Ways to Manage Workplace Stress

   Ways to Manage Workplace Stress: HR Role

Introduction

The modern working world, fast-paced and one where efficient productivity is expected, is currently one where work stress management becomes a fundamental focus for both employees and organizations. Human Resources departments are key components of staffing and workplace culture, they provide support to workers and create an atmosphere of positivity and wellness. As HR professionals, we will look into most suitable methods for dealing with stress at work and the key function that they play in this process.

 

Providing Stress Management Resources

HR teams serve the purpose of addressing employees’ mental health issues in eightfold, through a wide range of stress management techniques and initiatives. These initiatives are set in place to assist workers in building up resilience and skills that may help them to triumph over every troublesome situation of the workplace. One major contribution of HR is the facilitation of the listing with opportunities to see a counselor. Such stressors can be alleviated with the help of specialist mental health professionals or external counseling agencies thus allowing employees to actually deal with the stressors effectively and privately (Shockley, 2017).

Furthermore, HR can hold continuing workshops or training sessions in which employees are taught different stress management techniques. These periods can incorporate topics like relaxation methods, time management tactics, assertiveness tips, and so on. Human Resource personnel can enhance the coping mechanism of their employees by making workplace stress reduction skills and tools accessible to them. This, in turn, supports them to take the initiative to improve their mental health (Danna, K., & Griffin, 1991).

Encouraging Open Communication

Establishing a context of open communication culture should be the heart of occupational stress management. Human resources can allow for frequent talks between a manager and employee and give a chance for managers to listen to concerns and employees to discuss psychological loads. Team leaders can conduct these check-ins in several formats, e.g. one-on-ones, roundtable discussions, or employee surveys, based on their company's environment and fashion.

It comes as no surprise that employees themselves are the key performers when it comes to detecting the areas for development, identifying stress factors in the workplace, and finding solutions to them, therefore organizations should put extra effort to encourage the employees to raise their concerns and give them a way of expressing their thoughts. HR could develop facilities for anonymous feedback, suggesting boxes, or online forums whereby subordinates can freely submit their constructive suggestions in a safe environment. HR personnel by actively monitoring the employees' thoughts and issuing attention to their concerns and complaints is able to show their commitment to creating a welcoming and fair environment where the employees will feel appreciated and valued (Gunnarsson, 2017).

Offering Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

The Employee Assistance Programs provided by the Human Resources departments are often the most commonly used resource for individual employees with both personal and career matters. EAPs may offer a variety of services like confidential counseling, legal counseling, financial counseling, and references to other agencies or support groups like the community support organizations or rehabilitation programs. HR specialists have a major part in advertising the existence of such services and it is their responsibility to make sure that every employee knows where to find the support services that are intended for them. This could mean scheduling some information sessions or workshops that make them understand the benefits of EAPs and how to access them comfortably and at the right time. Through active campaigns on EAP as well as by eliminating the inner bias against the mental health issues, HR helps in promoting the work culture in the organization that considers the greater importance of and the support for employee and the mental health (Hassard, 2020).

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Conclusion
HR departments take a key responsibility in managing worker's stress through treating mental illness and stress by offering a wide range of programs and resources meant to provide for the physical and mental well-being of employees. Stress management resources, information sharing as well as assistance of human resource managers help create a productive working environment where employees can reach their full potential and accomplish goals.

By -Geeth Chathuranga Pallawela 

Reference

 Danna, K., and Griffin, R.W. (1999). Health and well-being in the workplace: A reconciling and interweaving of research. J Management, 25(3), 357-358.

Gunnarsson, K., Vingård, E., Josephson, M., and Nyberg, Å. (2017). EAP–an additional tool to OHS methods to save the health of employees who are absent due to the diseases caused by work conditions. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, XXV(XX), 275-282.
As for Hosard, J., Teoh, K. R. H., Visockaite, G., Row, D., and Cox, T. (2020) The cost of work-related stress to society: A review. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 25(1), pp. 17–32.

Shockley, K. M., Shen, W., DeNunzio, M. M., Arvan, M. L., & Knudsen, E. A. (2017). Disentangling the relationship between gender and work–life conflict: An integration of theoretical perspectives using meta-analytic methods. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(12), 1601-1635.