Top tips for recognising stress in the workplace

Stress affects us all differently and the working world has arguably faced the biggest shake up as a result of the pandemic. So here are some ways that you can recognise stress within the workplace as well as suggest employee wellbeing techniques to destress.

It’s important to tackle stress head on, but firstly it needs to be identified. Stress can look different depending on the individual. It’s good to know a couple Indicators of a potential problem. Below are a couple of things to look out for (remember, everyone has bad days, these are things to look out for over a longer period):

• Extroverts becoming withdrawn
• Becoming more accident prone
• Becoming short - tempered
• A dramatic change in weight

These are individual considerations, in terms of your workplace there are different things to look out for which might indicate that a workforce as a collective is stressed, see below:

• High staff turnover
• Long-hours work culture
• Low productivity
• Employees not taking their full holiday entitlement
• Increased sick days

In terms of tackling stress, we appreciate that it's not feasible for every workspace to have luxury features such as an in-house gym, outdoor space or an office masseuse. We have gathered some easy techniques to get the ball rolling when it comes to reducing stress in the workplace.

• Listen to music, this creates a calming atmosphere.
• If you're ill, rest! Working when ill will prolong the illness, it is important to let your body heal.
• Learn to say 'no'. Simple, but effective - when 'no' is appropriate, say it without guilt. 'no' also doesn’t have to be a decline, it can be an opportunity for negotiation.
• Work off stress with physical activity - take a lunchtime walk around the block for example.
• Take breaks, working in 90-minute cycles with breaks in between can help optimise productivity.
• Talk to someone, most workspaces now have a designated mental health first aider, meet them for a coffee and a chat.

The stress management society have put together numerous resources all about the different types of stress we may face in our lives. This month they have set a 30 Day Challenge which seeks to maximise your chances of turning useful knowledge and techniques into positive behavioural change with the hope of having a positive change on your life. Click here to download the 30 Day Challenge Calendar.

We hope that this summary of stress in the workplace has been useful, follow the links below to explore the resources used within this blog post further.

Stress Management Society, Corporate Wellbeing Solutions 

Stress Management Society, Stress Guide