67% cited work-life balance as the biggest factor. This was closely followed by heavy workload (54%), issues with staff (44%) and a high level of responsibility (38%).
The report follows last year’s findings by the Reward and Employee Benefits Association (REBA) that almost three quarters of employers are concerned about the impact of high-pressure working environments on their employees’ wellbeing.
With too much pressure at work, employees are more likely to have accidents or be absent from work, and less likely to be engaged or productive. The resulting impact on organisational brand, recruitment and profitability can be dire.
With these compelling professional and personal motivations to address it, it’s no wonder 6 in 10 boards are saying that mental wellbeing of staff is their top concern.
The good news is that through relieving pressure on employees, business leaders can go a long way to relieving the burden on themselves.
If tackling workplace pressure is a priority for you, these three tips will help you take the next steps:
Edwin Morgan, interim director general of the IoD says that for senior directors “life often revolves around work, and when a problem arises on the job, it can feel all-encompassing.”
Making sure you and your line managers are in a position to prioritise their own wellbeing is essential if you want to see the ripple effect on staff.
By offering appropriate training and enabling managers to engage with other business leaders, you can go a long way to mitigating the impact of stress.
The best way to find out how to address employee stress is to ask them what would relieve pressure on them at work.
You might offer an enviable perks package but if you’re not meeting employees’ basic needs its perceived value will be limited. Subsidised leisure club memberships, lunchtime fitness classes or other sociable activities are all well and good, but don’t underestimate the impact of more flexible or remote working practices. We agree with Lorna Davidson of RedWigWam, who says flexible working should be viewed as a workplace necessity rather than a perk.
We always recommend that any flexible working practices should be offered inclusively. Be careful to balance any arrangements with realistic expectations though; flexible working should not inadvertently cause more pressure. You might like to consider offering time off in lieu and reviewing your communication processes.
By asking employees for their input, you may find there are some simple and more cost-effective adjustments you can make to your current processes.
Another common reason for employee dissatisfaction is a lack of confidence in or knowledge of how to do their jobs. This can make certain tasks more time-consuming and stressful. Sometimes the gap can be filled by providing training or other development opportunities such as job shadowing. In other cases, you may need to consider recruiting someone with the right skillset to take on certain jobs, particularly if it’s more technical expertise you’re after.
Given the growing challenge of finding the right staff for certain roles, it’s worth considering working with a recruitment partner who can help you reach a wider pool of candidates if you want to increase your chance of finding someone with the right skillset. The more specialised the role, the more likely it is you’ll need to tap into the ‘passive’ audience. Read more on what we have to say about prioritising passive candidates here.
With over 30 years’ recruitment experience behind us, we’ve been able to help many organisations across south Wales attract a more diverse and qualified range of candidates.
The experience of working with Sitka has been fantastic. They provide an excellent service with a professional and friendly approach. Karen kept me informed every step of the way, even sending through interview technique tips.
The recruitment process was a very smooth one with constant, non-intrusive updates. We benefited greatly from a personalised visit to our business, ensuring the right candidates were sourced for us. We received an excellent service.
The recruitment process was easy, and after our initial conversation with Ita she advised us on how to fine tune the job specification and tailor to to attract the right candidate for our needs. The delivery and recruitment service was swift and Ita kept us informed at every stage of the process.
The candidate we chose in the end was the right fit for our business. They have just passed their probationary period with flying colours and have fitted in like they have always worked for us.
Karen was committed throughout my interview process as well as afterwards. You can see that she strives for excellence and has the utmost integrity.
Thanks very much for making a potentially stressful activity completely non-stressful!
Ita took the time to understand my objectives and needs as a candidate also – something unusual for a recruitment agency.
Information was provided quickly, in full and was very clear. Ita also took the time to follow-up post interviews to understand how things went and confirm next steps/timeframes. She has also gone the extra mile of checking in with me since starting in my new role.
Ita approached every stage of the recruitment process in a professional, honest and open manner. It was clear she was committed to finding the right candidate for her client
My recruitment experience with Sitka has been brilliant. I was dealing with Karen who is so friendly and attentive. She really listened to what it was I was looking for and put me forward for a role I am now in and love.
I felt like they truly cared and weren’t just trying to fill vacancies as quick as possible. Other agencies kept suggesting roles I had already said I wasn’t interested in. This wasn’t the case here, and they really wanted to find the right person.