Managers can play a key role in reducing employees' stress
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-10-2019-169 |
| Published date | 14 October 2019 |
| Pages | 235-236 |
| Date | 14 October 2019 |
| Author | Emma Yearwood |
| Subject Matter | Hr & organizational behaviour,Employee behaviour |
Strategic commentary
Managers can play a key role in reducing
employees’stress
Emma Yearwood
Poor management is a huge
driver of workplace stress.
While 62 per cent of British
employees cite a heavy workload as
the top cause of stress-related
absences, in reality this is often a case
of managers pushing their staff too
hard. In fact, poor management style
was named as the second biggest
driver of stress-related absences –a
figurethathasrisenfrom32to43per
cent over the past year, according to a
report published by the CIPD and
Simply Health.
One way to address this issue is for
employers to adopt an “always
learning” approach to management.
Managers who are willing to receive
monthly updates on their progress
will improve with time and therefore
be more likely to reduce colleagues’
stress levels, rather than igniting
them.
This focus on development is
essential. Far too often, people are
promoted into management roles
without proper training or support,
which is not fair to the manager or to
the business. After all, becominga
manager involves a whole new set of
responsibilities such as delegating,
coaching, people developmentand
communication –and these skills
cannot be learned overnight.
That is why businesses need to
ensure that managers are being
provided with consistent feedback,
particularly from junior members of
staff who might otherwise be too
scared to come forward. This is
crucial for managers to not only
improve their skills but also create a
positive atmosphere where
employees feel able to express
themselves freely.
Communication is key
Without this strong culture of open
communication, staff are likely to keep
any issues with management to
themselves. As a result, poor
managers will continue to make the
same mistakes, because on the
surface everything appears to be
going just fine.
Employees need to feel comfortable
about opening up and raising
constructive criticism about how
they are being managed, without
their managers feeling attacked or
defensive. Having a supportive
workplace culture where everyone
wants to improve their skills will not
only create better managers but
also result in more engaged
workers.
Businesses also need to be open
about the fact that management
roles are not for everybody, and that
there are other ways to progress. In
some cases, that could mean taking
on new responsibilities as part of
their current position, while others
maybeabletomoveintoaspecialist
role where managing people is not a
priority. Employees should be aware
that there are many different routes
to development, and that even if they
Emma Yearwood is Director of HR
based at Sodexo Engage, Milton
Keynes, UK.
DOI 10.1108/SHR-10-2019-169 VOL. 18 NO. 5 2019, pp. 235-236, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398 jSTRATEGIC HR REVIEW jPAGE 235
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