided sessions using free apps, then expand based on participation. Platforms like Headspace for Work or Calm for Business can accommodate remote teams. Consider partnering with local yoga studios for monthly on-site classes. Even a DIY approach works: designate quiet spaces and provide resources for self-guided meditations.

4. Offer Paid Time Off

Nothing busts stress like getting away from the office and having some fun. No matter the size of your company, make it a priority to offer employees paid time off (PTO) so they can relax, rejuvenate, and come back better than ever. Unfortunately, Americans don't take enough PTO days compared to other countries. But doing so can help improve mental health, heart health, and even relationships. Whether you decide to offer two weeks or an unlimited policy, track time off and encourage employees to use it if they haven’t yet.

5. Encourage Employees to Take Breaks

If your employees are overloaded and continually sacrificing their leisure time to get stuff out the door, it might be time to reconsider their workload or hire more employees. By encouraging your team to take breaks throughout the day, they will return to the office less stressed and more productive. Even micro-breaks (brief pauses every 90 minutes) can help prevent burnout and maintain focus. Make breaks part of your company culture rather than something employees feel guilty about.

6. Take the Team Out on Company Offsites

If you really want to give your employees a break, take them somewhere fun to get their minds off workplace stress and bond with each other. The possibilities are endless: you could go to a vineyard, grab a drink together at the local pub, check out a baseball game, or have a picnic in the park.

The activity you choose rarely matters. What’s more important is the spirit of getting out to do something fun together, to take away from the day-to-day stress at work. Not only will it help reduce workplace stress, but it will also help your employees build personal connections and work better together as a team.

7. Bring Some Diversions into the Office

The team that plays together works better together. There are an infinite number of fun activities you can bring into the workplace to reduce stress, whether they’re permanent fixtures or for a special occasion. Here are a few ideas:

• Ping pong table

• Dart board

• Basketball hoop

• Video games

• Board games

• Dog-friendly office

It may sound counterintuitive to bring diversions into the workplace, but allowing your employees to let loose during the day will help them manage workplace stress and boost productivity and morale.

8. Consider Flexible Work Schedules

If any of your employees have children or an elderly parent in need, the demands of work and home life can quickly become overwhelming. Allowing employees to have a flexible work schedule will give them time to take care of the people they love and, in turn, help them be more present at work. If your employees can perform work remotely, consider days when they can work from home as well if it makes their lives easier. Remote team collaboration tools like Slack and Google Hangouts can keep the communication lines open.

9. Know Your Paid and Unpaid Leave Policies

Knowing family leave policies in the country and your state is an essential piece of offering employee support. Whether or not your company decides to offer unlimited PTO, you will have to consider the varied needs and circumstances of your team. For many people, workplace stress centers on the difficulty of fitting life events into work schedules. These include pregnancy, family death, illness, and childcare.

10. Set an Example

The most influential step you can take as a boss is to lead by example. If your employees see you working around the clock, de-prioritizing physical health, or never taking a vacation, they’re more likely to follow suit. There are plenty of opportunities to show your employees that you care about their stress levels and the organization's overall health. By facilitating open dialogue, offering PTO, and encouraging other types of healthy workplace diversions, you can help your company become a great place to work for the ages.

Common Causes of Stress in the Workplace

Before you can implement your strategies to reduce stress, you need to know what's stressing out your team. Ask your employees directly, or let them complete a survey to gain insights, and remember that anonymity can encourage them to be honest. Apart from leadership issues, here are the most common stressors in small businesses:

• Heavy Workload: Having too many responsibilities is the biggest culprit, especially when you're running a lean team and everyone's juggling multiple roles.

• Role Ambiguity: When employees aren't sure what they're responsible for, it creates anxiety and friction.

• Limited Resources: Employees may lack the right tools or support to get their work done.

• Poor Communication: If your employees don't understand where the company is headed or what's expected of them, their stress levels shoot up.

• Lack of Control: When your team can't influence their work processes or schedules, tension builds.

• Financial Uncertainty: Your employees may feel economic ups and downs more personally. You can help by being transparent about the company's financial health and your plans.

Provide Stress-Free Employee Benefits With Justworks

Understanding how to deal with stress at work will go a long way toward building a strong and resilient team. One way to reduce your employees' stress levels is to offer them the benefits they deserve. With Justworks, you can provide access to top carriers and flexible plans, along with health and wellness perks. Explore Justworks PEO and Justworks Payroll to see which solution is the best fit for your business. Get started with Justworks today.