Stressed Employees Need Help

Front line leaders are taught to control stress in their units rather than evacuate soldiers at the first sign of battle fatigue, the Army's name for negative reactions to acute stress. And corporate leaders need to consider the best place to help their own stressed employees.

The negative stress reactions of battle are considered normal, even though they can be pretty severe, going well beyond the tension headache. Soldiers can still function in spite of flinching, shaking, physical exhaustion, rapid emotional shifts, and other manifestations of extreme stress.While you probably won't find your corporate employees as severely stressed as the soldiers in battle, you can also take action to help them perform their jobs when they demonstrate signs of being overstressed.

Experience shows that coaching, confidence building, food, and rest help overcome most of the negative stress reactions of battle fatigue. The same thing works for civilian employees.

Just as important is the understanding that soldiers treated near the front line recover much faster than soldiers evacuated to rear-area hospitals for essentially the same treatment. You'll find that the same thing is true for workplace stress.

Serious military cases and those who do not respond to front line treatment are evacuated and cared for by specially trained psychiatrists and psychologists in rear-area hospitals where medical facilities are staffed for such circumstances.

For severe cases of workplace stress, you, too, will want assistance from professional counselors. Many companies have contracts for professional care through their health care programs and refer employees who manifest serious signs of stress.

Just as military leaders strive to control stress, corporate leaders can be trained to help overstressed employees on the front line and maintain employees on the job.

• Consider each of your employees and whether they manifest signs of stress at any level.
• Determine what is needed to relieve that stress and return them to "normal."
• Take action. Things probably will not get better if left alone.
  

Most Workplace Stress is Unnecessary

The impact of specific stressors is determined by the total amount of stress a person is experiencing.

What might be considered a small irritant on one occasion might be the straw that broke the camel's back on another.

While businesses can't control all external stressors, action can be taken to minimize internal stressors such as the following.

• Unreasonable expectations for greater productivity, manufacturing or administrative
  
• Positioning people in jobs that do not use skills and abilities
• Underpaying for the the level of responsibility assigned to individuals
• Vague and arbitrary promotion policies
• Management's failure to consider employees' perspectives in decisions affecting their jobs
• Excessive overtime with or without compensation
• Arbitrary assignment of unpleasant tasks
• Failure to enforce policies for some individuals
  
• Poor top-down and bottom-up communications procedures
• Poor problem-solving strategies or mediation of conflicts between employees
• Family separation, through transfers or frequent business trips
• Demonstrated lack of concern for employees' welfare
• Intolerable environmental conditions -- temperature, hazardous, noise, light, odors, and so on

Just as corporate leaders are responsible for maximizing performance and increasing net profits, they are also responsible for controlling stressors that can affect the bottom line.

It is difficult to remove some of these stressors when a company is under attack by the competition or suffering from adverse economic conditions, but this challenge is just as important as any other skill set of those who wear the mantle of leadership.

Leadership Edge - Survey employees to find out which other stressors they observe in your company. Develop a plan to eliminate each of these, starting with the most prevalent stressor. Have a celebration each time you conquer one of these profit-eating, health-undermining situations.

Leaders are Responsible

Just as corporate leaders are responsible for maximizing performance and increasing net profits, they are also responsible for controlling stressors that can affect the bottom line.

It is difficult to remove some of the stressors when a company is under attack by the competition or suffering from adverse economic conditions, but this challenge is just as important as any other skill set of those who wear the mantle of leadership.

Determine the effect stress is having on your company - in net $.

Survey employees to find out which stressors are affecting them most.

Develop a plan to train managers and supervisors in controlling stress.

Stressors You Can Control

The impact of specific stressors is determined by the total amount of stress a person is experiencing. What might be considered a small irritant on one occasion might be the straw that broke the camel's back on another.

While businesses can't control all external stressors, action can be taken to minimize internal stressors such as the following:

• Unreasonable expectations for greater productivity, manufacturing or administrative
• Positioning people in jobs that do not use skills and abilities
• Underpaying for the level of responsibility assigned to individuals
• Vague and arbitrary promotion policies
• Management's failure to consider employees' perspectives in decisions affecting their jobs
• Excessive overtime with or without compensation
• Arbitrary assignment of unpleasant tasks
• Failure to enforce policies for some individuals
• Poor top-down and bottom-up communications procedures
• Poor problem-solving strategies or mediation of conflicts between employees
• Family separation, through transfers or frequent business trips
• Demonstrated lack of concern for employees' welfare
• Intolerable environmental conditions -- temperature, hazardous, noise, light, odors, and so on.

