Make Work Less Stressful and More Engaging for Your Employees Using These 3 Tips

It’s well known that excessive stress can lead to mental and physical health problems that impact productivity, creativity, and strategic thinking. It can also lead to burnout, which is linked to higher turnover, increased absenteeism, and lost profits. Clearly, stress is bad for employees and bad for business. 

As we enter two years of pandemic upheaval, workplace wellness is on everyone’s mind. 

So many months of uncertainty and change in work processes, locations, and responsibilities have made their mark, leaving many wondering: 

What do today’s workers need to feel less stressed and perform their best? 

One answer to workplace wellness is easier than you would think. Employees feel less stressed when they feel a sense of belonging and engagement.  

Use these three tips to foster engagement and make the workplace less stressful: 

1. Ensure People Are in the Right Roles 

If employees hate their job, they are less likely to be engaged. Sometimes a great employee is placed in the wrong role but doesn’t have enough information about other options within the organization to know how to make a change.  

Check in with your employees regularly to discuss their skills, interests, and career goals. These informal conversations might help you discover ways your team members can add additional value to the organization. Use what you learn to help find tasks and projects that will keep your employees working within their strengths. Using their skills and feeling like management cares about their work satisfaction will go a long way toward decreasing work stress and improving engagement.  

2. Offer Professional Development 

When employees do the same thing day in and day out, they may get bored or feel stuck in a work rut. While most people don’t expect to get promoted every year, many enjoy the chance to learn new skills or explore other roles in the organization. Showing commitment to the professional development of your employees helps build trust and loyalty. Offer your employees the opportunity to move around within the department or cross-train in other areas of the organization. Having options and feeling like their work has value and meaning creates a stronger sense of engagement for many workers. 

3. Provide Feedback and Praise 

Providing feedback and publicly praising employees’ good work can increase feelings of connection and lower stress levels. Support and recognition make it easier to handle job stress because it shows employees that their contribution is meaningful and valued. In the increasingly remote world of work, feedback becomes even more essential. Many workers experience feelings of isolation, and having a process in place to provide feedback can keep them engaged and confident in their work. Consider adding a “celebrations” item to meeting agendas or a gratitude channel for public congratulations in the work communication network. 

Looking for more ways to support your team? 

Check out these earlier posts: 

Preventing Burnout in Remote Workers 

Getting to the Truth: Why You Should Survey Your Employees Often 

Connect with PrideStaff Today

Another way to decrease stress in the workplace is by remaining optimally staffed. Your local PrideStaff office can provide the talent you need to ease stress and keep your team engaged and productive. Contact us today to learn how we can help.