Can Management Relieve Workplace Stress? (part 2)

While it may be difficult for management to remove all sources of stress when competition is kicking down your door or in these trying economic times it is important to realize that leadership requires the top level of management to make the tough decisions.  Reducing staff is sometimes not as tough as making decisions to improve productivity by making the job less stressful for employees who remain.  The following are some more suggestions for changes that can improve stress reduction for employees;

If there are unpleasant tasks then apportion them out fairly.  And let everyone know what is happening and why.  Don’t try to snowball your employees - they won’t appreciate it when they figure out what you have done to them.

Policies that apply to the least paid employee should apply to the highest paid employee as well.  The CEO may feel like it is his privilege to fly first class, and it is, but if he is seen to be riding in the cattle car along with the peons it will do more to raise morale than he could ever dream.  And if employees on the production floor are expected to put in eight hours on the clock that should also be the policy for upper management.  Likewise if an employee stays after hours to complete a project that employee should not be penalized for coming in a few minutes late.

Put in place a fair and acceptable conflict resolution system.  Issues brought to the attention of management should not always be resolved in favor of management if it is not in the best interest of the company.

If it is necessary for empolyees to work long hours or to travel away from home then make allowances for that and implement family stress control strategies.  A parent can never regain a child’s lost youth.  If an employee must travel for an extended time period then on return provide time for them to be with their families.  While the time lost can never be regained, the company can make it easier on the parent to spend more time with their family on their return.

Show concern for employee welfare by making sure they have the tools they need to do the job properly.

Do away with intolerable conditions or situations.  The company should not expect employees to short their families in order to remain employed.  While some within the company may not feel expecting employees to put the company ahead of their family is intolerable that is not a situation that is coducive to productivity.

It may be difficult to remove some of these causes of stress from the workplace but an attack of one or more will pay off in happier employees and an improved bottom line.

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