Do you struggle with employees being present at work but not being present in their jobs? According to experts, presenteeism costs employers over $300 Billion a year. Stress is a leading contributor to many health problems and the leading cause of presenteeism. Also, the workplace can be a significant source of stress. As an employer, you can take several steps to ensure that the workplace is not contributing unduly to employees’ stress levels.
· Make sure that workloads are appropriate.
· Have managers meet regularly with employees to facilitate communication.
· Address negative and illegal actions in the workplace immediately—do not tolerate bullying, discrimination, or any other similar behaviors.
· Recognize and celebrate employees’ successes. This contributes to morale and decreases stress levels.
Aside from addressing job-related issues, you can implement a variety of activities and initiatives to help reduce stress. Some suggestions include the following:
· Provide a designated space where employees can sit quietly and use meditation or prayer to alleviate their stress.
· Provide employees with the education and tools to manage time and tasks, to cope with daily stressors, and to prevent stress from damaging their health. You can present a stress management class or provide educational materials. AUI recently partnered with several community organizations to present GRIT (Growing Impactful Resilient Teams).
· Increase the number of paid vacation or personal days that you give to employees and encourage employees to take the vacation days available to them each year.
Stress can originate at home or in the workplace. Avoid adding to employee stress with inefficient and frustrating policies or overwhelming workloads, and use the above suggestions to cultivate a positive and supportive workplace culture.
AUI’s goal is to help you create a benefits package to help your employees thrive. To learn more about how we can help you, contact us!
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