Tackling the "S" Word
What is the first word that comes to mind when you look at the picture to the left? I won’t give it away yet, but I think it’s safe to say that most people, and specifically workplace employees, experience this with relative frequency.
Now, consider some of the most common factors that are detrimental to employees, the things that erode success and all but encourage individuals to pack their bags and hit the road: a lack of managerial support, limited career or growth opportunities, rigid workplace norms, misaligned personal and organizational values, and – here’s the biggie – stress.
Stress is a very large word since it refers to the complete collection of a person’s anxiety, which encompasses both personal stressors and work stressors. Unfortunately, while it’s possible to make the distinction between personal and professional stress in writing, real life is rarely so clean and compartmentalized. At the end of the day, no matter where a stressor comes from, the result of it impacts the whole person, including their behavior and performance at work.
A 2013 study by the American Psychological Association found that among all four generations in the workplace today, Millenials are the most stressed, beating out other groups like the Baby Boomers by 10-13%. Perhaps most disturbing is that 64% of Millenials (remember only 62% of Millenials are even in the workforce today) report having middle –extreme stress levels. And among all survey respondents, 35% say the amount of stress they experience has increased in the past year, and nearly half say they are equipped to effectively manage the stress they typically experience.
Um, yikes.
There is a myriad of frightening research on the long-term effects of stress both on the body and mind, but the authors of the above study summed it up nicely: “If untreated, consistently high stress could become a chronic condition, which can result in serious health problems including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Research shows that stress can even contribute to the development of major illnesses, such as heart disease, depression and obesity, or exacerbate existing illnesses.”
Um, yikes. Again.
This information is a call to action for organizations today to better recognize the stressors most strongly affecting employees, and implement measures to address and manage stress. A few options to get started:
- Offer money management courses. Think outside the box of 401k contributions and direct deposit forms. Sixty-nine percent of adults reported that financial problems and conflicts were the primary source of their anxiety. In addition to cutting the paychecks, organizations need to consider offering employees money management skills so they can thrive in whatever income bracket they fit. Student loan debt, the economic recession, and a weak housing market are all factors that influence employees. By giving them the information and skills to manage those areas, organizations are immediately improving their quality of life and decreasing stress levels, resulting in higher job performance and company loyalty.
- Establish stress support groups. Unfortunately, stress doesn’t go away if you ignore it. These discussion groups can meet monthly or bi-monthly, but allow employees to manage their stress with other colleagues and peers, especially work-related stress, which 64% of adults said happens regularly. The long-term effects of stress are wholly exacerbated by a lack of understanding or coping mechanisms, and stress support groups can address that issue.
- Emphasize exercise. Even light exercise can produce increased levels of endorphins, which effectively combat stress and anxiety. Many organizations already offer wellness credits and gym memberships, but more can be done to incorporate physical activity into the workday. Leaders can establish a routine of weekly or bi-weekly “walking meetings” with colleagues and teams. Set aside a long lunch hour and offer a group exercise class on company property. The possibilities are endless, but the results are very clear.
Learning and development programs exist to support the idea that employee skills and abilities are best grown and improved when the organization plays a role in establishing opportunities to do so. But a more overarching, and perhaps more important, message about learning and development is that employees are only as good as their support system(s). Happy employees, emotionally fulfilled employees – the presence of these people differentiates high performing organizations. Leaders can jumpstart that movement by focusing time and energy on development programs that give all employees the coping skills and techniques they need to deal with the things that drain them the most – and nip the big, scary “S” word and all its friends in the bud.