case study on stress management at workplace

Workplace stress: an occupational health case study

This case study on workplace stress shows how the evidence base for occupational health underpinned a successful intervention. Anne Donaldson and Anne Harriss explain.

Stress, anxiety or depression underpin much work-related ill health, accounting for 9.9 million days of sickness absence in 2014-15, with, on average, 23 days lost per person. It resulted in 35% of all days missed from work due to ill health. Industries reporting the highest prevalence of ill health from work-related stress included health and social care, teaching, public administration and defence (HSE, 2015).

The Mental Health Foundation claims 12 million adults consult their GP each year due to mental illness, much of it stress related; one in six of the population experiences anxiety (MHF, 2014).

The main causes of work-related stress reported to GPs (THOR – GP) were workload pressures, interpersonal relationships, including bullying, harassment and difficulty with superiors, and work changes, including responsibilities and reduction of resources (HSE, 2014). A YouGov survey (2012) found 48% of the British workforce said they were stressed most of the time and 47% cited performance issues as key reasons.

Impact of workplace stress on individuals and work colleagues

Stress wanes when stressors are reduced. Conversely, anxiety can persist without a clear cause to the individual.

Anxiety and stress are closely linked with similar signs and symptoms; anxiety may be associated with depression as the most common mood disorder seen in primary care (Kumar and Clark, 2012). People with low psychosocial resources are more likely to succumb to mood disturbance when stress levels increase despite experiencing few stressors (DeLongis et al, 1988).

Colleagues often undertake the work responsibilities of absent staff. This may lead to spiralling absences among co-workers, who are stressed because of the additional responsibility (HSE, 2014). This case study presents the assessment of an employee, Norman, in order to ensure his fitness to return to his role without impacting on his health (Palmer et al, 2013).

The objectives of the consultation were two-fold:

• evaluating whether work had adversely affected Norman’s health and whether it may continue to do so; and
• providing impartial advice to management regarding his sickness absence, suggesting modifications for their consideration in order to support a successful return to work.

Norman’s referral by management was precipitated by a four-week absence related to stress and anxiety. There had been four further single-day absences in the preceding six months attributed to gastrointestinal upsets.

The consultation

Norman, a 22-year-old part-time receptionist and administrative assistant, had been employed in this role for 10 months working 30 hours per week. He had been absent from work for a month on the day of the consultation and was preparing to return to work. On entering the department, his mobility difficulties and an obviously awkward gait and altered balance were noted. He disclosed treatment by his GP for stress, anxiety and depression.

He described previous short-term absences resulting from nausea and vomiting, relating these to his anxiety at attending work. In the previous five to six weeks, in addition to nausea he also referred to difficulty sleeping, restlessness, loss of appetite, palpitations and rumination on his low self-esteem. Rumination can be a negative effect of stress. Genet and Siemer (2012) claim that rumination moderates the relation between unpleasant daily effects and negative mood.

Although excessive rumination is maladaptive, McFarland et al (2007) agree that some limited self-focus can be beneficial. Norman felt anxious about returning to the same situation and was accessing counselling support to help anxiety management. Hunsley et al (2014) suggest that psychological treatments are of at least equal benefit to medication for common mental disorders.

He had been prescribed 75mg of Venlafaxine a day with good effect. Venlafaxine is a serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor used to treat depression or generalised anxiety disorder. His GP also prescribed 5mg of diazepam – a long-acting benzodiazepine anxiolytic – to be taken as required. Recently he had not taken this as he felt better.

Past health and social history

Norman had cerebral palsy and experienced difficulty walking during his early years. Achilles tendon surgery in childhood improved this, although surgery left him with residual lower leg discomfort if he walked too far or stood for sustained periods without resting. The orthopaedic team monitored him every 18 months.

Norman described excellent family support. A non-smoker and non-drinker of alcohol, he took no formal exercise but walked as much as he felt able. Increasing physical activity within his ability was advised as it is found to improve mental health (Crone & Guy, 2008; McArdle et al, 2012).

Work issues

Norman generally enjoyed his role, shared with an able-bodied colleague with whom he alternated his reception duties. He indicated the interface with the public could be challenging and stressful. His workload had increased in the previous four months following the resignation of a colleague who indicated that he too found this role stressful. Financial constraints resulted in this position remaining unfilled, increasing Norman’s responsibilities. Stress is recognised as contributing to high staff turnover and low morale (Wolever et al, 2012).

Although working primarily at the reception desk, Norman frequently got up from his chair to deal with customers and to undertake photocopying duties. On one occasion he spent an afternoon mostly standing, which resulted in leg discomfort. No workplace adjustments had been effected to support his disability.

On recruitment, his manager had enquired whether he required any adjustments. Norman declined this offer, not wanting to “make a fuss”. He had not disclosed his disability at pre-employment screening (PES) as he did not consider himself disabled.

Many of Norman’s perceived stressors are normal daily occurrences of reception duties, but his physical disability exacerbated this. As he had not requested adjustments, there was nothing in place to support him in relation to his mobility difficulties.

Although his disability had not been disclosed at PES, under s.2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Norman’s employer has a duty of care to him. Withholding information at PES that later comes to light could lead to disciplinary action but Norman considered that declaring his disability may have precluded his employment.

Cerebral palsy describes a group of childhood syndromes, apparent from birth or early childhood, characterised by abnormalities in motor function and muscle tone caused by genetic, intrauterine or neonatal insults to brain development. Resulting disabilities, of varying degrees, may be physical and mental.

A full functional capability assessment should have been performed at the start of his employment, facilitating adjustments enabling him to function effectively (Palmer et al, 2013). This had not been undertaken.

Norman usually managed his leg discomforts but occasionally had been unable to rest them at work. A study of workers with rheumatoid arthritis suggested that the workers reported greater discomfort on the days when they experienced more undesirable work events or job “strain” (Fifield et al, 2004).

Although this study looked at rheumatoid arthritis, issues concerning chronic pain and discomfort are relevant in this case. Although ultimately a legal decision, Norman was likely to be covered under the Equality Act 2010 as he had a long-term disability.

Withholding information at PES was fundamental to the case of  Cheltenham Borough Council v Laird (2009) . The council accused Laird of lying on her PES questionnaire by not disclosing her mental health history. She had been taking long-term antidepressants that kept her depression under control, but after some work problems her health deteriorated and she retired on health grounds. The judge confirmed there was no general duty of disclosure of information that was not specifically requested.

Thus, if a PES form does not directly ask about cerebral palsy, disclosure was not required. Kloss (2010) mentions these types of dilemmas are often only answered through the courts, but unless the employer is given information regarding disability, he cannot reasonably put adjustments in place. In the case of  Hanlon v Kirklees Metropolitan Council and others , the employee declined to consent to the disclosure of medical records, arguing this would contravene his right to privacy, and subsequently lost his case of disability discrimination.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE 2007) defines stress as: “The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work.”

The stress response

Stressors initiate physiological responses, evolved to protect and preserve the individual in times of threat by ensuring a reaction (Alexander et al, 2006).

This response is triggered by the limbic system within the brain. This is a series of centres controlling emotions, reproductive and survival behaviours (Blows, 2011). When survival is threatened, the system is instantly triggered into action to protect the individual, regardless of the threat magnitude.

A chain reaction occurs: the hypothalamus mediates the autonomic nervous system (Alexander et al, 2006), resulting in a sequence of physiological changes. The initial reaction is very fast, and only when the information reaches the cerebrum can the urgency of the situation be determined and responses modified (Blows, 2011).

The initial flight-or-fight response acts on the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. Noradrenaline from the adrenal medulla immediately prepares the body for physical activity, mobilising glucose and oxygen to the heart, brain and skeletal muscles, preparing for flight or fight.

Non-essential functions, including digestion, are inhibited. Reduced bloodflow to the skin and kidneys promote the release of rennin, triggering the angiotensin – aldosterone pathway leading to fluid retention and hypertension. The resistance reaction results from corticotropin-releasing factor from the hypothalamus, stimulating the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone from the pituitary. This effects a release of cortisol from the adrenal cortex.

Cortisol effects are far-reaching, including lipolysis, gluconeogenesis and reducing inflammation. (Tortora and Grabowski, 2003). The body compensates for the effects of stress as long as possible. Three phases of stress are described as the general adaptation syndrome: alarm phase, resistance and exhaustion (Blows, 2011). The resistance and exhaustion phases may lead to immunosuppression and consequent disease (Tortora and Grabowski, 2003).

There is a reciprocal feedback link between the thalamus and amygdala. When the amygdala becomes overactive, fear and anxiety result. While adrenaline keeps the stress response active, endorphins protect the brain from the effects of fear (Blows, 2011). With so many physiological responses, there are numerous symptoms of stress that vary with each individual.

Significantly, stress causes muscle tension (HSE, 2007), exacerbating Norman’s discomfort, influencing his quality of life. As Kumar and Clark (2012) note, this is associated with depression.

The HSE (2007) management standards for work stress cover six main areas of primary work design that can contribute to stress if not properly managed. These include:

• Demands – including work patterns, workloads and work environment.
• Control – the extent of the worker’s job control.
• Support – provided by the organisation, management and colleagues.
• Role – understanding of their role and avoiding role-conflict.
• Change – management and communication of organisational change.
• Conflict – avoiding conflict, unacceptable behaviour and promoting positive working.

Fitness to work

The fitness-for-work assessment was based on a phenomenological appraisal as the effects of stress vary with each individual and their resilience (Alexander et al, 2006). A bio-psychosocial model informed the assessment. Norman stated that his condition was improving and he was ready to return to work. He no longer experienced symptoms that had taken him to the GP, but he was concerned at ending up in the same situation as before.

A patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), providing an indication of depression, could have been used to assess Norman. Arroll et al (2010) found that the PHQ-9 is unreliable for diagnosing depression, whereas Manea et al (2012) refutes this assertion. At the time it seemed to be of limited value as he was making good progress.

Norman was advised to discuss his work concerns with his manager. With Norman’s consent, his manager was contacted and advised to carry out a comprehensive stress risk assessment as per the HSE management standards. It was suggested to Norman that he contact the organisation’s employee assistance programme and Access to Work, which offers grants for practical support for individuals with disabilities/health conditions to assist them with starting and staying at work. A phased return to work was formulated assisting Norman back into work and supporting him to stay at work. The following work regime was recommended:

• Week 1: Four hours on two days.
• Week 2: Four hours on four days.
• Week 3: Six hours on four days.
• Week 4: Full working week with the option of a review should Norman struggle.

Norman was to meet with his manager at the end of each week to review his progress, with the option to delay the next stage if this programme proved ineffective. In general, Norman had indicated that he had let his concerns take over without making any attempt to talk with his managers. He realised he should have discussed his work issues with his managers at an earlier stage. As Waddell and Burton (2006) note, early interventions are more effective at reducing long-term sickness absence and keeping workers at work.

