What are the best ways to support employees in discussing their stressors?

In my experience, it’s for leaders to allow for FAILURES. know this may sound strange! But, if we are allowed to get it wrong, no expectations of always having to be perfect, of HAVING to be the best, ‘showing up’ as being the best, performing the best then people will feel free to be their authentic selves. We will learn not just to bounce back, but to bounce back in order to bounce forward. This allowance builds the foundation of a critical element…TRUST. The stepping stone to creating a safe space.

I used to invite a stressed employee to go outside for a cup of tea (I don't like coffee!), to a place that may be calm and relaxing or maybe just a walk in a park (if a park is nearby). Then, I listen to them for at least 5 minutes without interruption until the ice is broken. Then I engage in a sincere discussion with a calm voice so that they feel empathy and support. After understanding their issue, I start sharing my thoughts and non-binding recommendations that are based on an inner question to myself: "If I were in their shoes, what would I do?" or "If this is my son / daughter / brother / sister, what could I do to help?".. Doing this will create a safe space where they will be feeling better.

Establish a workplace culture that values open communication and emphasizes that discussing stressors is encouraged, not frowned upon. Ensure there are confidential channels for employees to express their concerns. Train managers and supervisors to recognize signs of stress.

When discussing other people's stressors it's important to be present, compassionate, empathetic and non-judgmental. People feel heard when you're truly listening. Being compassionate and empathetic helps others feel you understand and can identify with what they're saying. Being non judgmental let's others feel safe in sharing what's on their mind.

Begin by asking your employees what does a safe space means to them? What does it look, feel and sound like? This will give you the foundation to build upon the safe space where you can encourage openness, truthfulness and collaboration.

It is important to have developed a trust-based relationships beforehand (showing openness, lack of judgment and empathic attitudes). Once the employee has shared the stressors, it is better to say "What is the best way for me to support you?" rather than directly giving advice. Finally, following up regularly on the topic, in a way to demonstrate honest care.

Oftentimes we are unsure where to start when it comes to asking open ended questions. Following are a list of examples that serve as icebreakers and a great way to ask the right questions the right way. "Can you share more about your experience with [specific project/task] and how you're feeling about it?" "What aspects of your work do you find most challenging or rewarding?" "How can we better support you in achieving your professional goals?" "What changes or improvements would you like to see in our team dynamics or work processes?" "Tell me about a recent accomplishment or challenge you faced at work and how you handled it."

Getting curious and asking employees what their thoughts and emotions are helps with awareness, but then going deeper and asking how the emotion feels in their body is key. For example, if an employee is feeling stress, have them describe where they feel stress in their body and what it feels like. This helps remove them from the stress, like an observer, rather than a sufferer, so that they can see it’s just a feeling. This allows the emotion to then pass on through, helping to develop the skill of processing emotions rather than staying stuck in the emotion and potentially reacting negatively to it.

It can difficult to talk about feelings and stressors, particularly when in the work place. After creating a sense of safety in which a person will feel more able to respond without judgement, using relevant open-ended questions will help a person to reflect more deeply, continue talking and perhaps come to their own conclusions more easily about what the most helpful next steps might be. Examples of open-ended questions that I use in wellbeing conversations are: 1. How are you feeling about... (the current work challenge, life event etc?) 2. What helps you/has been helping you during this time? 3. What is your main priority right now? 4. What is within your control and what is not? 5. How can I/the organisation help you best right now?

Als Basis wird immer eine konstruktive Beziehungsebene benötigt. Ist diese nicht vorhanden, muss in erster Linie daran gearbeitet werden, damit sich ein*e Mitarbeitende*r öffnet. Wenn diese vorliegt, ermöglichen offene Fragen und ein aktives Zuhören viel Raum für eine konstruktive Lösungsfindung. Menschen sind eigene Expert*innen ihres Lebens, die Lösung liegt zumeist in ihnen. Offene Fragen sorgen meist dafür, dass diese Lösungen auch ohne externe Tipps gefunden werden.

