6 SINS OF OFFICE STRESS:
Are your employees excited to come to the office every day,
or do they drag in late? Here at Wasp, we think building a strong (and
motivated!) team is essential in small business. Avoid these six sins of office
stress and make your work environment a place that employees want to be.
1. Infrequent Feedback
Employees worry about
performance when they don’t receive feedback from mangers. Eliminate this
office stress by scheduling regular evaluations. Be sure to discuss positive
areas of each employee’s work and areas for improvement. Establish an “Employee
of the Month” or other reward system to showcase star performers and give
employees a goal to aspire to.
Also, make sure your employees
feel comfortable giving feedback to managers. While some employees may be at
ease sharing problems or concerns in a face-to-face meeting, other employees
may prefer to provide feedback using an anonymous survey or though a suggestion
box. Regardless of how you approach it, be sure the process is simple and
that suggestions are taken to heart.
2. Mundane Office Hours
Have you ever finished your
work for the day at 3 p.m., but couldn’t leave until 6 p.m.? Or do you work
best after 10 a.m.? Forget the traditional 9-5 office hours. If it works for
your small business, allow employees to decide the set hours they are in the office.
Or, reward employees on
Fridays by letting your team to come in to the office late or leave early.
Switching up the norm will allow employees to relax for a few needed hours.
3. Uncomfortable Work Space
Simple things like glaring
computer screens, limited sticky notes or painful desk chairs can cause stress.
Allow employees to select desk furniture and keep a “grocery list” for needed
office supplies. Don’t neglect unconventional options like standing desks or
stability ball chairs as healthy alternatives to everyday office chairs. Around
the Wasp office, you can spot employees perched on stability balls, and the
sales team sports sound-cancelling headsets to keep office noise out of calls.
Check out these tips for more simple stress reducers.
4. Cubicle Confinement
Don’t trap your employees at
their desks all day. Encouraging your team to interact on a personal level can
foster better cohesion and a happier work environment. In addition to team
lunches or friendly competitions (we’ve seen a few footraces in our warehouse
on a Friday afternoon), consider adding a ping pong table or pool table to a
corner of the office. Supply the area with waters and healthy snacks like fruit
or nuts for a healthy, interactive work break.
Team bonding shouldn’t end at
clock-out. Treat your team to happy hour appetizers, join an intramural league,
or start a running group to train for a local 5K. After all, teams who play together,
stay together.
5. Unhealthy Habits
Poor eating habits and lack of
sleep and exercise create stress before your employees even enter the office.
Help offset unhealthy habits by promoting health while at work. Instead of the
all-you-can-eat taco bar, cater deli sandwiches with fruits and vegetables for
the company lunch. For casual Friday, let workers wear sweatpants and bring in
a yoga instructor for a mid-afternoon workout.
If your small business is home
to a vending machine, encourage your provider to stock healthier options, like
baked chips and granola bars, instead of your standard vending machine fare.
6. Missing Direction
A major cause of stress for
employees is not knowing where the company is going and their role plays in to
the overall strategy. Involve your team in making long-term and short-term
goals. Post long-term goals around the office and give short-term goals to each
employee at their desk. When goals are accomplished, celebrate! Employees who
know the goals of their company (and know s
pecifically what they can do to
help) are more committed team members.
Keep your employees low on the
stress meter and watch the returns in your company’s productivity.
No comments:
Post a Comment