Norman’s case illustrates how lack of control and apparent excessive demands and change can influence stress at work to negatively affect health. It reached a successful conclusion, but Norman’s case may have been prevented from requiring OH intervention had he been able to discuss his concerns and feelings with his manager in the first instance and a proactive approach, including the use of HSE stress management standards, been used at an earlier stage.

Anne Donaldson is an occupational health adviser. Anne Harriss is associate professor and course director, London South Bank University.

Alexander MF, Fawcett JN, and Runciman PJ (2006). Nursing Practice: Hospital and Home. 3rd edition. Edinburgh, Elsevier.

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Blows W (2011). The biological basis of mental health nursing. 2nd edition. Abingdon, Oxon. Routledge.

Crone D, and Guy H (2008). “I know it is only exercise, but to me it is something that keeps me going: a qualitative approach to understanding mental health service users’ experiences of sports therapy”. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, vol.17(3), pp.197-207.

DeLongis A, Folkman S, and Lazarus Richard S (1988). “The impact of daily stress on health and mood: psychological and social resources as mediators”. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol.54(3), pp.486-495. Available online. Accessed 19 April 2014.

Fifield J, McQuillan J, Armeli S, Tennen H, Reisne S, and Affleck G (2004). “Chronic strain, daily work stress and pain among workers with rheumatoid arthritis: does job stress make a bad day worse?” Work & Stress, vol.18(4), pp.275-291. Accessed 12 April 2014.

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Kumar P and Clark M (2012). Clinical Medicine, 8th edition, Edinburgh, Saunders Elsevier.

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McArdle S, McGale N, and Gaffney P (2012). “A qualitative exploration of men’s experiences of an integrated exercise/CBT mental health promotion programme”. International Journal Of Men’s Health, vol.11(3), pp.240-257. doi:10.3149/jmh.1103.240.

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Mental Health Foundation (2014). Mental Health Statistics Available online. Accessed 17 April 2016.

Palmer K, Brown I, and Hobson J (2013). Fitness for Work, 5th edition, Oxford University Press.

Tortora G and Grabowski S (2003). Principles of anatomy and physiology, 10th edition, Hoboken NJ, John Wiley & Sons.

Waddell G, Burton K, and Kendall N (2008). Vocational Rehabilitation, what works, for whom and when? London: TSO pdf. Available online. Accessed 19 April 2016.

Wolever RQ, Bobinet KJ, McCabe K, Mackenzie ER, Fekete E, Kusnick CA, and Baime M (2012). “Effective and viable mind-body stress reduction in the workplace: a randomized controlled trial”. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, vol.17(2), pp.246-258.

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Cheltenham Borough Council v Laird [2009] IRLR 621.

Hanlon v Kirklees Metropolitan Council and others [2004] EAT 0119/04 (IDS Brief 767).

• 1 No poverty
• 2 Zero hunger
• 3 Good health and well-being
• 4 Quality education
• 5 Gender equality
• 6 Clean water and sanitation
• 7 Affordable and clean energy
• 8 Decent work and economic growth
• 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure
• 10 Reduced inequalities
• 11 Sustainable cities and communities
• 12 Responsible consumption and production
• 13 Climate action
• 14 Life below water
• 15 Life on land
• 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions
• 17 Partnership for the goals

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Work stress, mental health, and employee performance.

• 1 School of Business, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
• 2 Henan Research Platform Service Center, Zhengzhou, China

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak—as a typical emergency event—significantly has impacted employees' psychological status and thus has negatively affected their performance. Hence, along with focusing on the mechanisms and solutions to alleviate the impact of work stress on employee performance, we also examine the relationship between work stress, mental health, and employee performance. Furthermore, we analyzed the moderating role of servant leadership in the relationship between work stress and mental health, but the result was not significant. The results contribute to providing practical guidance for enterprises to improve employee performance in the context of major emergencies.

Introduction

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the key drivers of economic development as they contribute >50, 60, 70, 80, and 90% of tax revenue, GDP, technological innovation, labor employment, and the number of enterprises, respectively. However, owing to the disadvantages of small-scale and insufficient resources ( Cai et al., 2017 ; Flynn, 2017 ), these enterprises are more vulnerable to being influenced by emergency events. The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak—as a typical emergency event—has negatively affected survival and growth of SMEs ( Eggers, 2020 ). Some SMEs have faced a relatively higher risk of salary reduction, layoffs, or corporate bankruptcy ( Adam and Alarifi, 2021 ). Consequently, it has made employees in the SMEs face the following stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic: First, employees' income, promotion, and career development opportunities have declined ( Shimazu et al., 2020 ). Second, as most employees had to work from home, family conflicts have increased and family satisfaction has decreased ( Green et al., 2020 ; Xu et al., 2020 ). Finally, as work tasks and positions have changed, the new work environment has made employees less engaged and less fulfilled at work ( Olugbade and Karatepe, 2019 ; Chen and Fellenz, 2020 ).

For SMEs, employees are their core assets and are crucial to their survival and growth ( Shan et al., 2022 ). Employee work stress may precipitate burnout ( Choi et al., 2019 ; Barello et al., 2020 ), which manifests as fatigue and frustration ( Mansour and Tremblay, 2018 ), and is associated with various negative reactions, including job dissatisfaction, low organizational commitment, and a high propensity to resign ( Lu and Gursoy, 2016 ; Uchmanowicz et al., 2020 ). Ultimately, it negatively impacts employee performance ( Prasad and Vaidya, 2020 ). The problem of employee work stress has become an important topic for researchers and practitioners alike. In this regard, it is timely to explore the impact of work stress on SME problems of survival and growth during emergency events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although recent studies have demonstrated the relationship between work stress and employee performance, some insufficiencies persist, which must be resolved. Research on how work stress affects employee performance has remained fragmented and limited. First, the research into how work stress affects employee performance is still insufficient. Some researchers have explored the effects of work stress on employee performance during COVID-19 ( Saleem et al., 2021 ; Tu et al., 2021 ). However, they have not explained the intermediate path, which limits our understanding of effects of work stress. As work stress causes psychological pain to employees, in response, they exhibit lower performance levels ( Song et al., 2020 ; Yu et al., 2022 ). Thus, employees' mental health becomes an important path to explain the relationship mechanism between work stress and employee performance, which is revealed in this study using a stress–psychological state–performance framework. Second, resolving the mental health problems caused by work stress has become a key issue for SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the core of the enterprise ( Ahn et al., 2018 ), the behavior of leaders significantly influences employees. Especially for SMEs, intensive interactive communication transpires between the leader and employees ( Li et al., 2019 ; Tiedtke et al., 2020 ). Servant leadership, as a typical leader's behavior, is considered an important determinant of employee mental health ( Haslam et al., 2020 ). Hence, to improve employees' mental health, we introduce servant leadership as a moderating variable and explore its contingency effect on relieving work stress and mental health.

This study predominantly tries to answer the question of how work stress influences employee performance and explores the mediating impact of mental health and the moderating impact of servant leadership in this relationship. Mainly, this study contributes to the existing literature in the following three ways: First, this research analyzes the influence of work stress on employee performance in SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic, which complements previous studies and theories related to work stress. Second, this study regards mental health as a psychological state and examines its mediating impact on the relationship between work stress and employee performance, which complements the research path on how work stress affects employee performance. Third, we explore the moderating impact of servant leadership, which has been ignored in previous research, thus extending the understanding of the relationship between the work stress and mental health of employees in SMEs.

To accomplish the aforementioned tasks, the remainder of this article is structured as follows: First, based on the literature review, we propose our hypotheses. Thereafter, we present our research method, including the processes of data collection, sample characteristics, measurement of variables, and sample validity. Subsequently, we provide the data analysis and report the results. Finally, we discuss the results and present the study limitations.

Theoretical background and hypotheses

Work stress and employee performance.

From a psychological perspective, work stress influences employees' psychological states, which, in turn, affects their effort levels at work ( Lu, 1997 ; Richardson and Rothstein, 2008 ; Lai et al., 2022 ). Employee performance is the result of the individual's efforts at work ( Robbins, 2005 ) and thus is significantly impacted by work stress. However, previous research has provided no consistent conclusion regarding the relationship between work stress and employee performance. One view is that a significant positive relationship exists between work stress and employee performance ( Ismail et al., 2015 ; Soomro et al., 2019 ), suggesting that stress is a motivational force that encourages employees to work hard and improve work efficiency. Another view is that work stress negatively impacts employee performance ( Yunus et al., 2018 ; Nawaz Kalyar et al., 2019 ; Purnomo et al., 2021 ), suggesting that employees need to spend time and energy to cope with stress, which increases their burden and decreases their work efficiency. A third view is that the impact of work stress on employee performance is non-linear and may exhibit an inverted U-shaped relationship ( McClenahan et al., 2007 ; Hamidi and Eivazi, 2010 ); reportedly, when work stress is relatively low or high, employee performance is low. Hence, if work stress reaches a moderate level, employee performance will peak. However, this conclusion is derived from theoretical analyses and is not supported by empirical data. Finally, another view suggests that no relationship exists between them ( Tănăsescu and Ramona-Diana, 2019 ). Indubitably, it presupposes that employees are rational beings ( Lebesby and Benders, 2020 ). Per this view, work stress cannot motivate employees or influence their psychology and thus cannot impact their performance.

To further explain the aforementioned diverse views, positive psychology proposes that work stress includes two main categories: challenge stress and hindrance stress ( Cavanaugh et al., 2000 ; LePine et al., 2005 ). Based on their views, challenge stress represents stress that positively affects employees' work attitudes and behaviors, which improves employee performance by increasing work responsibility; by contrast, hindrance stress negatively affects employees' work attitudes and behaviors, which reduces employee performance by increasing role ambiguity ( Hon and Chan, 2013 ; Deng et al., 2019 ).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, SMEs have faced a relatively higher risk of salary reductions, layoffs, or corporate bankruptcy ( Adam and Alarifi, 2021 ). Hence, the competition among enterprises has intensified; managers may transfer some stress to employees, who, in turn, need to bear this to maintain and seek current and future career prospects, respectively ( Lai et al., 2015 ). In this context, employee work stress stems from increased survival problems of SMEs, and such an external shock precipitates greater stress among employees than ever before ( Gao, 2021 ). Stress more frequently manifests as hindrance stress ( LePine et al., 2004 ), which negatively affects employees' wellbeing and quality of life ( Orfei et al., 2022 ). It imposes a burden on employees, who need to spend time and energy coping with the stress. From the perspective of stressors, SMEs have faced serious survival problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, and consequently, employees have faced greater hindrance stress, thereby decreasing their performance. Hence, we propose the following hypothesis:

H1 . Work stress negatively influences employee performance in SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Work stress and mental health

According to the demand–control–support (DCS) model ( Karasek and Theorell, 1990 ), high-stress work—such as high job demands, low job control, and low social support at work—may trigger health problems in employees over time (e.g., mental health problems; Chou et al., 2015 ; Park et al., 2016 ; Lu et al., 2020 ). The DCS model considers stress as an individual's response to perceiving high-intensity work ( Houtman et al., 2007 ), which precipitates a change in the employee's cognitive, physical, mental, and emotional status. Of these, mental health problems including irritability, nervousness, aggressive behavior, inattention, sleep, and memory disturbances are a typical response to work stress ( Mayerl et al., 2016 ; Neupane and Nygard, 2017 ). If the response persists for a considerable period, mental health problems such as anxiety or depression may occur ( Bhui et al., 2012 ; Eskilsson et al., 2017 ). As coping with work stress requires an employee to exert continuous effort and apply relevant skills, it may be closely related to certain psychological problems ( Poms et al., 2016 ; Harrison and Stephens, 2019 ).