Some of the resources that in my experience are the most apreciated are: - Providing access to confidential counseling services, or mental health hotlines. - Scheduling regular one-on-one meetings between managers and their direct reports to check in on their well-being. - Promoting work-life balance by setting clear expectations around working hours, encouraging employees to take regular breaks, and discouraging overtime work. - Offering flexible work arrangements (remote work, flexible hours, or compressed workweeks). And most of all, acknowledge and appreciate employees' efforts and accomplishments regularly. Recognition can boost morale and reduce stress by making employees feel valued and appreciated.

Holistic wellness programs could be developed in the organisations as an additional resource to employee assistance programs or other available offers. This might include incorporating the use of essential oils in the workplace as per the model of using essential oils in clinical settings to reduce stress and anxiety. Essential oils could also be used as a holistic tool to boost productivity and encourage calming working environment.

It’s crucial to support your employees by offering resources and solutions. In conversations, you can identify their stressors and, through open-ended questions, discover the most effective ways to reduce stress. Inspire and motivate them to set goals (and boundaries if necessary) and hold them accountable. Assist them in finding a Coach or Mentor, recommend suitable sports activities, and provide access to wellness memberships, personal development opportunities, and other resources within your organization. For example: yoga is a wonderful way that helps reduce stress and improve physical, mental and emotional health.

En este apartado, se pueden decir u ofrecer muchas alternativas, la cuestión es ¿de cuáles dispone la empresa? O ¿cuáles puedo ofrecer yo como gerente? Ante todo, como "encargado" de un grupo de personas he de tener bien claro que es el estrés, sus causas y efectos a corto, medio y largo plazo (yo no puedo ayudar en algo, que desconozco). Después si la empresa, dispone de un área de salud y bienestar, se puede derivar a la persona y tener un seguimiento. Si no se dispone, quizá podamos adaptar, sus turnos, horarios, cargas de trabajo y ofrecer descansos regulares...así como tener el contacto de algún psicólogo o coach externo, que pueda ayudar a dar un mejor enfoque.

One of the most effective way of managing stress within the workplace and imporviong productivity is to teach employees how to step back and look at a specific task objectively and not subjectively. What I mean by this, feelings can interfere with logic, problem solving and decision-making. So if an empoyee is anxious over a deadline, the anxiety can impair clear thinking. I like to approach this with looking at where your mental energies lie 1) What can I control? 2) What can I influence & 3) What can I not control? - if you are focused on 3 (such as deadline dates, manager expectations etc) you are wasting brain energy and need to look at 1.

Peer support through activities is a great way to support. However, one complete NO is arranging team building activities outside office hours.

Asking open-ended questions is vital in understanding employee stressors. These questions encourage deeper conversation, allowing employees to express their thoughts and feelings fully. Start with queries like 'How are you feeling about your current workload?' or 'What challenges are you facing that might be contributing to your stress?' Avoid leading or yes/no questions as they limit the depth of response. Be genuinely curious about their answers, and listen actively. This approach not only helps in identifying specific stressors but also makes employees feel heard and valued, which is a crucial step in effective stress management.

Peer support is essential for an employee to feel part of the team and not isolated. Anxiety and stress can lead to feelings of 'I can't cope, everyone else can' - this further feeds the stress and anxiety as we feel lost and an outsider. Sharing of experiences (positive, neutral and negative) can help unite and encourage team work. Mentors can work particularly well in these situations too - knowing you can go and speak to someone who has been in the same position can help employees feel supported, encouraging proactive behaviours and not procrastination due to fear of failure.

Entendo que nos dias atuais com a carga de estresse que temos o ambiente de trabalho não pode ser mais um local de carga negativa. Precisamos estar atentos aos nossos colaboradores e fazer e proporcionar o que estiver ao alcance da instituição para ajudá-los nas questões pessoais. Afinal o pessoal refletirá no desempenho profissional e portanto permitindo que o ambiente de trabalho seja acolhedor e consequentemente diminuído a carga de estresse do colaborador cm resultado teremos melhor desempenho e qualidade das suas atividades laborais.

