Communication Can Combat Workplace Stress

Who’da thunk it? People are stressed out, and though it won’t cure the economy, communication may be the thing to calm nerves and make people more productive:

The majority of what experts are seeing is overwhelmed workers, often due to downsizing. And while they’re thankful to still have a reason to wake up in the morning, the burden of doing the jobs of two or three people is too much. The problem is, they’re so worried about losing their job that they tend to work many hours, often at the cost of other healthy activities such as working out, spending time with family and friends, and unwinding from the day.

Conversely, some people are feeling underutilized at the office, which leads them to ask whether their jobs are next to be eliminated, whether they’re valued members of the team, and whether they’re not trusted members of the company,” says Lickerman.The solution is simple: Higher-ups need to better communicate with each other and subordinates.

“Communication is dismal in corporate America,” Lickerman argues. “Entry-level employees trust the messages of top-tier management and their direct supervisors. Yet when a company rolls out a new initiative, internal communication is often the last thing they think about.”

Just having real conversations with employees about the state of the company and the security of their jobs can go a long way toward better morale and employee mental health, says Carson, who urges that those conversations should not take place in a group setting.

“Taking the time to check in and having an honest discussion with individuals is key to making people feel like they are respected, valued, and seen within the organization.”That may be especially true for young workers, many of whom are seeing the devastating effects of layoffs on their peers and family members for the first time in their professional lives.

“Unemployment is extremely stressful because the unemployed person may feel guilty and ashamed at no longer being a provider, while other family members can feel angry and helpless,” says Kerry Sulkowicz, organizational consultant, psychoanalyst, and founder and principal of New York-based Boswell Group. “The most important thing to do is to not suffer in silence. Open and honest communication about the stress—and its sources—may be the most important step to reducing it.”

via What Employers Can Do To Combat The Changing Nature Of Workplace Stress – Resources – Portfolio.com.

Whether you think it necessary or not, now is the time to have a (nonthreatening) talk (and listen!) with your employees about what’s going on. You may be surprised at the response.