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the normal operating order of enterprises as well as employees' work rhythm. Consequently, employees might have faced greater challenges during this period ( Piccarozzi et al., 2021 ). In this context, work stress includes stress related to health and safety risk, impaired performance, work adjustment, and negative emotions, for instance, such work stress can lead to unhealthy mental problems. Hence, we propose the following hypothesis:

H2 . Work stress negatively influences mental health in SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mediating role of mental health

Previous research has found that employees' mental health status significantly affects their performance ( Bubonya et al., 2017 ; Cohen et al., 2019 ; Soeker et al., 2019 ), the main reasons of which are as follows: First, mental health problems reduce employees' focus on their work, which is potentially detrimental to their performance ( Hennekam et al., 2020 ). Second, mental health problems may render employees unable to work ( Heffernan and Pilkington, 2011 ), which indirectly reduces work efficiency owing to increased sick leaves ( Levinson et al., 2010 ). Finally, in the stress context, employees need to exert additional effort to adapt to the environment, which, consequently, make them feel emotionally exhausted. Hence, as their demands remain unfulfilled, their work satisfaction and performance decrease ( Khamisa et al., 2016 ).

Hence, we propose that work stress negatively impacts mental health, which, in turn, positively affects employee performance. In other words, we argue that mental health mediates the relationship between work stress and employee performance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, work stress—owing to changes in the external environment—might have caused nervous and anxious psychological states in employees ( Tan et al., 2020 ). Consequently, it might have rendered employees unable to devote their full attention to their work, and hence, their work performance might have decreased. Meanwhile, due to the pandemic, employees have faced the challenges of unclear job prospects and reduced income. Therefore, mental health problems manifest as moods characterized by depression and worry ( Karatepe et al., 2020 ). Negative emotions negatively impact employee performance. Per the aforementioned arguments and hypothesis 2, we propose the following hypothesis:

H3 . Mental health mediates the relationship between work stress and employee performance in SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moderating role of servant leadership

According to the upper echelons theory, leaders significantly influence organizational activities, and their leadership behavior influences the thinking and understanding of tasks among employees in enterprises ( Hambrick and Mason, 1984 ). Servant leadership is a typical leadership behavior that refers to leaders exhibiting humility, lending power to employees, raising the moral level of subordinates, and placing the interests of employees above their own ( Sendjaya, 2015 ; Eva et al., 2019 ). This leadership behavior provides emotional support to employees and increase their personal confidence and self-esteem and thus reduce negative effects of work stress. In our study, we propose that servant leadership reduces the negative effects of work stress on mental health in SMEs.

Servant leadership can reduce negative effects of work stress on mental health in the following ways: Servant leaders exhibit empathy and compassion ( Lu et al., 2019 ), which help alleviate employees' emotional pain caused by work stress. Song et al. (2020) highlighted that work stress can cause psychological pain among employees. However, servant leaders are willing to listen to their employees and become acquainted with them, which facilitates communication between the leader and the employee ( Spears, 2010 ). Hence, servant leadership may reduce employees' psychological pain through effective communication. Finally, servant leaders lend employees power, which makes the employees feel trusted. Employees—owing to their trust in the leaders—trust the enterprises as well, which reduces the insecurity caused by work stress ( Phong et al., 2018 ). In conclusion, servant leadership serves as a coping resource that reduces the impact of losing social support and thus curbs negative employee emotions ( Ahmed et al., 2021 ). Based on the aforementioned analysis, we find that servant leaders can reduce the mental health problems caused by work stress. Hence, we propose the following hypothesis:

H4 . Servant leadership reduces the negative relationship between work stress and mental health in SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology

Data collection and samples.

To assess our theoretical hypotheses, we collected data by administering a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was administered anonymously, and the respondents were informed regarding the purpose of the study. Owing to the impact of the pandemic, we distributed and collected the questionnaires by email. Specifically, we utilized the network relationships of our research group with the corporate campus and group members to distribute the questionnaires. In addition, to ensure the quality of the questionnaires, typically senior employees who had worked for at least 2 years at their enterprises were chosen as the respondents.

Before the formal survey, we conducted a pilot test. Thereafter, we revised the questionnaire based on the results of the trial investigation. Subsequently, we randomly administered the questionnaires to the target enterprises. Hence, 450 questionnaires were administered via email, and 196 valid questionnaires were returned—an effective rate of 43.6%. Table 1 presents the profiles of the samples.

Table 1 . Profiles of the samples.

Table 1 shows the descriptive statistics of the sample. Based on the firm size, respondents who worked in a company with 1–20 employees accounted for 9.2%, those in a company with 21–50 employees accounted for 40.8%, those in a company with 51–200 employees accounted for 38.8%, and those in a company with 201–500 employees accounted for 11.2%. Regarding industry, the majority of the respondents (63.8%) worked for non-high-technology industry and 36.2% of the respondents worked for high-technology industry. Regarding work age, the participants with a work experience of 3 years or less accounted for 32.1%, those with work experience of 3–10 years accounted for 32.7%, and those with a work experience of more than 10 years accounted for 35.2%.

Core variables in this study include English-version measures that have been well tested in prior studies; some modifications were implemented during the translation process. As the objective of our study is SMEs in China, we translated the English version to Chinese; this translation was carried out by two professionals to ensure accuracy. Thereafter, we administered the questionnaires to the respondents. Hence, as the measures of our variables were revised based on the trial investigation, we asked two professionals to translate the Chinese version of the responses to English to enable publishing this work in English. We evaluated all the items pertaining to the main variables using a seven-point Likert scale (7 = very high/strongly agree, 1 = very low/strongly disagree). The variable measures are presented subsequently.

Work stress (WS)

Following the studies of Parker and DeCotiis (1983) and Shah et al. (2021) , we used 12 items to measure work stress, such as “I get irritated or nervous because of work” and “Work takes a lot of my energy, but the reward is less than the effort.”

Mental health (MH)

The GHQ-12 is a widely used tool developed to assess the mental health status ( Liu et al., 2022 ). However, we revised the questionnaire by combining the research needs and results of the pilot test. We used seven items to measure mental health, such as “I feel that I am unable (or completely unable) to overcome difficulties in my work or life.” In the final calculation, the scoring questions for mental health were converted; higher scores indicated higher levels of mental health.

Servant leadership (SL)

Following the studies by Ehrhart (2004) and Sendjaya et al. (2019) , we used nine items to measure servant leadership, including “My leader makes time to build good relationships with employees” and “My leader is willing to listen to subordinates during decision-making.”

Employee performance (EP)

We draw on the measurement method provided by Chen et al. (2002) and Khorakian and Sharifirad (2019) ; we used four items to represent employee performance. An example item is as follows: “I can make a contribution to the overall performance of our enterprise.”

Control variables

We controlled several variables that may influence employee performance, including firm size, industry, and work age. Firm size was measured by the number of employees. For industry, we coded them into two dummy variables (high-technology industry = 1, non-high-technology industry = 0). We calculated work experience by the number of years the employee has worked for the enterprise.

Common method bias

Common method bias may exist because each questionnaire was completed independently by each respondent ( Cai et al., 2017 ). We conducted a Harman one-factor test to examine whether common method bias significantly affected our data ( Podsakoff and Organ, 1986 ); the results revealed that the largest factor in our data accounted for only 36.219% of the entire variance. Hence, common method bias did not significantly affect on our study findings.

Reliability and validity

We analyzed the reliability and validity of our data for further data processing, the results of which are presented in Table 2 . Based on these results, we found that Cronbach's alpha coefficient of each variable was >0.8, thus meeting the requirements for reliability of the variables. To assess the validity of each construct, we conducted four separate confirmatory factor analyses. All the factor loadings exceeded 0.5. Overall, the reliability and validity results met the requirements for further data processing.

Table 2 . Results of confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha coefficients.

To verify our hypotheses, we used a hierarchical linear regression method. Before conducting the regression analysis, we performed a Pearson correlation analysis, the results of which are presented in Table 3 .

Table 3 . Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis.

In the regression analysis, we calculated the variance inflation factor (VIF) of each variable and found that the VIF value of each variable was <3. Hence, the effect of multiple co-linearity is not significant. The results of regression analysis are presented in Tables 4 , 5 .

Table 4 . Results of linear regression analysis (models 1–6).

Table 5 . Results of linear regression analysis (models 7–9).

Table 4 shows that model 1 is the basic model assessing the effects of control variables on employee performance. In model 2, we added an independent variable (work stress) to examine its effect on employee performance. The results revealed that work stress negatively affects employee performance (β = −0.193, p < 0.01). Therefore, hypothesis 1 is supported. Model 5 is the basic model that examines the effects of control variables on mental health. In model 6, we added an independent variable (work stress) to assess its effect on mental health. We found that work stress negatively affects mental health (β = −0.517, p < 0.001). Therefore, hypothesis 2 is supported.

To verify the mediating effect of mental health on the relationship between work stress and employee performance, we used the method introduced by Kenny et al. (1998) , which is described as follows: (1) The independent variable is significantly related to the dependent variable. (2) The independent variable is significantly related to the mediating variable. (3) The mediating variable is significantly related to the dependent variable after controlling for the independent variable. (4) If the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable becomes smaller, it indicates a partial mediating effect. (5) If the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable is no longer significant, it indicates a full mediating effect. Based on this method, in model 4, mental health is significantly positively related to employee performance (β = 0.343, p < 0.001), and no significant correlation exists between work stress and employee performance (β = −0.016, p > 0.05). Hence, mental health fully mediates the relationship between work stress and employee performance. Therefore, hypothesis 3 is supported.

To verify the moderating effect of servant leadership on the relationship between work stress and mental health, we gradually added independent variables, a moderator variable, and interaction between the independent variables and moderator variable to the analysis, the results of which are presented in Table 5 . In model 9, the moderating effect of servant leadership is not supported (β = 0.030, p > 0.05). Therefore, hypothesis 4 is not supported.

