Stress is a major problem in our modern fast-paced society. To put this problem on the map, the Dutch government has declared this week (14-18 November) 'week of work stress'. Nearly 1 million, 1 in 7 employees in the Netherlands, suffer from serious burnout complaints and are therefore at risk. Almost 1/3^e of long-term absenteeism due to illness is due to psychological (stress) complaints. Unprecedented numbers that we really have to do something with. Managers partly have the solution in their hands. Research shows that employees with little support from their manager in particular exhibit stress symptoms. In short, you as a manager play an important role!  

What is work stress and how do you recognize it? 

Stress originally means tension or pressure. The tension exerted on a product. This becomes harmful when the product can no longer handle the pressure. Manufacturers such as IKEA, but also car brands, systematically subject their products to a 'stress test' to determine whether they can withstand sufficient pressure. Sooner or later products will fail, that is inevitable. The same goes for people, of course. A little tension is good. In fact, most people need some level of tension to perform optimally. It is not without reason that top footballers often fail against seemingly simple opponents. When the pressure is on, one can excel. However, if the pressure becomes too great, hairline cracks begin to appear. For example, consider missing a penalty during an important match.

We use the term stress when there is unhealthy pressure. Too much tension. Exactly the moment when healthy tension turns into overload. As a manager, recognizing and monitoring this balance is one of your most important tasks. In the Netherlands alone, stress is estimated to cost around 800 million euros per year. But how do you recognize stress symptoms in your team? The annoying thing is that stress among one or more of your employees does not always immediately show itself by making mistakes or carelessness. However, stress has clear symptoms:

Cynicism

Employees who have a high level of stress often react cynically to situations. Distrust of others, initiatives taken, and laconic response to situations can be clear signs that an employee is having a hard time.

Irritations

The most important indicator is without a doubt irritation. Employees who are increasingly irritated by other people and situations and who have an increasingly shorter fuse often do not feel good about themselves. Just look at yourself in traffic. Do you react differently to those annoying left-hand drivers when you have to be on time for an appointment?

Short reports of illness

Of course, an employee can always be ill. A flu or cold can quickly last several days. However, it is alarming if an employee is ill relatively often. And not necessarily a long time, but just 1 or 2 days. Someone who is absent for 1 (or a few days) relatively often could easily experience a high level of work stress. Few managers do it, but really try to find out the reason for reporting sick.

What can you do about it?

Now that you know a number of ways to recognize stress within your organization, it is of course also interesting to look at possible solutions. Prevention is better than treatment, of course.

Clear (manageable) goals

Stress is often caused by ambiguities in the range of tasks or by unattainable objectives. Provide clarity for the entire team and discuss the feasibility of your plans in advance.

Limit overtime

In some industries, overtime is more the norm than the exception. If your team has to work overtime as standard, you simply have too little capacity or the processes are not running smoothly.

Regular conversations

Official performance reviews of course you don't need it often. However, periodically talking briefly and informally with your employees is a great way to identify pain points.

Celebrate success

Last but not least, pay more attention to successes than to problems. Celebrate successes with your entire team.