The Top 10 Causes of Stress at Work
Stress within the workplace is an increasingly common challenge that can affect productivity, mental health and overall quality of life. As April is Stress Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to explore the top 10 causes of stress at work.
This article will highlight the prevalent stressors in the workplace and underscore the critical need for effective strategies to manage and mitigate these pressures. From relentless deadlines to poor life/work balance, understanding these triggers is the first step toward having a healthier, more supportive work environment.
Commuting to Work
Commuting to work can be exhausting and frustrating, making many anxious and stressed before their workday begins. Within the UK, many businesses are located in cities and large towns. For employees, this may be less than ideal. Property within these areas is more expensive, which often means that staff must live outside their work area and commute daily.
This can cause people stress before they even get to work due to various issues such as unexpected public transport cancellations, long travel times, and overcrowded trains or buses. Additionally, high transportation costs, congested roads, road rage incidents, cycling mishaps and adverse weather conditions also add to the daily commuting challenges.
To mitigate this stressor, employers could consider work-from-home or flexible working options that could be incorporated into attendance policies. Guidance could also be devised and issued to clients with well-being tips such as listening to music, podcasts or audiobooks. Another practical tip would be to seek other alternative routes and times that are more reliable.
If some staff have a long commute and work extended hours, consider covering their stay at a nearby hotel or bed and breakfast. Consider providing a hotel dinner allowance.
Working Long Hours
Working long hours consistently can cause many employees to experience burnout, reduced productivity and poor health. These factors can limit an employee’s time to unwind and recharge, creating a downward spiral to becoming overwhelmed with stress.
Further, it can lead to family problems for the staff member as they spend too much time working and not enough time with family, leading to additional pressures. This hurts business productivity and is commonly referred to under the umbrella term ‘presenteeism’.
As an employer, introducing Time and Attendance Systems addresses several workplace challenges by identifying overworked employees for targeted support and automating workload reporting. This reduces the need for manual tracking, saves time, and prevents burnout risks, ultimately promoting a healthier work environment. Further, team leaders and management can quickly identify working patterns and sensibly schedule workforce cover when needed. All this can help alleviate pressure.
Meeting Deadlines
It is common for everyone to feel the burden of deadlines, especially if tight or unrealistic and when success depends on factors outside of one’s control. The causes of this stress affect people differently. Whilst some thrive, others do not – some will bury their heads in the sand. When an entire team or project depends on deadlines being met, every member must be functioning to their best. This includes management recognising when deadlines are at risk.
Open communication is the key to ensuring optimal performance for workers and managers. Managers need to ensure resources are available for workers to complete the work and stay on top of progress. Workers should communicate risks to the deadline. With open communication, teamwork will be far more effective and less stressful.
Heavy Workload
Seeing no end due to a consistent flow of heavy workload can lead to employees feeling incredibly overwhelmed. Over time, many will feel unable to cope with the demands of their jobs.
To help solve this, management should monitor workloads to ensure they are balanced and fair. Providing training, delegating, prioritising tasks and redistributing them equally among the team can help employees manage their workloads more effectively.
Unfriendly Workplace
An unfriendly or hostile work environment can make employees feel unsafe or unsupported. This may include poor relationships with coworkers or management and a lack of support for individual needs.
Employers can improve workplace dynamics by promoting team-building activities, which enhance morale and collaboration. Open communication channels should also be considered to encourage employees to voice their opinions, requirements and problems in a safe and supported environment.
Unfair Pay
Perceiving one’s pay as unfair compared to others can lead to resentment. Employees might feel undervalued or overlooked compared to others who are doing similar or less work. This perception can lead to dissatisfaction, decreasing performance, and increasing staff turnover rates as employees seek equitable opportunities elsewhere.
Employers should ensure that pay scales are transparent and based on clear, fair criteria to address pay equity concerns. A transparent policy to support this could aid. Regular salary reviews and clear advancement opportunities can help make compensation more equitable. These steps build trust and show employees they are valued and have growth potential.
Poor Work/Life Balance
Employees may feel stressed and tired when work frequently spills into personal time, reducing their job satisfaction and overall happiness. This disruption in work-life balance can harm their mental and physical health over time.
Employers can help by enforcing clear boundaries between work and personal time. They can promote a work-life balance by offering flexible working hours and remote work options and ensuring that overtime is the exception rather than the rule where overworking is a risk.
Changes at Work
Organisational changes like restructuring, new management or the introduction of new systems can create uncertainty and fear of the unknown, leading to feelings of insecurity in the workforce.
A significant change is a challenge for everyone, and many employers benefit from having consultants during these periods. Regardless, employers should emphasise communicating clearly and early regarding changes within the workforce to minimise stress.
Introducing new management should be handled carefully to ensure a smooth transition and build trust among team members. Additionally, training should be provided to support and help employees adjust to the new roles or systems.
Job Insecurity
Concerns about job stability can lead to considerable stress, especially in industries prone to layoffs or downsizing. This anxiety can negatively impact employees’ mental health and overall productivity.
Again, clear communication and transparency can be a saver here. Offering support resources to help employees navigate uncertain times also helps to maintain a healthy culture.
Lack of Career Opportunities
Feeling trapped in a role with no clear opportunities for advancement can significantly contribute to job dissatisfaction and elevate employee stress levels. This stagnation affects their motivation and can lead to a decline in engagement and productivity as employees struggle to see a future within the company.
Employers can offer clear career paths and development opportunities, such as training programs and mentorships, to alleviate career opportunities in the workplace. Regular performance reviews can also help employees see potential career progressions, ensuring they understand the steps needed for advancement and feel valued for their contributions.