For SMEs, employees are core assets and crucial to their survival and growth ( Shan et al., 2022 ). Specifically, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, employees' work stress may precipitate burnout ( Choi et al., 2019 ; Barello et al., 2020 ), which influences their performance. Researchers and practitioners have significantly focused on resolving the challenge of work stress ( Karatepe et al., 2020 ; Tan et al., 2020 ; Gao, 2021 ). However, previous research has not clearly elucidated the relationship among work stress, mental health, servant leadership, and employee performance. Through this study, we found the following results:

Employees in SMEs face work stress owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduces their performance. Facing these external shocks, survival and growth of SMEs may become increasingly uncertain ( Adam and Alarifi, 2021 ). Employees' career prospects are negatively impacted. Meanwhile, the pandemic has precipitated a change in the way employees work, their workspace, and work timings. Moreover, their work is now intertwined with family life. Hence, employees experience greater stress at work than ever before ( Gao, 2021 ), which, in turn, affects their productivity and deteriorates their performance.

Furthermore, we found that mental health plays a mediating role in the relationship between work stress and employee performance; this suggests that employees' mental status is influenced by work stress, which, in turn, lowers job performance. Per our findings, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, employees experience nervous and anxious psychological states ( Tan et al., 2020 ), which renders them unable to devote their full attention to their work; hence, their work performance is likely to decrease.

Finally, we found that leaders are the core of any enterprise ( Ahn et al., 2018 ). Hence, their leadership behavior significantly influences employees. Per previous research, servant leadership is considered a typical leadership behavior characterized by exhibiting humility, delegating power to employees, raising the morale of subordinates, and placing the interests of employees above their own ( Sendjaya, 2015 ; Eva et al., 2019 ). Through theoretical analysis, we found that servant leadership mitigates the negative effect of work stress on mental health. However, the empirical results are not significant possibly because work stress of employees in SMEs is rooted in worries regarding the future of the macroeconomic environment, and the resulting mental health problems cannot be cured merely by a leader.

Hence, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, employees experience work stress, which precipitates mental health problems and poor employee performance. To solve the problem of work stress, SMEs should pay more attention to fostering servant leadership. Meanwhile, organizational culture is also important in alleviating employees' mental health problems and thus reducing negative effects of work stress on employee performance.

Implications

This study findings have several theoretical and managerial implications.

Theoretical implications

First, per previous research, no consistent conclusion exists regarding the relationship between work stress and employee performance, including positive relationships ( Ismail et al., 2015 ; Soomro et al., 2019 ), negative relationships ( Yunus et al., 2018 ; Nawaz Kalyar et al., 2019 ; Purnomo et al., 2021 ), inverted U-shaped relationships ( McClenahan et al., 2007 ; Hamidi and Eivazi, 2010 ), and no relationship ( Tănăsescu and Ramona-Diana, 2019 ). We report that work stress negatively affects employee performance in SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic; thus, this study contributes to the understanding of the situational nature of work stress and provides enriching insights pertaining to positive psychology.

Second, we established the research path that work stress affects employee performance. Mental health is a psychological state that may influence an individual's work efficiency. In this study, we explored its mediating role, which opens the black box of the relationship between work stress and employee performance; thus, this study contributes to a greater understanding of the role of work stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finally, this study sheds light on the moderating effect of servant leadership, which is useful for understanding why some SMEs exhibit greater difficulty in achieving success than others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research has explained the negative effect of work stress ( Yunus et al., 2018 ; Nawaz Kalyar et al., 2019 ; Purnomo et al., 2021 ). However, few studies have focused on how to resolve the problem. We identify servant leadership as the moderating factor providing theoretical support for solving the problem of work stress. This study expands the explanatory scope of the upper echelons theory.

Practice implications

First, this study elucidates the sources and mechanisms of work stress in SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees should continuously acquire new skills to improve themselves and thus reduce their replaceability. Meanwhile, they should enhance their time management and emotional regulation skills to prevent the emergence of adverse psychological problems.

Second, leaders in SMEs should pay more attention to employees' mental health to prevent the emergence of hindrance stress. Employees are primarily exposed to stress from health and safety risks, impaired performance, and negative emotions. Hence, leaders should communicate with employees in a timely manner to understand their true needs, which can help avoid mental health problems due to work stress among employees.

Third, policymakers should realize that a key cause of employee work stress in SMEs is attributable to concerns regarding the macroeconomic environment. Hence, they should formulate reasonable support policies to improve the confidence of the whole society in SMEs, which helps mitigate SME employees' work stress during emergency events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finally, as work stress causes mental health problems, SME owners should focus on their employees' physical as well as mental health. Society should establish a psychological construction platform for SME employees to help them address their psychological problems.

Limitations and future research

This study has limitations, which should be addressed by further research. First, differences exist in the impact of the pandemic on different industries. Future research should focus on the impact of work stress on employee performance in different industries. Second, this study only explored the moderating role of servant leadership. Other leadership behaviors of leaders may also affect work stress. Future research can use case study methods to explore the role of other leadership behaviors.

This study explored the relationship between work stress and employee performance in SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a sample of 196 SMEs from China, we found that as a typical result of emergency events, work stress negatively affects employees' performance, particularly by affecting employees' mental health. Furthermore, we found that servant leadership provides a friendly internal environment to mitigate negative effects of work stress on employees working in SMEs.

Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author/s.

Ethics statement

Ethical review and approval was not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. Written informed consent from the patients/participants or patients/participants legal guardian/next of kin was not required to participate in this study in accordance with the national legislation and the institutional requirements.

Author contributions

BC: conceptualization, methodology, writing—original draft, and visualization. LW: formal analysis. BL: investigation, funding acquisition, and writing—review and editing. WL: resources, project administration, and supervision. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

This research was supported by the major project of Henan Province Key R&D and Promotion Special Project (Soft Science) Current Situation, Realization Path and Guarantee Measures for Digital Transformation Development of SMEs in Henan Province under the New Development Pattern (Grant No. 222400410159).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Tănăsescu, R. I., and Ramona-Diana, L. E. O. N. (2019). Emotional intelligence, occupational stress and job performance in the Romanian banking system: a case study approach. Manage Dyn. Knowl. Econ . 7, 323–335. doi: 10.25019/MDKE/7.3.03

Tiedtke, C., Rijk, D. E., Van den Broeck, A. A., and Godderis, L. (2020). Employers' experience on involvement in sickness absence/return to work support for employees with Cancer in small enterprises. J. Occup. Rehabil . 30, 635–645. doi: 10.1007/s10926-020-09887-x

Tu, Y., Li, D., and Wang, H. J. (2021). COVID-19-induced layoff, survivors' COVID-19-related stress and performance in hospital industry: the moderating role of social support. Int. J. Hosp. Manage . 95, 102912. doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.102912

Uchmanowicz, I., Karniej, P., Lisiak, M., Chudiak, A., Lomper, K., Wiśnicka, A., et al. (2020). The relationship between burnout, job satisfaction and the rationing of nursing care—A cross-sectional study. J. Nurs. Manage . 28, 2185–2195. doi: 10.1111/jonm.13135

Xu, S., Wang, Y. C., Ma, E., and Wang, R. (2020). Hotel employees' fun climate at work: effects on work-family conflict and employee deep acting through a collectivistic perspective. Int. J. Hosp. Manage . 91, 102666. doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102666

Yu, D., Yang, K., Zhao, X., Liu, Y., Wang, S., D'Agostino, M. T., et al. (2022). Psychological contract breach and job performance of new generation of employees: Considering the mediating effect of job burnout and the moderating effect of past breach experience. Front . Psychol . 13, 985604. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.985604

Yunus, N. H., Mansor, N., Hassan, C. N., Zainuddin, A., and Demong, N. A. R. (2018). The role of supervisor in the relationship between job stress and job performance. Int. J. Acad. Res. Bus. Soc. Sci . 8, 1962–1970. doi: 10.6007/IJARBSS/v8-i11/5560

Keywords: COVID-19, work stress, mental health, employee performance, social uncertainty

Citation: Chen B, Wang L, Li B and Liu W (2022) Work stress, mental health, and employee performance. Front. Psychol. 13:1006580. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1006580

Received: 29 July 2022; Accepted: 10 October 2022; Published: 08 November 2022.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2022 Chen, Wang, Li and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Biao Li, lib0023@zzu.edu.cn

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Exercises • 7 min read

Under Pressure: a Stress Management Case Study

Helping team members reflect on the symptoms of stress and how to alleviate it.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

This plausible case study will enable participants to recognize the symptoms of stress in themselves or in colleagues and take action to remedy the situation.

Participants will be able to …

• develop a higher level of awareness of stress in the workplace
• highlight the symptoms of stress and recognize them in themselves and in colleagues
• learn methods of dealing with stress in the workplace

Facilitator’s Guide

This straightforward case study requires little in the way of facilitation but mingle with the groups and be on hand to answer any questions or prompt discussion.

It could be used as part of a stress management workshop or stress awareness campaign. It would work best with groups of up to six participants. Allow just over an hour for completion.

Suggested Resources

• copy of task sheet per delegate
• white board or flipchart

What to Do (35 Minutes)

• Introduce the case study explaining its objectives to the participants.
• If you are dealing with a larger group, split them into sub–groups of five or six people.
• Distribute the task sheets amongst participants and allow 30 minutes for completion.

Review Activity (10 Minutes)

Bring the group(s) back to discuss their results. Possible answers to the questions could include the following:

1. What behavioral and psychological changes in Jen suggest that she may be stressed? Jen has become short–tempered, forgetful, intolerant, feels constantly anxious, her concentration is impaired and she is under–eating.

2. Can you list two other behavioral changes suggestive of stress? This could include any two of the following:

• aggressive behavior
• pessimistic and negative
• increased alcohol/drug use or smoking
• carelessness
• over–eating
• withdrawal and listlessness

3. What physical symptoms is Jen showing that suggest she may be stressed? Jen has decreased appetite, sleep disturbance, weight loss and she is susceptible to minor illnesses.

4. List five other physical symptoms or signs of stress. This could include any of the following:

• tightness of the chest, neck, jaw, face, abdomen, shoulder and back muscles
• hunched posture and clenched fists
• breathing becomes shallow and rapid
• irritable bowel symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation
• shaking hands
• chronic (long–term) pain
• facial expression shows tension – frown, tightened eyebrows, clenched jaw, pursed lips

5. If you were Ahmed, what would you do to help Jen? There are a number of approaches Ahmed could take to help Jen. Depending on his seniority, he may be able to take action in one of the following ways:

• arrange a meeting with Jen. Give her some notice, and outline why you want to meet her. You’re concerned about her health and you want to establish if it is work related. If so, establish what can be done to resolve these issues and to support Jen
• allow half a day, in private, perhaps away from the workplace, to explore your observations and Jen’s response in detail
• review the project objectives, timescales, resources, processes. Establish realistic goals and think creatively around overcoming the constraints. But, the constraints must be addressed
• assign another project manager to co–manage the project with Jen
• look at the hours that Jen is working and, if they are excessive, try to reduce them
• change the hours of Jen’s work week so that she is not traveling in rush-hour traffic
• offer Jen the opportunity to work from home where appropriate

In addition to the above, he could also:

• encourage Jen to take up a sport or a hobby
• suggest that she takes up yoga
• suggest that she speaks to her GP who may refer her on to a counselor or suggest other forms of treatment
• encourage her to investigate other methods of relaxation including aromatherapy, relaxation exercises and breathing exercises

It could be that Jen would find some of these options intrusive, others less so. Make sure that the group is aware of the sensitivities surrounding this.

