Whether your workplace is a brick-and-mortar building or a virtual space, it can contribute to employee stress in a number of ways. This can impact your team’s productivity and your overall bottom line.

Hallmarks of a Stressful Work Environment

Some clear indicators that your workplace is likely stressful for your team include:

• A hostile work environment 
• Overwhelming responsibilities
• Multitasking
• Micromanagement
• A lack of training
• Too-tight deadlines
• High expectations
• Failure to recognize or praise good work

How to Spot the Signs of Employee Anxiety

Signs that your employees might be under too much stress or are on the verge of burnout include:

• Slowed production
• Confusion, even about tasks that they had previously performed successfully
• Forgetfulness
• Reporting to work late or missing deadlines
• Mood changes
• Frustration
• Apathy
• Episodes of strong anxiety or panic

What You Can Do to Help Your Employees Manage Stress Before a Crisis

Ideally, you’re able to give your team the support they need before anyone reaches the point of crisis. It is far easier to help an employee proactively manage stress and anxiety than to handle a burnout. Here’s what you can do for on-site and remote employees. 

Eliminate Obvious Stressors

First, evaluate your workplace for obvious sources of anxiety and eliminate them. For example, if employees are anxious about not having enough sick time in case they or a family member become ill, you could review your sick leave policy and make changes to provide employees with more support and flexibility when sick.

Show Employees How to Manage Stress at Work

Learning how to manage anxiety during working hours is key for your team. Provide employees with stress management education and make sure staff have adequate breaks and spaces where they can relax for a few minutes.

Encourage Healthy Stress Management at Home

Home can be a stressful place too, and many people don’t yet have the skills or resources to manage anxiety outside the workplace.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that stress at home doesn’t impact your business. Anxiety about non-work issues absolutely has the ability to tank employee productivity during working hours. Look for ways to encourage the management of stress at home, such as hosting seminars to learn anxiety-busting skills that can be used anywhere.

Provide Employees with Resources for Mental Health Support

Stress in the workplace often balloons into a much bigger issue – clinical anxiety and depression. It’s not uncommon for employees in all sectors to experience anxiety interferes with life in a debilitating way. Depression is also frequently seen in employees who experience a great deal of stress at work and feel hopeless about how to manage it.  

If possible, make sure your company health insurance has ample coverage for mental health services, particularly outpatient counseling.   

Learn More About What Employers Can Do to Reduce Worker Anxiety in Our Webinar

Want to learn more about how your company can reduce employee anxiety and stress in the workplace? Our webinar, What Employers Can Do to Reduce Worker Anxiety, will give you fresh ideas about supporting your team during challenging times and helping them manage stress so they can stay productive and on-task.

Ensure the success of your team now and in the future with on-demand access to other business training webinars 24/7/365 with Business Watch Network.