Source: People Management magazine
Issue date: 10 August 2006

Line managers need to focus on working with employees individually to identify and manage their causes of stress

It is simply not possible to remove all sources of stress at work but, according to our recent research, empowering line managers to manage stress among their teams will help to reduce some of its consequences, such as: poor morale, reduced performance and team conflict. The research, Managing Stress, shows that line managers, rather than HR, are predominantly responsible for managing stress within their teams, and 67 per cent of these say they would “probably” or “definitely” benefit from training or development in this area.

Taking time off was the least commonly reported way of managing stress. Survey respondents were more likely to take on work challenges than to avoid them, and to manage their stress proactively through planning, prioritising and delegating work.

Yet 33 per cent said the support they got was “rarely” or “never” adequate, and 42 per cent said they were unable to prevent repeated stress from the same cause. Line managers therefore need to focus on working with employees individually to identify and manage their causes of stress.

1 Create a supportive culture

Macho cultures where stress is denied are at risk of extreme reactions when it does occur. A supportive work culture is one where employees feel they can speak openly about stress, and where asking for help is not seen as a sign of weakness. One way of encouraging such a culture is to ensure that one-to-one and team meetings explicitly address issues such as workload and clarity of objectives.

Research consistently shows that the most effective support comes from people’s direct managers. Employees who feel their line manager is willing and able to support them suffer fewer negative effects of stress. In contrast, those who do not have the benefit of their manager’s support experience poor health and reduced job satisfaction during times of change and peaks in workload. A supportive manager can therefore “buffer” the impact of work stresses, as can support from peers and colleagues.

2 Appreciate people’s differences

Although some jobs are inherently stressful, one person’s stress can be another person’s challenge. For example, while some people are terrified at the prospect of giving presentations, others thrive on public speaking.

People’s reactions depend not only on whether they can do the tasks necessary for their role, but also on whether they will find it enjoyable or stressful to be doing these things as often as is required. Identifying the personality characteristics as well as the key competencies that suit different job roles can help to ensure the right people are matched to the right job, particularly when recruiting.

3 Recognise the signs of stress

When under stress, people react in different ways. One person will become reflective, thinking through the issues and potential solutions, whereas another can become verbose, seeking advice and support. Under extreme pressure, one person may “explode”, while another will withdraw completely.

Line managers need to be able to recognise these different signals and know their team members well enough to understand what type of support they need in times of stress. While some employees will appreciate the opportunity to talk things through and discuss their reactions, others will want practical advice to get them through the situation. Personality questionnaires can help to identify these individual needs.

4 Resolve issues as they arise

Left unresolved, even apparently small issues can grow into a source of stress. Be prepared to address issues such as workload prioritisation, office layout and personal disagreements as they arise. Anticipate that any kind of workplace change, from a complete organisational restructure through to repainting the walls, can unsettle employees. Make sure that the people factors in any change are thought through and addressed.

5 Consider teambuilding

Developing good working relationships can be crucial to preventing work stress  84 per cent of survey respondents say relationships can cause stress and 90 per cent believe relationships can help to manage stress.

Focused teambuilding events can help to build effective work relationships. They can raise awareness of individual differences in the experience of, and reactions to, stressful situations, and help team members to understand how they can work together effectively and resolve interpersonal conflicts.

Unfortunately, all too often the progress achieved during a teambuilding event can dissipate once everyone is back at work. Effective teams embed the lessons learnt into their everyday business processes. Regular team meetings enable staff to share what they are doing, understand their own and each other’s workloads and build a supportive team culture.

6 Enable autonomy

A demanding, high-pressure job need not be stressful. There is a considerable body of research demonstrating that people can manage sustained high workload without negative effects if they have control over how they manage this workload. There are many ways to provide flexibility for your employees, including flexible work hours, homeworking and devolving decision-making within the role. When employees are more satisfied with their working conditions, their working hours will be more productive.

7 Remember remote workers

The rise of remote working has great potential to reduce stress. Relieving individuals of a tedious daily commute can help them to manage their work-life balance, and working from home typically provides considerable autonomy for managing individual work tasks.

However, out of sight can mean out of mind. Talk to your remote workers and find out what support they need. Requests could be varied in nature, covering requirements such as regular virtual team meetings, IT support, or access to information from the wider business.

8 Have a contingency plan

While it is desirable to prevent stress occurring, it is inevitable that symptoms of stress will arise from time to time, whether as a result of unavoidable work pressures, or personal events outside of work. Whatever the cause, it is important to have plans in place to enable an effective response when the need arises. Options include employee assistance programmes, peer support networks and stress management interventions. For many people, simply being aware that such support is available can reduce anxiety.

Checklist

Top tips for preventing stress

• Carefully assess different job roles to identify the skills and competencies required.
• Consider the personality characteristics required by a role at the recruitment stage, to ensure a good match between people and job roles.
• Remember that people respond in different ways to pressure.
• Give staff control over their workload and a high level of autonomy to buffer the negative effects of stress.
• Understand your employees’ individual needs and responses in times of stress.
• Use teambuilding to create a supportive work environment that will help people to manage the effects of stress.

Further info

The CIPD and the Health and Safety Executive have commissioned research aimed at identifying the line management behaviours associated with the effective management of stress at work. See Study notes, PM 1 June 2006, and the next edition of PM for more details.