This list is by no means exhaustive. There are positives and negatives surrounding each of these suggestions. Make sure that you cover all of these with the group.

Apply Learning (15 Minutes)

Ask participants to work individually for five minutes and either select a colleague they are concerned about, or themselves and list up to three:

• behavioral or psychological changes
• physical symptoms

Encourage them to select a learning partner if they wish and discuss what they can do to manage their own stress or how they can help/support their colleague.

Under Pressure – Task Sheet

Jen Breeze is a project manager for Techtron, a multinational IT consultancy. She has always enjoyed her work, but has recently found herself under increasing pressure in the workplace. Although when in her early 20s and 30s Jen ‘thrived on stress’ she feels that now, at 45, her work is taking a toll on both her health and her personal life.

Jen was recently assigned to work on her biggest project to date. As an experienced manager, she recognizes that both the budget and the timescale for the project are highly unrealistic. She has discussed her concerns with senior management, but her words fell on deaf ears. She knows that she is accountable for the success of the project and feels constantly uneasy. She has even found herself lying thinking about it in the early hours of the morning. On top of this, Jen has to drive 30 miles, each way, every day to reach work through rush-hour traffic.

A senior colleague, Ahmed Nazir, meets with Jen in the staff canteen for lunch on a regular basis, and has seen a gradual change in her over the last few months. She never seems to listen to him anymore and he has difficulty holding a sensible conversation with her. She looks tired and rarely eats much. He finds her forgetful and is concerned that this will have a knock-on effect on the quality of work that she is producing. He is, however, more worried about Jen and wants to help.

Jen herself is also worried, not only about the forthcoming project launch meeting, but about herself. Although Jen has a reputation for being approachable, she has found herself regularly ‘snapping’ without good reason at team members. At home too, she feels that she is short–tempered and intolerant of her husband. She feels ‘wound up’ all the time and can’t seem to relax. She knows that she has inadvertently lost a significant amount of weight. Her friends complain that they have not seen her in weeks, but she cannot face the simple task of phoning them. To make matters worse she has had a recurring cold for over three months and has been unable to shake it off. The thought of going into work each day fills her with dread and she is unsure how much longer she can go on functioning like this.

Task Consider the following questions:

• What behavioral and psychological changes in Jen suggest that she may be stressed?
• Can you list two other behavioral changes suggestive of stress?
• What physical symptoms is Jen showing that suggest she may be stressed?
• List five other physical symptoms or signs of stress.
• If you were Ahmed, what would you do to help Jen?
• If you were Jen what steps would you take to help yourself, and the project?

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Workplace Stress Management: 11 Best Strategies & Worksheets

An American Psychological Association survey found that 31% of staff felt stressed out during their workday (cited in Tetrick & Winslow, 2015).

Help is available. Workplace stress management and wellness programs can help reduce the degree and impact of stress and restore an employee’s depleted psychological resources (Tetrick & Winslow, 2015).

This article explores what we mean by workplace stress management and introduces mechanisms and activities that can provide relief and help staff cope.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Stress & Burnout Prevention Exercises (PDF) for free . These science-based exercises will equip you and those you work with with tools to manage stress better and find a healthier balance in your life.

This Article Contains:

What is workplace stress management, how to prevent stress at work: 3 strategies, 2 helpful coping mechanisms for employees, stress relief at work: 3 worksheets to reduce stress, 3 activities & worksheets to cope with stress, how to craft prevention programs & workshops, assessing stress: 4 questionnaires & scales, best stress-relief tools from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

The relationship between the workplace and our psychological, cognitive, and physiological responses to stress is complex, impacted by “a broad set of occupational and work demands as well as environmental stressors” (Quick & Henderson, 2016, p. 2).

And yet, our stress response at work can typically be attributed to one of the following four workplace demands (Quick & Henderson, 2016):

• Task demands Job insecurity, workload, occupation, etc.
• Role demands Role conflict and ambiguity
• Physical demands Workplace, lighting, and temperature
• Interpersonal demands Staff density, leadership style, and personality conflicts

Workplace stress management (WSM) has been significantly influenced by the theory of preventive stress management, introduced in 1979, which proposes that it is not the stimuli that decide the degree of stress experienced by the individual, but the individual’s response to those stressors (Hargrove, Quick, Nelson, & Quick, 2011).

Over the years, many theoretical frameworks and organizational wellness programs that fall under the umbrella term of WSM have been proposed to understand occupational stress and employee wellbeing. WSM aims to understand specific stressors and take positive steps to reduce their effects (Tetrick & Winslow, 2015).

WSM interventions are typically divided into three types:

• Primary Proactive and involved in preventing stress and promoting employee wellbeing (including wellness programs, conflict management, etc.)
• Secondary Proactive and reactive, to help remove risk factors (including coping skills, employee fitness programs, job redesign)
• Tertiary Reactive, for employees who need help (including counseling, employee assistance programs, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy)

Stress interventions include (modified from Tetrick & Winslow, 2015):

• Cognitive-behavioral interventions Primary and secondary interventions. Changing cognitions and reinforcing active coping skills .
• Relaxation techniques Secondary and tertiary interventions. Physical and mental relaxation techniques to help cope with the consequences of stress.
• Multimodal programs Secondary interventions. Acquiring passive and active coping skills. They consist of a combination of approaches, including relaxation and cognitive-behavioral skills.
• Organization-focused interventions Mostly primary interventions, but some considered secondary. Organizational development and job redesign.
• Individual-level interventions Secondary or tertiary interventions, including relaxation, meditation, and cognitive-behavioral skills training.
• Organizational-level interventions Primary and secondary interventions, including changing working conditions and employee participation.
• Systems approach Primary and secondary, combining individual and organizational interventions.

Such interventions are often used in combination to prevent, reduce, and cope with stress.

While many of the following strategies appear simple, they require focus and commitment. Others foster a new mindset and change how we relate to work and occupational stress.

1. Controlling your stress

Our brains are constantly flooded with increasing demands and information, causing us stress and reducing our ability to focus and solve problems.

There are many steps we can take to avoid or reduce stress, including promoting positive emotions, taking physical care of our brain, and becoming more organized (modified from Hallowell, 2014).

• Ensure you get adequate sleep (don’t eat late at night and reduce caffeine and alcohol intake).
• Enjoy a balanced diet and stay hydrated.
• Exercise throughout the week and get time away from your desk, preferably in nature.
• Schedule regular catch-ups with people you value.
• Break large tasks into smaller ones.
• Maintain a tidy work environment.
• Schedule some ‘think time’ in your busy schedule.
• Allocate time for lunch and take it away from your desk.
• Recognize when you do your best work. Plan your most demanding tasks for those times.
• Walk around more, stand, or listen to music, depending on what works best for you.
• Set reminders for a ‘hard stop’ at the end of the workday.

2. When you feel overwhelmed

• Slow yourself down. When stressed, we often move into panic mode.
• Take time to perform a calming exercise.
• Move around. Walk outside or head to the break room/kitchen.
• Ask for help. Seek out people you trust.

3. Managing your energy

Demanding jobs, long hours, and increasing workloads can leave us feeling emotional, disengaged, stressed, and exhausted (Schwartz & McCarthy, 2014).

Creating a series of habits , practices, and rituals can promote your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy (modified from Schwartz & McCarthy, 2014).

Physical energy

• Recognize times in the day when you feel tired or unable to concentrate. Step away from the desk, meet colleagues, or perform something interesting.
• Aim to focus for 90 to 120 minutes at a time, taking regular breaks.
• Eat smaller, lighter meals during the day to maintain energy.

Emotional energy

• Practice abdominal breathing to manage negative emotions , such as irritability, anxiety, and impatience.
• Express gratitude and appreciation for others while adopting self-compassion for yourself.
• Use a reverse lens to see a situation from the other person’s point of view. Use a long lens to consider how we might look at the issue in six months. Use a wide lens to consider the bigger picture.

Mental energy

• Switch off email and move phones away to perform high-concentration tasks.
• Schedule specific times in the day to answer and respond to emails.
• At the end of each day, make a list of key actions for tomorrow.

Spiritual energy

• Identify when you perform at your best. What strengths do you enjoy using, and how can you use them more often?
• On your commute home, or the last 20 minutes of your day when working remotely, relax. This may mean sitting mindfully or listening to music before returning to home life.
• Recognize your core values. Reflect on whether you are using and showing them to others around you. Find opportunities to be your authentic self.

We all have finite limits before reducing energy levels and increasing stress interrupt what we can achieve. Investing in healthy work habits can maintain productivity and performance throughout the day.

Download 3 Free Stress & Burnout Prevention Exercises (PDF)

These detailed, science-based exercises will equip you or your clients with tools to manage stress better and find a healthier balance in their life.

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How we experience and handle stress changes its cognitive, emotional, and behavioral impact (Crum & Crum, 2018). The following two coping mechanisms offer practical approaches for managing stress in the workplace and can be implemented with little training.

Mindfulness

Research has confirmed the success of mindfulness at reducing perceived stress and emotional exhaustion, and improving sleep quality and job satisfaction (Tetrick & Winslow, 2015).

While we may sometimes think of mindfulness as passive and accepting, it is often the first step toward growth and change. While incredibly valuable for handling life stresses, it is also powerful enough to enrich positive and happy times in our lives (Shapiro, 2020).

Mindfulness expert Shauna Shapiro (2020) considers three points essential to mindfulness:

• Intention – why we pay attention
• Attention – attending to the present
• Attitude – how we pay attention (compassion, kindness, etc.)

A review of the literature confirms that mindfulness is a powerful and cost-free approach to coping with stress (Shapiro, 2020).

Reframing stress

While we are familiar with the negative impacts of stress, we sometimes forget that achieving a stress-free life is unlikely and, perhaps, impossible (Crum & Crum, 2018).

We must recognize that some degree of stress is crucial to our personal and professional growth. Stress reminds us that something is important to us, that we care.

People who adopt a “stress is enhancing” mindset rather than a “stress is debilitating” mindset perform better and experience fewer negative health consequences (Crum & Crum, 2018).

But how do we see stress differently?

We can rethink stress using the following three steps (Crum & Crum, 2018; Crum, Salovey, & Achor, 2013):

• See it Rather than deny stress, you must recognize and name the stress you are facing.

“I am stressed about my job interview.” “I am stressed about finals.”

Acknowledging stress can help you move brain activity from being automatic and reactive to conscious and deliberate.

• Own it Recognize that what you are stressing about must be important to you. “Owning this realization unleashes positive motivation” (Crum & Crum, 2018, p. 73).
• Use it Stress is not designed to kill us, but to boost our mind and body, and prepare for the challenge ahead. By reframing your stress response as something positive, such as eustress , you can use your heightened energy and awareness to improve your performance.

