Studies show that happy employees means a more thriving organisation. When your staff feel valued and enjoy their work, they put more in and ultimately create more success. On the flip side, if your employees suffer from work-related pressure and stress, it can result in lower productivity, a higher turnover of staff and less progress overall. As a manager, supervisor, or employer, you can follow these tips to create good communication, more job satisfaction and a better working environment for your team.
Avoid unrealistic deadlines. Make sure the workload is suitable to your employees' abilities and resources.
Communicate with your employees one-on-one. Listening attentively face-to-face will make an employee feel heard and understood—and help to lower their stress and yours—even if you’re unable to change the situation.
Deal with workplace conflicts in a positive way. Respect the dignity of each employee; establish a zero-tolerance policy for harassment.
Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their jobs. Get employee input on work rules, for example. If they're involved in the process, they'll be more committed.
Clarify your expectations. Clearly define employees' roles, responsibilities, and goals. Make management actions fair and consistent with organisational values.
Consult your employees. Talk to them about the specific factors that make their jobs stressful. Some things, such as understaffing, or a lack of supervisor feedback may be relatively straightforward to address.
Offer rewards and incentives. Praise good work performance verbally and organisation-wide. Schedule potentially stressful periods followed by periods of fewer tight deadlines. Provide opportunities for social interaction among employees.