From UTCCB, the trauma unit where I work, we have seen the importance of training company workers in psychological first aid (PFA) and mental health first aid (MHFA) as a key strategy for peer support in any type of critical incident.

I think promoting self care starts with a level of transparency, some vulnerability, and leading by example. If your people feel like their leader is working around the clock, they might feel like they have to as well. Take time away from work to care for your overall well-being, share what you’re doing to care for yourself, and encourage open dialogue about what others are doing. I’ll never forget the leader that could tell I was overwhelmed, stressed, and at risk of burnout. She asked if I’d like to go for a walk during our lunch break. It was valuable time together but also taught me a coping mechanism to care for myself during stressful times.

Promoting self-care among employees is key in managing stress. Encourage them to prioritize activities that foster physical and mental well-being, like regular exercise, healthy eating, and adequate sleep. Share the idea that self-care isn't selfish but essential for maintaining productivity and creativity. Offer resources or workshops on time management and setting boundaries, which are crucial for work-life balance. Remind them that taking short breaks during the day can recharge their energy and focus. Lastly, lead by example. Demonstrate your own commitment to self-care, reinforcing its value and normalizing it as part of the workplace culture.

Self-care is the number one way we manage and reduce stress in our lives. But this is a tricky subject as it means different things to different people. To keep it simple, look to the basic lifestyle factors of eating, sleeping and exercise. If one of these is impacted (eg mot sleeping, skipping meals, under or over-exercising) stress will accumulate in lots of ways. You can gently guide your employees to look to how these areas of their lives are impacted. But perhaps the most meaningful way we can support our employees, peers and each other is to give space. There is profound power in taking a “pause” - even for just a few minutes. Take a break, take a walk, mindfully eat lunch etc… Simple, powerful and effective!

Promoting balance in the workplace through educating employees on self-care strategies helps everyone. Bring in a healing professional to teach, workshop and follow up with employees on simple healing techniques i.e. Emotional Freedom Technique EFT Tapping) and/or Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique (B.E.S.T.) that they can use on their own, anytime, brings healing and harmony to the workplace and beyond.

As a leader, showcasing your self-care routines is a powerful method to emphasize its importance. By doing so, you cultivate a culture where prioritizing self-care is valued. This approach not only aids in retention but also communicates to your employees that you, too, recognize the necessity of self-care.

Your organization' mission and vision should expouse valuing and prioritizing employee wellbeing. It should be evident throughout the company's culture and reflected in your work design. If not the case, asking employees to be open about stressors on the job will be a futile activity, when there is evidence to suggest nothing will become of feedback provided. It is the organization's responsibility to eliminate or mitigate psycho-social hazards in the workplace that could precipitate stress and burnout. Your policies, programs and infrastructure will reflect this. When employees know you care, they will be likely to share openly, even without being prompted.

Putting self-awareness and self-mastery in the centre of (self-)leadership. Individuals are ready understand how different layers of their consciousness works. Psychological safety, productivity, happiness and fulfilment are inside jobs. In a corporate environment, educating employees on unconscious stress (and generally on what stress is, namely a biological survival reaction), conditioning and neurobiology, generates sustainable change for the better - without any therapeutical touch.

Educating employees about the true nature of stress can be incredibly valuable in helping them effectively address their stressors. Most people don’t know that stress is a response to inner resistance to feeling emotions caused by stressors. Helping employees understand which emotions they are resisting to feel and how this resistance is influenced by their internal beliefs, perceptions, and coping mechanisms can be highly beneficial in preventing crises.

Line managers need to be trained at least in some kind of "Mental health At Work" basics course. They could gain better understanding of the signs of stress and burn out in the workplace. They could be able to offer some coping strategies and self-care technics as well. Having open mind to the holistic opportunities to promote self-care is also important.

Employees need to understand first the wide range of stressors effecting us and how they are affecting us. I often work with a "Detect your stressors" reflection sheets. It offers questions to typical stressor categories, like environmental stressors, knowledge stressors, mindset stressors, relational stressors etc. and then peer discussions help to understand how different things stress different colleagues - in the circle we discuss how stress shows up at team level and what individual and collective measures could be taken to address stress.