Even with long-term, chronic stress at work, you can recognize opportunities for learning, growth, or the motivation to change yourself or your situation. While it may not always be possible, if you can find a way to embrace stress, it can become a “powerful tool for helping you overcome the inevitable challenges that can – and will – arise” (Crum & Crum, 2018, p. 75).

Identifying Your Stress Resources

Your resources (internal and external) provide a potentially limitless amount of support that will sustain you during challenging times and stressful situations (Niemiec, 2019).

The Identifying Your Stress Resources worksheet helps you recognize your resources and identify how they can support your strengths.

Stress Decision Framework

Decision-making takes time. The effect of weighing up pros and cons uses up precious resources and risks adding to an already stressful workload.

The Stress Decision Framework worksheet helps you put decision-making in context, aiming for a good enough , not perfect , decision (Armstrong, 2019).

Vicious Versus Virtuous Stress Thinking

Stress is a choice, yet it is often perpetuated by negative (vicious) cycles of thinking (Armstrong, 2019).

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Using a cognitive-behavioral approach, it is possible to reframe unhelpful beliefs and thinking, and adopt a virtuous cycle of thinking.

The Vicious Versus Virtuous Stress Thinking worksheet helps you compare unhelpful and helpful thinking regarding an event (Armstrong, 2019).

The cost of workplace stress – and how to reduce it – Rob Cooke

Coping with stress can often be about gaining control of what is – or, more importantly, what we perceive to be – within our control. The following activities and exercises can help.

One-Hour Stress Plan

When we feel overwhelmed, we get stressed, which can damage our focus and cloud our thinking. “Working within a limited time frame is important because the race against time keeps you focused” (Bregman, 2014, p. 157).

Use the One-Hour Stress Plan worksheet when stressed to plan and work through what you can in 60 minutes. At the end of the hour, you will have progressed and can repeat the exercise as many times as you like (modified from Bregman, 2014).

Stress as a Stimulus for Change

Sometimes stress is a good indication that something in your life needs to change.

The Stress as a Stimulus for Change worksheet can capture what you wish to change in your life and begin the transformation process .

Workplace Mindfulness

Mindfulness can be a powerful way to adopt a state of loving-kindness about yourself and others, and has significant benefits to how you handle stress (Shapiro, 2020; Tetrick & Winslow, 2015).

The Workplace Mindfulness worksheet can help decrease stress and improve workplace satisfaction through a series of simple questions asked when relaxed and present.

Instead, a multimodal approach should be considered when crafting prevention programs and workshops (Tetrick & Winslow, 2015).

Most likely, it will be necessary to put in place learning and education that are both proactive and reactive.

Proactive interventions

Focus on preventing stress (removing risk factors) and promoting positive actions for all employees.

Interventions are likely to include:

• Conflict management
• Employee wellness
• Job redesign and the organization of work
• Coping skills
• Employee fitness programs (for employees with known risk factors)

Reactive interventions

Focus on helping employees who need assistance.

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
• Rehabilitation after illness or returning to work
• Employee assistance programs

A multimodal approach combines multiple intervention styles and techniques, and can be rolled out across the organization while focusing on the individual (Tetrick & Winslow, 2015).

The following questionnaires measure a respondent’s current degree of stress and assess their risk of experiencing future stress.

Perceived Stress Scale

The Perceived Stress Scale is one of the most widely used measures of the perception of stress (Cohen, 1994; Cohen & Williamson, 1988).

The 10 questions are answered with a rating between 0 (never) and 4 (very often).

For example:

In the last month, how often have you been upset because of something that happened unexpectedly?

In the last month, how often have you felt nervous and “stressed”?

Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (LEDS) and Stress and Adversity Inventory (STRAIN)

LEDS is a structured interview used to assess stressor exposure over a lifetime. It has since been turned into an online version known as STRAIN (Crosswell & Lockwood, 2020).

“Both measures provide a comprehensive assessment of stressor exposures across the lifespan” (Crosswell & Lockwood, 2020, p. 2) and can be valuable for research and therapy.

Stress Mastery Questionnaire (SMQ)

The American Institute of Stress offers the SMQ as an online self-assessment of stress risk.

The results, plus a 66-page Stress Mastery Guide and Workbook , provide a personalized stress risk profile that can help you lead a less stressed, more enjoyable life.

You’ll find a range of powerful stress-related interventions and assessment tools available throughout our site. Check out the following for some of our favorites:

• Radical Acceptance of a Distressing Situation This worksheet presents a sequence of eleven questions to help clients reflect on a current or past distressing situation and work toward radically accepting the reality of that event.
• Changing Physical Habits This worksheet helps clients reflect on their vulnerabilities and routines surrounding aspects of their physical health and consider steps to develop healthier habits.
• Coping With Stress This two-part exercise invites clients to list experienced physiological and emotional symptoms of stress and brainstorm strategies to reduce, cope with, or eliminate these sources of stress.
• Coping: Stressors and Resources This worksheet helps clients identify past, present, and future stressors and link them with coping resources they can use to overcome them.
• Squeeze and Release This group activity helps participants discover the energizing potential of positive stress, known as eustress , which can help improve motivation, performance, and emotional wellbeing.
• 13 Stress-Relief Books About the Science of Managing Anxiety This article provides an excellent selection of stress-relief books .
• 17 Stress & Burnout Prevention Exercises If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others manage stress without spending hours on research and session prep, check out this collection of 17 validated stress-management tools for practitioners . Use them to help others identify signs of burnout and create more balance in their lives.

Our physical and mental wellbeing, work environment, and the demands of our job all impact our degree of stress. They also influence our performance and productivity in the workplace.

Reducing stressors and managing their impact by adopting effective coping mechanisms help us regain a sense of control (Quick & Henderson, 2016).

According to Angela Armstrong (2019), stress is a choice. Appropriate workplace stress management (personal and organizational) helps us identify ways to control what we can and learn how to see things differently when we cannot.

With the right mindset, seeing stress as enhancing, we can increase our motivation and see challenges as opportunities for growth rather than debilitating obstacles (Crum et al., 2013).

There are powerful tools to help. In recent years, mindfulness in particular has become increasingly popular for stress reduction, helping individuals to confront situations “in an accepting, nonjudgmental manner” (Tetrick & Winslow, 2015, p. 8).

Why not review some strategies, techniques, and tools in this article and identify what can help you, your employees, or your clients manage the impact of stress or turn it into something positive and life enhancing?

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Stress & Burnout Prevention Exercises (PDF) for free .

• Armstrong, A. (2019). Resilience club: Daily success habits of long-term high performers . Rethink Press.
• Bregman, P. (2014). A practical plan when you feel overwhelmed. In HBR guide to managing stress at work (pp. 27–50). Harvard Business Review Press.
• Cohen, S. (1994). Perceived Stress Scale . Mind Garden. Retrieved September 1, 2021, from https://www.mindgarden.com/documents/PerceivedStressScale.pdf
• Cohen, S., & Williamson, G. (1988). Perceived stress in a probability sample of the United States . In S. Spacapan & S Oskamp (Eds.), The social psychology of health . Sage.
• Crosswell, A. D., & Lockwood, K. G. (2020). Best practices for stress measurement: How to measure psychological stress in health research. Health Psychology Open , 7 (2).
• Crum, A., & Crum, T. (2018). Stress can be a good thing if you know how to use it. In HBR’s 10 must reads: On mental toughness (pp. 71–75). Harvard Business Review Press.
• Crum, A. J., Salovey, P., & Achor, S. (2013). Rethinking stress: The role of mindsets in determining the stress response. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 104 (4), 716–733.
• Hallowell, E. M. (2014). Overloaded circuits. In HBR guide to managing stress at work (pp. 27–50). Harvard Business Review Press.
• Hargrove, M. B., Quick, J. C., Nelson, D. L., & Quick, J. D. (2011). The theory of preventive stress management: A 33-year review and evaluation. Stress and Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress , 27 (3), 182–193.
• Niemiec, R. (2019). Strength-based workbook for stress relief: A character strengths approach to finding calm in the chaos of daily life . New Harbinger.
• Quick, J., & Henderson, D. (2016). Occupational stress: Preventing suffering, enhancing wellbeing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 13 (5), 459.
• Schwartz, T., & McCarthy, C. (2014). Manage your energy not your time.  Harvard Business Review Press.
• Shapiro, S. L. (2020). Rewire your mind: Discover the science + practice of mindfulness . Aster.
• Tetrick, L. E., & Winslow, C. J. (2015). Workplace stress management interventions and health promotion. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior , 2 (1), 583–603.

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What our readers think.

I’m looking for an active stress avoidance / proactive approach to a stress-free work experience. This article appears to focus on alleviating the effects of stress rather than designing a work experience that removes it, and/or deals with those in positions of power in the workplace who rely on others for results and enforce this through control techniques, resulting in high employee stress, since the techniques are seldom nice, polite, sustainable or implemented with the employee’s long term well being in mind. I need workplace strategies that negate those manipulations and exploitations put in place by the hierarchy to simply get more work from employees, no matter what. Engagement surveys, annual reviews, and many workplace methodologies are in fact trojan horses. Please advise, many thanks Alvin Zest

Thanks for your comment; I completely understand where you’re coming from. Many of the dominant approaches to addressing strain, stress, and high work demands in organizations are largely reactive and center on ‘undoing’ the harm (i.e., stress) done to employees after it’s already done, rather than being proactive and creating conditions that prevent the harm in the first place. However, more research is coming out that’s looking at these proactive strategies.

Research is a long way from identifying a complete solution, but I would encourage you to look into the research and efforts by a researcher named Sharon Parker and her colleagues at the Center for Transformative Work Design. Some of the videos on this page might begin pointing you in the right direction and highlight the path research has taken so far.

I hope this helps.

– Nicole | Community Manager

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A Multiple Case Study Approach to Work Stress Prevention in Europe

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• Michiel A. J. Kompier ,
• Cary L. Cooper &
• Sabine A. E. Geurts  

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Work stress has become a major issue among European employees. The current practice of its prevention seems disappointing, as work stress prevention programmes are predominantly reactive and biased to the individual. The lack of organization-level intervention studies is a barrier to progress in reducing work-related stress. In addition to the “true experimental approach”, multiple case studies may provide an adequate research strategy for addressing the potential impact of stress interventions in organizations. The study aim was to obtain more knowledge with respect to evidence-based work stress prevention in Europe, by focusing on both content (cause-effect relationships) and process (“how”). Therefore it was decided: (1) to collect from each European Union member state a work stress intervention study; (2) to analyse each of these cases as to content and process factors; and (3) to systematically compare these studies in a step-by-step approach. Through a network approach, 11 cases were identified. Nine projects received an acceptable methodological standard and were included in this study. Evaluation of these cases reveals that stress prevention is no “one time event”, nor merely a technical process. It is concluded that “true prevention” (i.e., preventive measures that are based on an adequate diagnosis identifying risk factors and risk groups, which theoretically and logically fit in with the problems, and which are introduced and implemented in a proper way) may be beneficial to both the employee and the organization.

