HR professionals have had a plethora of different issues to deal with over the past few years. Between the COVID-19 pandemic, economic concerns, and the “great resignation,” HR workers have had to solve numerous problems. In addition to managing these concerns, HR workers are also trying to find ways to help their employees deal with their stress. After all, a study conducted by the American Institute of Stress found that nearly 1 in 5 employees left their position due to stress. While it is difficult to manage stress outside of the workplace, it is very possible to help mitigate the stress employees deal with while at work.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released new guidelines for how to manage workplace stress. In their report, OSHA cited a January 2022 study by the National Institute of Mental Health which found that workplace stress has been reported to cause 120,000 deaths in the US each year.
A separate study conducted by the World Health organization found that 83% of workers in the US report that they suffer from work-related stress and 54% said that their work stress affects their home life. By addressing workplace stress, HR professionals can help their employees prevent burnout and increase attendance and productivity. Here are some of the ways to help manage workplace stress.
1. Encourage Breaks
We’ve all been there- you're in the middle of an important task when suddenly you realize you didn’t take your lunch break. Employees who are stressed may feel that if they take a break, they will not have enough time to get their work done. However, by NOT taking a break, employees are also worsening their stress levels. Be sure to encourage employees to take frequent and regular breaks. Make sure to also lead by example!
2. Provide Resources for Support and Information
Providing resources, whether internal or external, can be a great way to help your employees be proactive in taking care of their stress levels. The resources you send out can differ in complexity. They may be as simple as a quick link to a news article, or they may be as complex as hosting your own wellness webinar. Be sure to keep your resources as up-to-date as possible so that your employees have ample opportunities to help manage their stress.
3. Ask Employees What Contributes to Their Stress
A simple but effective solution! By asking your employees directly what is contributing to their stress, you can better understand what changes need to be made in the work environment. Too many employees to reach directly in-person? Consider sending out a daily screening survey by using software such as Kokomo FORMS™.
Ways Kokomo24/7® Can Help
Be proactive when it comes to making sure your employees are well-cared for, and make sure to leverage various Kokomo24/7® solutions such as our case management tool, our communications management tool, and our employee self-screening forms.
Our employee self-screening forms, which we call Kokomo FORMS™, allows employers the ability to periodically conduct wellness checks at the frequency of their choosing. Users can customize any survey questions and send when desired. In the event an employee submits a concerning response, they can be directed to resources such as those listed above. This allows employees the ability to respond honestly without fear of peer judgement.
Our communications management tool, which we call Kokomo ESCALATE™, is a great way to provide workers with a way to report their concerns or mental health and well-being concerns anonymously and without the fear of stigma. Employees can ask the questions they need in a confidential setting so that they can get the help they need.
Finally, our case management tool, which we call Kokomo CASES™, provides a centralized dashboard to track all employee responses to FORMS™, ESCALATE™. It also allows HR professionals to open and close cases for any and all workplace incidents which arise, inputting whatever data they see fit. Our case management tool provides users with the ability to:
Ever since Kokomo24/7® was founded in 2018, we have been a leader in compliance and risk management solutions for all things health and safety. Kokomo proudly serves workplaces, communities, and schools with continuity software solutions including surveys, case management, accreditation and vaccine tracking, guest management, notifications, occupancy management, anonymous reporting, and emergency operations. Our mission is to deliver highly effective, easy-to-use, and trusted compliance and risk management solutions that bridge the gap between public safety and technology.
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