06/ 24/ 2008
by Jeffrey Moses
Everyone has a stressful day from time to time. But in today's economy with the gas prices we're facing, it's vital for small business management to detect the added stress on employees. Employees are the most valuable assets of every small company, and maintaining their wellbeing is crucial for the maintenance of ongoing success.
Recently, I was speaking with a doctor who told me about two managers in the banking field, who had almost identical physical symptoms: fatigue, headaches, sore throat, etc. The managers don't know each other, but the doctor determined that they are under similar stress situations at work. One of the managers has developed mononucleosis and will be out an entire month. The bank is already shorthanded, and with the loss of a key employee is facing additional difficulties.
Stress is coming at employees from all directions. At work, uncertain economic conditions are forcing many companies to load employees with additional responsibilities. Longer hours, stress from increased workloads and uncertainty about career paths can produce physical and mental difficulties that are caused by anxiety.
At the same time, stress may also be increasing on the home front. Rising fuel prices, soaring food costs, skyrocketing healthcare expenses and the overall rise in the cost of living can add up to enormous stress levels that don't magically vanish when an employee arrives at work.
Today more than ever, small companies must be aware of this increased potential for stress among management and employees at every level. Fortunately, steps can be taken to manage and even alleviate problems:
- Small businesses should consider devoting time in companywide meetings to discuss sources of stress. These discussions ultimately should focus on solutions: how to alleviate specific employee difficulties such as the rising price of gas to and from work, career uncertainty, pressure from added responsibility and others appropriate to the company. During these meetings, employees should be encouraged to monitor their own stress levels and discuss them openly with management.
- Managers need to be alert for signs of increasing stress in individual employees. Telltale signs include: excessive absenteeism, frequent tardiness, decline in job performance, health difficulties, comments from coworkers, comments/complaints from the individual, etc. Employee work reviews are an excellent time for managers to evaluate potential increases in stress level and discuss specific problems and remedies.
- In today's economic climate, some problems are universal among employees. Company management can safely assume employees are having these problems and can begin working toward solutions immediately. These include the increasing cost of commuting for employees living at long distances, increased pressure when giving employees added responsibilities, stress caused by interactions with disgruntled customers in a weakening economy, financial pressures at home and more.
- It's one thing to acknowledge and detect sources of health-threatening stress among employees—it's quite another to formulate effective solutions. Many larger companies offer employees stress-management training and employee assistance programs to help with personal problems that affect job performance. The time is rapidly approaching when such programs will become cost-effective for smaller businesses as well. The scope of such programs is too vast for an article of this nature, but there is a wealth of information on the Internet, with a wide array of programs. Any approach that is used must focus on the specific difficulties employees of the business are having.
- Implementation of solutions should not be put off. As stress levels rise among employees, all the physical and emotional difficulties associated with anxiety will become more apparent. As with all health-related issues, prevention is simpler, more effective and less expensive.
- Try to take an optimistic view when working to relieve stress among employees. Policies established now will strengthen the company's future. Examining stress-producing conditions within a company can reveal ways to optimize productivity and assure long-term stability within the workforce.