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Kompier, M.A.J., Cooper, C.L., Geurts, S.A.E. (2013). A Multiple Case Study Approach to Work Stress Prevention in Europe. In: Cooper, C.L. (eds) From Stress to Wellbeing Volume 2. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137309341_6

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Understanding stress management intervention success: A case study-based analysis of what works and why

--> Boulos, Marina Wasfy Aziz (2019) Understanding stress management intervention success: A case study-based analysis of what works and why. PhD thesis, University of Leeds.

This thesis investigates the process behind stress management interventions (SMIs). This includes the design, implementation and evaluation of interventions (both formative and summative), along with exploring the roles of involved stakeholders. Although there exists a plethora of studies around work-related stress across several disciplines, they are predominantly focused on the effects of stress on individuals, organisations and society, highlighting the various costs which are associated with it. However, studies on SMIs are less common, particularly ones with detailed accounts of the SMI process. As a result, this hinders our understanding of which SMIs work for whom in what context (Biron, 2012), making it difficult for forthcoming studies to benefit from the results. A multiple case study research, of a higher education institute (Russell University) and an Arm’s Length (ALMO) housing association (Bravo City Homes), was conducted to address what the literature has neglected. Specifically, it examined the various steps of the SMI process, highlighting the key roles of the involved stakeholders, while contrasting the effects that context had across two different sectors. This was done through forty semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders from both organisations to gain retrospective insight into the SMI processes, understand their role and what they perceived it to be, and to evaluate what helped and hindered the success of SMIs. It was found that giving each step of the research process sufficient attention from each of the relevant stakeholders was key. The lack of communication around who the relevant stakeholders were significantly hindered the interventions. Managers, in particular, were found to be crucial to SMI success by supporting the interventions and enhancing communication. Other stakeholders whose roles were found to be vital were Human Resources and trade unions, which have also been neglected in the literature.

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The true impact of workplace wellbeing: two case studies

Embedded Expertise, Published: January 29, 2020 - Updated: August 22, 2022

Mental health concerns are a leading cause of workplace absence , and as we see increasing incidents of mental health-related sick days, workplace wellbeing is paramount for both organisational and individual success.

Below I’ve written two real-life stories where bettering the wellbeing of a workplace can have dramatic effects on the individuals and business profitability itself. Hopefully this will inspire you to incorporate a wellness approach into your organisation or team, or take more notice of your own mental health.

Case study one: Michael thought he was fine

Michael* realised he was arguing a lot with his family at home and was becoming increasingly more reactive to situations that probably didn’t warrant it. He wasn’t terribly great at conducting conversations or maintaining relationships with coworkers and this spilled outside of work. Body aches and excessive headaches had also started to culminate: all obvious signs of deep stress that Michael was ignoring.

The thing is, he thought he was actually doing really well and managing his stress levels appropriately and that his behaviour and experiences were quite normal.

But in fact, he was suffering extreme levels of stress . Something he didn’t even comprehend until he connected with a workplace wellbeing expert and he had the opportunity to observe his behaviours.

After one week of dedicated and concentrated awareness on how he was reacting and experiencing situations and noticing stress levels, triggers and emotions as they arose, he started to really notice a difference.

‘After one week of dedicated and concentrated awareness… he started to really notice a difference.’

To mitigate his stress levels and improve his workplace wellbeing and relations, Michael also engaged in visualisations (similar to what athletes do ), particularly with conversations, which creates different pathways in the brain . From here he started acting differently, having better discussions and decisions and was significantly calmer everywhere throughout his life, not just in the workplace.

Case study two: bad behaviour, great worker

Company owner, Rajiv, was experiencing some staff problems that he’d tried to handle but wasn’t seeing any changes. One of his contract managers, Tom, was displaying bad behaviour whenever things would go wrong.

The thing was, it was abundantly clear that what Tom was saying and the problems that he identified were absolutely correct. And the company valued his hard work and how exceptional he was at his job, so there was no desire to terminate his contract early. Which can often be a case for difficult situations in the workplace— many people are too eager to throw the ‘baby out with the bathwater’ so to speak, rather than experiment with some alternative ways of reaching conflict resolution. Or even taking the time to discover what is really going on, stepping away from the ego and its primal behaviour of flight or fight mode.

After supportive discussions with Tom, the wellness team discovered that actually he felt isolated , alone and that he didn’t belong. And, because the mind seeks to confirm our beliefs (through confirmation bias), would create situations and replicate behaviour to further consolidate that belief. He was very caught up in his story that he was an outsider.

A sense of belonging

To further compound this position, Tom was contracted as part of a large project and he felt like he didn’t fit in with the permanent employees, who had established themselves in the internal culture.

Forbes states that, ‘Employees who do not naturally fit into established corporate norms will often times try to assimilate to those norms – or put themselves “on guard” – in order to avoid potential biases or discrimination.’ This can take considerable effort and energy, which could be better spent on a person’s core duties.

A sense of belonging in the workplace contributes greatly to retention and attraction of high-quality candidates, which leads to better productivity, outcomes, creative solutions and more profit. It can also result in 75 per cent fewer sick days and avoid millions of dollars’ worth of lost productivity.

‘A sense of belonging in the workplace contributes greatly to retention and attraction of high quality candidates…’

Fostering this sense of belonging ‘in the workplace makes employees engaged and produce work that is elevated above the ordinary…’.

Once identified, the workplace wellbeing team worked with Tom and Rajiv with proven techniques that involved awareness, cultural changes and compassion and saw rapid improvement within weeks, thanks in part to the commitment of the people involved.

The change was so significant that Rajiv was enthusiastic and hungry to find more ways in which he could change the dynamics to bring out better and better results within his company. The company also extended Tom’s contract when the opportunity became available.

Welcome contract workers too

It can be really easy to forget that contract staff are an integral part of your team, even if they are only on staff for a limited time. And it shouldn’t be a last minute or token effort.

‘… there needs to be a culture and allowance for people to connect as human beings. We shouldn’t need bonding or team leadership days to actually connect with our colleagues and make meaningful relationships ,’ says Dr Michelle Lim, a loneliness researcher and senior lecturer in clinical psychology at Swinburne University.

Incorporating contract workers as genuinely part of the team and treating them as well as you treat all employees will only promote excellent benefits for the business and wider society as a whole and help contribute to preventing distressing issues such as high suicide rates in the engineering industry.

Can you relate in full or in part to these stories? Improve your wellbeing in your workplace today. Discover more about our for our contracting professionals.

*We’ve changed these names to provide privacy and protect the identity of these people.

Nukon is joint venture between the world of optimisation and automation. our parent company, SAGE Automation, is a leader in the operations market, while NUKON has fast established an outstanding reputation in the manufacturing data, intelligence andimprovement area.

This meeting of minds means we can now bridge the gaps between the different silos within our client businesses, bringing visibility, unity and breakthrough improvements right across our clients' businesses.

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Poppy Castle had a secure job and what she thought was a happy home life. Her husband then suddenly divorced her and moved to Australia, leaving Poppy with a young child and a house with a large mortgage. Our case study is a great example of how stress at work can affect a career.

Poppy’s Stress Scenario

“”When John (my husband) left me with a child and the house to pay for, my first thought was to give up work. How could I deal with the Stress of childcare and all the household expenses by myself? I had a relatively secure job, and some good prospects, but the wage wasn’t that great.”

“”My friends at work, though, told me to hang in there. They felt that because I was good at my work, I should stay put and apply for whatever help I could in the way of benefits, and so on.”

““I took my friends’ advice, but I began to feel stressed at both home and in the workplace. The financial pressure was getting me down.”

“”A chance for promotion then came up, so I applied for it. Everyone said I should get it, but because of the stress I was under, I didn’t prepare properly. I also didn’t pay enough attention to the questions at the interview. So, of course, I failed.”

Threat of Redundancy

“”Failure of this sort doesn’t do your self-esteem any good. Still, I had to get on with things. My friends were a great help, and so was my manager. She told me that there’d be other chances for promotion and I’d get there in the end.”

“”Then another problem arose in the form of Redundancy . The redundancy was a rumour, but the company was going through a rough patch, and job losses were all that people could talk about. This upset me, because despite the promotion knock-back, I was coming to terms with my life.”

“”The redundancy talk turned out to be just that – talk – but I could have done without the rumours. I knew all this stress was beginning to affect the quality of my work.”

Workplace Stalker

“”And then to add to my troubles, a guy called Peter from Accounts began hassling me. One day out of the blue in the canteen, he asked if he could sit next to me. He then said he wanted to go out with me.”

“”Another relationship was the last thing on my mind, and I explained this to Peter. But over the next few weeks, he phoned me, emailed me, and came to see me at my desk, trying to get me to go out with him.”

“”Frankly, the pressure of this on top of my financial worries, made me think seriously about leaving work. In fact, in a moment of panic and stress, I wrote a letter of resignation and gave it to my manager.”

A Turning Point For Workplace Stress

“”This was something of a turning point. My manager advised me to take a day off and think carefully about what I was doing. She didn’t want me to leave, and she knew that there was going to be another opportunity for promotion within the next few weeks.”

“”I said that was fine, but I was stressed about Peter. My manager listened to what I told her, and then said she’d see what she could do about him. What in fact she did do was see Peter’s boss the next day. Between them, they banned him from seeing or communicating with me at work.”

“”After this chat, and once my manager had put Peter in his place, so to speak, things started to look up. The promotion opportunity did come again, and I did succeed the second time round. Things are still tough financially, but with the support of workplace friends and my manager, I’m much happier.””

Kevin Watson MSC

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Coping with workplace stress

The daily grind of projects, deadlines and pressures at work can be stressful. Amanda Briick, LCPC, Behavioral Health Clinical Liaison at the University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital , shares tips on how to recognize and resolve excessive stress in the workplace.

What causes stress in the workplace?

Some of the most common causes are challenges in maintaining an overall work-life balance, increasing work demands, meeting deadlines, growing performance expectations and a lack of social support or minimal sense of community among co-workers.

What are the signs of too much stress in the workplace?

Stress manifests itself physically, mentally and emotionally.

Physically, stress may present in frequent headaches, body aches and chronic pain, muscle tension, digestive issues, appetite changes, changes in sleep, recurring illness and overall fatigue.

Mentally and emotionally, symptoms of too much stress in the workplace could present as increased irritability or agitation, feeling tense and on edge, isolating yourself from co-workers, withdrawing from social interactions, feeling overwhelmed, struggling to concentrate or becoming more distracted, frequent tardiness, experiencing a loss of interest in your work, anxiety, panic attacks or feelings of depression.

What happens if you don’t address the stress?

