Workplace R&R: The Dos and Don’ts of Coping with Workplace Stress and Anxiety

When you think of a workplace, you certainly don’t think of rest and relaxation, however, if thinking about YOUR workplace makes you only think about stress and anxiety, then something is off. Sure, workplace stress and anxiety will be prevalent in every work environment from time to time, but if this is the norm for most employees, then it’s time to learn how to improve that. With that being said, this can only be improved when both employers and employees are taking the appropriate steps, so the business coaches at FocalPoint are here with the dos and don’ts that are geared towards both, so you — or your team — can feel happier and healthier at work. 

 

DO: Create Normalcy Around Mental Health Issues 

This goes for both employers and employees. As an employer, you can do this by letting mental health discussions be a part of your company culture, as well as providing events and programs that will help your team cope with anxiety and/or stress at work. As an employee, you can accomplish this by openly talking about your own workplace stress, reaching out to coworkers for tips on how to cope with anxiety and turning to leaders in your company for advice. 

 

DON’T: Avoid discussing Mental Health Insurance Benefits 

Stress and anxiety in the workplace are often inevitable, however, when employers don’t inform employees on the ways the medical insurance plan may cover mental health issues, they’re doing their team a disservice. As the old adage goes, ‘Knowledge is power,’ and when employees know about their mental health benefits, they’ll be more likely to utilize them when they’re dealing with stress or anxiety in the workplace

 

DO: Understand All of Your Mental Health Benefits 

When it comes to mental health benefits, employees have as much of a responsibility to educate themselves as employers do to educate their team. Because of this, it is crucial that, as an employee, you learn about all of the ways your insurance benefits can help you when you’re dealing with stress at work

 

DON’T: Ignore Workplace Triggers 

Whether you’re an employer or an employee, ignoring workplace triggers that cause anxiety in the workplace can be detrimental to the health of both people AND productivity. If you’re an employer, be sure to coach your leaders on how to help employees pinpoint the things that cause them the most stress at work. If you’re an employee, it’s important to be aware of the triggers that are creating anxiety for you at work. Once you’ve identified them, you should seek guidance from those who can resolve them, and you should find ways to cope with anxiety, such as taking yoga, learning breathing mechanisms, journaling, etc. 

 

DO: Use PTO for Mental Health Days

These days, most workplaces offer PTO (paid time off) days, and although these are commonly accrued for vacation time, employees should also consider using them as mental health day. If you’re an employee who has been dealing with weeks or months of workplace stress, this can start to weigh on you. Not only will this impact your work performance, but it can also impact your happiness and life outside of the office — and this goes for leaders and employers, too! When this happens, it’s best to take a day to yourself, so you can recharge and get your mental health back in a positive place. 

 

DON’T: Be Close Minded

Different workplaces offer different benefits — some offer a higher quantity of PTO days and lower work from home days, others offer more work from home days and less PTO days. As an employer, you will find what works best for you, but it’s important to take your employees’ mental health and happiness into consideration. As your team changes, grows or evolves, you may find that your PTO and work from home benefits may need to change, too. Rather than being closed minded, listen to your employees — if a majority of them agree that a certain change will help them cope with anxiety or relieve their workplace stress, do your best to listen to them and try to appease them. 

 

Whether you’re an employer looking for ways to help your team cope with workplace stress, or you’re an employee who needs help coping with anxiety in the workplace, the coaches at FocalPoint are here to help! From stress quotient assessments to time management strategies, personal success programs to leadership coaching, our experts will help you ensure that you — or your team — can succeed at work. Contact us today!