Today’s Overly-Stressed Workplace: Part 2
Bridge by Instructure conducted a survey of more than 1,000 office employees across the country to assess their habits in the workplace, including how much time they spend on non-work-related tasks and what hacks they use to deal with work-related stress. The survey also sought to gauge people’s attitudes toward their work and company’s culture, including how engaged they are and satisfaction levels with work-life balance.
In Part 1, I presented our survey findings on how people feel about work these days. The main thing is that they are stressed and work-life balance seems pretty elusive to a lot of people. In this article, we’ll look at how people cope when work gets stressful, and offer some advice if you are looking for ways to better perform at work and feel more engaged.
Because people are encouraged to work more and are provided with fewer opportunities to fully disconnect, stress can take its toll. Yet, our reactions to workplace stress can exacerbate or mitigate its negative effects. Here’s a look at the hacks people use in response to stress.
Bad work habits to deal with stress: Employees may turn to substances as part of the way they manage stressors in the office. The most popular substance employees turn to is ca ffeine (34 percent), followed by sugar, alcohol, anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills.
Good coping mechanisms: On the other hand, some employees have adopted healthier alternatives. The survey found that 30 percent of employees turn to yoga, exercise or meditation to relieve the stress they experience at work. Others deliberately disconnect; 44 percent leave their computers off or at work to give them peace during off -duty hours, while 21 percent leave their work devices in other rooms at home.
Other survey respondent workplace hacks include:
In response to the survey findings, the Bridge team here at Instructure met and brainstormed the following strategies to deal with workplace stress:
- Be proactive with managers and leaders. Employees should communicate with managers about their needs and career goals. This will help reduce stress and help them achieve greater job satisfaction. It will also help managers fulfill responsibilities.
- Stand up, exercise and move. Medical science is clear that moving, standing and exercising is beneficial for physical and mental health. Aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes along with regular standing and moving throughout the day will reduce stress.
- Disconnect every day. Many jobs have 24/7 busy cycles, so employees can reduce stress by picking a time each day to switch off the phone, put away the laptop and uncouple from the stress of the day. This will reduce stress and increase productivity during work hours.
- Use PTO and sick time. Employees often feel pressured to avoid vacation time and never call in sick, but work absences boost productivity and engagement when employees return. Smart employers are recognizing the need to get away sometimes.
- Get plenty of sleep. Skimping on sleep interferes with focus and creativity, reduces problem-solving skills and brings down overall productivity. Good sleep habits will also help employees deal with workplace stress.
To promote a well-balanced workforce, companies can provide a feedback loop in which managers have frequent one-on-one meetings with employees to help them tackle their challenges and map their career goals, which will improve employee engagement and satisfaction. As organizations engage with their employees to promote good habits while actively help people feel more connected to their careers, they can reap the benefits of a less-stressed, more focused team.