In instances where stress goes unmanaged, people can develop prolonged stress. Prolonged stress can develop into anxiety disorders, decreased immunity, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues, heart disease, insomnia, weight gain, heart attack and strokes.

What are some tips to try to alleviate work-related stress?

Life and work can be unpredictable, everyone has to deal with stress at one point or another. It is essential to not let stress go unchecked. Maintaining mindfulness of the changes happening in your life, at your job and within your body is helpful. The more a person can be aware of stressors impacting their life, the sooner they can take control and use stress management strategies to help maintain a balance to stay happy and healthy.

Five common techniques to help manage stress effectively and in a healthy way are:

• Exercise: Being active and getting your body moving for at least 10 to 15 minutes per day can be an effective and healthy way to improve your mood and combat stress.
• Relaxation techniques: Learning to use deep breathing, mindfulness exercises, yoga or progressive muscle relaxation as a means of coping with stress is invaluable.
• Take breaks: Taking your breaks, walking away from your desk and not engaging in a “working lunch” can be ways that you decompress from stress throughout your workday.
• Develop hobbies: Doing something that you enjoy outside of work and on your personal time can help you separate your personal life from your work life, helping to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• Seek support: Whether you seek support from family and friends, formal support with therapy or social support groups, or engage in self-support with something like journaling, processing through your stressors is an effective way of not allowing stress to weigh you down.

How can employers help employees?

Employers can work to be in tune with the needs of their staff and be sensitive to stressors. Ensure that staff are knowledgeable about the benefits that are provided to employees to help them prevent or manage stress effectively, both directly and indirectly. It is essential to create a space in the workplace where employees feel safe to communicate honestly about their stressors and where employers can be a supportive force in employees’ efforts for work-life balance.

For more information on behavioral health services , or to schedule a complimentary behavioral health assessment, please call 708-915-8600.

Amanda Briick, LCPC

Amanda Briick is a clinical liaison and therapist at University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital. She has been working in the social services field since 2008. She has a strong passion for advocating for mental health, de-stigmatizing the idea of going to therapy, and using her enthusiasm to educate incoming mental health professionals. She has worked in residential, inpatient and outpatient settings as well as taught psychology at a local university to students majoring in the field.

• Employee Benefits

The Effects of Workplace Stress on Your Employees

For many employees, workplace-related stress doesn’t clock out when they do, and the impact of that stress can have an impact on the employee in more places than work. The reach of impact can transfer to an employee's personal life and begin to influence how they operate outside of the workplace.

It has been shown that the impacts of employee stress can have a significant impact on workplace performance. Studies have demonstrated that when employees are consistently stressed, they are more vulnerable to increased absenteeism and turnover, reduced productivity levels and decreased morale. According to a recent report, nearly 40% of job turnover is due to stress . When the average cost to replace an employee is 120-200% of the current employee’s salary, this can be a very costly impact to an organization’s bottom line. The American Institute of Stress has estimated that the overall true annual cost of workplace-related stress amounts to over $300 billion annually .

Beyond the mental toll that workplace-related stress takes, it has been shown to have a significant impact on other aspects of an employee’s daily life including their sleep, temperament and social life. According to a recent report from Talkspace, 31% of respondents indicated that their overall happiness has been impacted negatively. This can be seen directly correlating with their overall health with 30% indicating they eat more junk food when stressed and 22% indicating their overall health is impacted negatively. Stress can be directly correlated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal, psychological and addiction disorders, and enhanced risk for workplace-related injury. A recent report indicated that healthcare costs of employees who report high levels of stress are 50% greater than those who do not. In addition, amongst adults who struggled with mental health and stress disorders, 18.5% also had a substance abuse disorder , according to the National Institutes of Health, accounting for over 8.2 million adults.

Need more insights? Your local AssuredPartners team can help.

Employers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to reduce employee stress and its overall impact on an employee’s well-being. So how as an employer can you help manage the stress levels of your population? Let’s explore some ways that you can support your employees.

• Foster Healthy Work Relationships. As an employer, you can encourage managers to foster healthy relationships with respectful boundaries with their employees. When employees have a healthy relationship with their managers, many feel tensions eased during workplace interactions.
• Communicate Employee Support Programs. Many employees may not be aware of all of the benefit offerings available to them, including programs that may assist in mental health and stress management. By recognizing the signs of population stress and burnout, your organization can begin to implement strategies such as mental health or team building days.
• Prioritize Wellness in the Workplace. When an employer prioritizes the wellness of their employees, a direct correlation can be seen in overall employee engagement and satisfaction. For example, an organization could demonstrate their support of employees by conducting stress management lunch and learns, by offering additional resources to their employees at the workplace, or by encouraging the use of mental health days.
• Offer Training for Managers. Managers often feel as though they do not have the tools or expertise to address burnout or stress in the workplace. Consider providing formal training to the people managers within your organization to help them identify the signs of stress and/or burnout and the steps they can take to proactively address these concerns within their team.

The impact of work-related stress goes beyond the immediate influence on workplace performance. It stretches much further into the daily aspects of an employee’s life and can have a significant influence on their overall health. As your organization looks to manage employee stress levels and provide appropriate benefits and resources, reach out to your AssuredPartners team for guidance, resources, and best practices.

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Mastering Conflict Management with Strategies and Solutions in the Workplace

Category: Task Management .

Introduction

Conflict is the disagreement or difference of opinions between individuals that can potentially harm any organization. In the workplace setting, it often involves personal agendas, insights, or goals versus those of the group or team. Conflict management seeks to resolve these disagreements positively, with outcomes that satisfy everyone involved or benefit the group.

However, the perception of conflict is often negative.

The reality is that conflict can be positive if managed properly, promoting team-building skills, critical thinking, new ideas, and alternative solutions. Leaders must master conflict management to ensure team success.

In this blog, we’ll look into the essentials of conflict management, explore different styles and strategies, and provide practical tips and FAQs.

The Importance of Conflict Management

Conflict management is crucial in ensuring that team members work harmoniously towards common goals. Managed effectively, conflict can encourage learning and growth in an organization.

Benefits of Conflict Management

• Enhanced Team Cohesion: Teams can build stronger bonds and trust by resolving conflicts collaboratively.
• Increased Innovation: Differing viewpoints often lead to new ideas and creative solutions.
• Improved Communication: Conflict resolution fosters open dialogue and effective listening.
• Reduced Workplace Stress: Properly managed conflict minimizes tension, improving overall morale.

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Conflict Management Styles

In this style, individuals involved in the conflict simply avoid the situation or ignore its existence. This approach may be useful temporarily to de-escalate a tense situation. However, it’s a losing situation in the long run as unresolved conflict festers and creates more tension.

Accommodative

In this style, one party wins, and one party loses. The losing party easily gives in when the problem is not so important to them or when they want to keep the peace. The resolution benefits one side but can leave others feeling resentful and dissatisfied.

Competitive

In the competitive style, one party wins at the expense of the other. Although the conflict is resolved, this style can foster resentment and hinder teamwork.

In compromise, each party sacrifices a portion of their solution, leading to a resolution that partially satisfies both sides. However, the best outcome might not always prevail, potentially leaving some parties feeling shortchanged.

Collaborative

The collaborative style aims to bring all parties together to find a resolution that benefits everyone involved. It incorporates active listening, respectful communication, and open-mindedness to reach the best possible solution.

“To get something new done you have to be stubborn and focused, to the point that others might find unreasonable.” Jeff Bezos

7 Steps in Conflict Management

1. set communication rules.

Establish ground rules for respectful communication before discussions begin. For cross-cultural conflicts, it’s important to consider cultural nuances in communication styles and norms.

2. Set Aside Preconceived Opinions

Ask all parties to approach the conflict with an open mind. In virtual team settings, be mindful of potential misunderstandings due to lack of non-verbal cues.

3. Active Listening

Encourage active listening without interruptions. Having emotional intelligence skills like empathy and self-awareness can greatly aid in truly understanding different perspectives during conflicts.

4. Define the Problem

Write down and restate the problem to ensure mutual understanding. Use collaboration tools or online platforms to document the issue for virtual teams.

5. Propose Solutions

Have each party suggest potential solutions. Online whiteboards or ideation tools can facilitate this process for remote teams.

6. Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)

Evaluate the positive and negative aspects of each solution. Involve legal or HR departments if the conflict has potential legal or policy implications.

7. Agree on a Resolution

Choose a solution that benefits everyone involved or is beneficial to the group. Establish metrics like employee satisfaction, productivity or turnover rates to measure the effectiveness of the resolution.

Proactive conflict prevention strategies, such as clear communication, setting expectations, and building trust, can also help avoid conflicts from arising or escalating.

Conflict Management in Organizations

• Party-Directed Mediation (PDM): Suitable for disputes between co-workers, it involves pre-mediation coaching and role-playing before a joint session.
• Negotiated Performance Appraisal (NPA): Improves communication between supervisors and subordinates, preserving hierarchical power while encouraging dialogue.
• International Conflict Management: When managing conflicts across cultures, it’s essential to understand cultural differences in communication, traditions, and thought processes. A Confrontational style may not work well in cultures where harmony is prioritized.
• Inter-Organizational Conflict Management: In inter-organizational relationships, conflicts involve both individuals and organizations. Formal and informal governance mechanisms influence the type of conflicts and how they’re managed.

Conflict Resolution Case Study

Google vs. antitrust regulators.

In response to antitrust charges, Google followed its principle “ Don’t litigate, negotiate .” By engaging in direct negotiations with regulators, Google adapted its practices and provided settlements to affected parties, avoiding litigation and improving relations​.

Apple vs. Samsung

Apple and Samsung ended their long-running patent dispute with a settlement, concluding a seven-year legal battle over whether Samsung copied the iPhone. While settlement terms remain undisclosed, Apple emphasized the case was always about protecting innovation beyond monetary compensation. The settlement between Apple and Samsung shows how compromise and collaboration can help resolve long-standing disputes while protecting core business interests.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: what are the five styles of conflict management.

A1: The five styles of conflict management are Avoidance, Accommodative, Competitive, Compromise, and Collaborative.

Q2: How can conflict management benefit an organization?

A2: Conflict management can enhance team cohesion, improve communication, foster innovation, and reduce workplace stress.

Q3: What is Party-Directed Mediation (PDM)?

A3: PDM is a mediation approach suitable for disputes between colleagues. It involves coaching and role-playing before a joint mediation session.

Q4: How can leaders effectively manage international conflicts?

A4: Leaders should understand cultural differences in communication, traditions, and thought processes to navigate international conflicts.

Q5: What are the key steps to resolving workplace conflicts?

A5: The key steps include setting communication rules, actively listening, defining the problem, proposing solutions, discussing pros and cons, and agreeing on a resolution.

Conflict management is the process of limiting the negative aspects of conflict while increasing the positive aspects to enhance learning and group outcomes. Properly managed conflict can improve organizational performance and foster innovation, communication, and team cohesion. Leaders must be well-versed in conflict management styles and strategies to create a harmonious and productive workplace.

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