Provisional Blog

As a Seattle staffing firm, we know that a tight economy forces everyone to do more with less – which can lead to more stress for you and your employees. There are many signs you can look for that indicate your staff may be overworked and stressed out, including an increase in absences, lack of focus, and short tempers.

Most employees, though, won’t want you to be aware of just how stressed they are for fear of losing their jobs. So be pro-active and take steps to help all of your employees reduce stress at work.

Here are some tips:

Praise employees.
Busy managers often forget how important positive feedback is. But in a time when everyone is working more, and getting paid the same or less, a few words of thanks and encouragement can really go a long way. Be sure to tell them specifically what they did well and how it contributed to your company’s mission and goals.

Give out vacation days as rewards.
A bigger salary is always a good motivator, but it’s oftentimes unrealistic. However, there are non-monetary rewards you can offer to employees who are doing an exemplary job, such as extra vacation days.

Offer flexible schedules.
A traditional flex-time arrangement is always a good perk to offer. But go a step beyond that and let your employees manage their schedule flexibly. This may be harder to track, but it will result in a happier, more productive staff.

Meet with each employee on a regular basis.
When you have a regular meeting scheduled, your employees are more likely to tell you about any stressors or issues they’re facing. Think about it this way. If you had some aches and pains, you probably wouldn’t call the doctor to make an appointment. But if you were already at the doctor’s office anyway for a regularly scheduled appointment, you’d be much more likely to mention those pains, which may be minor, or may be the sign of something major.

Bring in a mobile masseuse.
Many cities, including Seattle, Washington, have massage therapists with mobile staffs who will come to your office directly. Offer this is a reward for completion of a big a project or landing a new client. Oftentimes, massage therapists give discounts for large corporate events.

Don’t wait for something to happen to reduce stress at work. Taking action now to de-stress your workforce can pay off in the future.