40% of workers in Development Companies reported their job was very or extremely stressful. That’s a problem. Regardless of what kind of work you do, the reality is that workplace stress is detrimental to employers and employees.

1. Address conflict without adding to it

Conflicts are going to happen at any job – whether it’s between coworkers or managers, it’s inevitable. What you do with that conflict, though, determines if it’ll be a stress point or not.

• Don’t let conflict continue. If there’s a fight between employees, or you are an employee and are butting heads with someone else, it needs to be addressed. Use conflict management solutions outlined in the employee handbook. Ignoring conflict doesn’t make it go away. It makes it get bigger.
• Avoid punitive responses. Punishment, instead of reward, creates fear, which creates stress. Resolve conflicts and problems positively, and not through negative reinforcement.

2. Create a sense of loyalty to your workers

By showing that you trust and value your workers, you create a sense of loyalty and safety. That reduces stress. 48% of workers who say their employers aren’t loyal to them are dissatisfied with their job stress levels, compared to just 26% of workers who are happy with their employer’s loyalty. Being in a culture of loyalty and trust reduces unnecessary stress significantly.

3. Avoid irregular work schedules as much as possible

• Salaried workers don’t have to deal with varying work schedules, but hourly employees do. And it’s a huge stressor. Almost 30% of workers with irregular schedules report having serious work and family conflicts over the issue.
• Try to create schedules that your employees can “bank” on. Make sudden changes as rare as possible. Make it possible for your employees to rely on a steady schedule enough that they can arrange a solid personal life around their work schedule. This will help them return to work refreshed.

4. Make wellness a part of the workplace

Since stress can create physical illness, doing what you can to keep your employees healthy can combat stress. Healthy and rested employees are less stressed and do better work. It’s that simple.

5. Know the difference between good stress and bad stress

Not all stress is bad, and not all stress can (or should) be avoided.

Good stress motivates you. Deadlines, tests, or being asked to speak in front of other people — these are all situations that create stress, but they are also what motivate us. Good stress tends to be short-term and can even enhance or improve brain function. When the pressure is on, the brain sharpens up.

Bad stress, however, is chronic. It harms your health, slows you down, and can even start to inhibit thinking.

Essentially, stress uses your fight-or-flight response. Good stress gives you time to recover from that response, but bad stress locks you into it and wears you down. It’s important to know the difference between good and bad stress so you know which is the problem and which is actually helping you.

6. Learn to identify signs of stress

There are several signs that stress might be affecting you:

• Feeling anxious, grumpy, or depressed.
• Feeling apathy or disinterest in your job.
• Feeling overwhelming dread about your job.
• Difficulty getting a good night’s sleep.
• General fatigue and tiredness.
• Difficulty in concentrating on tasks.
• Tight or sore muscles.
• Stomach pains.
• Headaches.
• Socially withdrawing from others (if this is unusual for you).

7. Tell someone you are struggling with stress

• It helps to tell someone that you’re struggling with stress, whether that’s a manager or a coworker. They may be able to help you or point you to someone who can.
• It’s not a shameful thing, that you’re stressed. It’s worse if you don’t get help and let it build. Most managers would rather employees come and told them they were having stress issues on the job rather than find out through missed deadlines or low productivity.

8. Try to find humor in the situation

• Stress isn’t funny, but some situations that cause stress can be seen as humorous if you make the effort.
• A good laugh is a good thing. Research has shown that laughter reduces stress and has other positive benefits. Not only does it relieve the stress response, but it brings more oxygen into your body, activates your body, and soothes tension.

9. Take the breaks you are given

• Take your allotted breaks.
• If there’s a park or bit of nature nearby, go there. If your work environment is stressing you out, try to change your environment, either by going someplace else (even just sitting in your car) or by reading to get your mind in a different place.
• You need a break, especially if you’re stressed. If management makes it difficult to take a break, press the issue. You have a legal right to break.

10. Stay off of social media as much as possible during work

Constant connection and the interruption of technology can increase your stress levels. Social media, for example, can make you aware of stressful events happening to other people or in other places. They might not have any bearing on your life, but you allow yourself to feel stressed about them anyway. It’s called the cost of caring.

11. Learn to accept what is in your control, and what isn’t

Some things are out of your control. Find ways to make the things that are out of your control more bearable. If where you work is too noisy, maybe noise-canceling headphones would help. Make changes to what you can control. The rest is not worth getting upset about.

12. Remember to breathe

• In a stressful moment, don’t forget to breathe.
• It sounds a little silly, but people generally take shallow breaths. Closing your eyes and breathing in deeply and letting that breath out slowly can help slow down and reduce your negative physical reactions to stress. It can also help you control your reaction to a tense situation that might otherwise escalate into something more stressful.
• It’s not a long-term fix, but it can help negate some of the effects on your physical body in that moment of conflict.

Related Blog https://xpertlab.com/how-to-incorporate-a-flexible-work-week-without-losing-productivity/

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