1. Survey your team and add to this list.
2. Determine how many of these you have.
3. Consult with your team members to find ways to alleviate the stressors.

How Stressed is Everyone?

No matter where you are in the corporate hierarchy, you are subject to stress from every department and person with whom you come in contact.

Everyone else has the same kinds of concerns as you do. In trying to accomplish their own work, they'll find themselves in conflict with others who have their own agendas.

Those customers who keep calling with special needs really get in the way of completing the boss's assignment on time. Couple all of this with payroll errors and medical insurance claims that weren't handled properly, and you have a day filled with stress triggers- and stress reactions.

Workplace stress is a leadership responsibility. You can determine stress levels by talking with individuals about their jobs and outside interests on a regular basis. The first visit might reveal some stress levels, but frequent contact will build trust and give you a full picture of just how stressed everyone really is.

The Workplace is Full of Stress

Stress triggers in the workplace are just as numerous as the external triggers.

Stressors include bosses, deadlines, coworkers, customers, production, service, product management, accounting problems, computer services, engineering concerns, sales, marketing, advertising, public relations, human resources, stockholders, legal issues, and distribution. Every department causes stress for itself and for others.

Where do you fit into this chain of stressors?

Do your daily requirements demand too much of others?

Can you modify your requirements to make things less stressful?

Would increasing the stress on your suppliers provide the results you need?

Control the stress of those who support you, increasing stress when needed to get better results or reduce stress to give others a break and make your team stronger.

Work-Related Stress Triggers

Stress triggers in the workplace are just as numerous as the external triggers. Stressors include bosses, deadlines, coworkers, customers, production, service, product management, accounting problems, computer services, engineering concerns, sales, marketing, advertising, public relations, human resources, stockholders, legal issues, and distribution. Every department causes stress for itself and for others.

No matter where you are in the corporate hierarchy, you are subject to stress from every department and person with whom you come in contact.

Everyone else has the same kinds of concerns as you do. In trying to accomplish their own work, they'll find themselves in conflict with others who have their own agendas.

Those customers who keep calling with special needs really get in the way of completing the boss's assignment on time. Couple all of this with payroll errors and medical insurance claims that weren't handled properly, and you have a day filled with stress triggers--and stress reactions.

Traveling Employees and Family Stress

What do you do for families when you're ready to demand a lot from employees? Are families even a part of your plan? Experience shows that stress levels go up when people are concerned about other family members.

The military has years of experience in dealing with the stress of long-term training and deployment to combat. These same principles can work for you in your business.

As soldiers prepared for war in Iraq, for example, conscientious efforts were made to balance stress control with combat readiness. None of the leaders had to create a positive stress environment to maximize preparation, but the officers and key sergeants knew they had to control the mounting stress to minimize the negative reactions among those awaiting deployment.

To help control stress, soldiers were informed of their combat mission and how long they might expect to be away from home, what their working and living conditions would be like, and details about the enemy.

Families were informed of what could be expected at home and in Iraq. Additional medical care was provided to all family members to take care of lingering problems.

Legal assistance was provided to inform everyone about wills, powers of attorney, and other matters that could be distracting to soldiers and their families after deployment.

Financial counseling was made available for anyone who needed to open or close bank accounts or get additional names on signature cards.

Whenever possible, soldiers were given additional time off to be with their families. Family counseling was provided to prepare everyone for the soldier's departure, their absence, and their eventual return.

Chaplains made every effort to prepare and encourage those who needed spiritual direction.

Some people cope well with all of these stressors and some don't. Many see the circumstances as difficult and inconvenient, but others who are just as dedicated become overwhelmed and see the situation as impossible.

Therefore, anticipating reactions to stress is important. If stress is prevented or minimized, soldiers enter into situations with a better attitude that is geared more for success.

You probably don't need to do all of this every time you expect employees to be away for lengthy periods, but you can adapt the principals to your particular situation. Some things you might do are:

* Include family members in a general information session about your company and what will be accomplished by the employees' travel
* Get professional advice for employees and families regarding special financial situations
* Establish a specific contact person who can assist family members during the employee's absence
* Outline the schedule of expected return for visits or completion of the job

Be sure to ask employees and family members about what would help them in completion of the job or for assistance to their families.

Control Stress by Caring for Families

Workplace stress takes its toll on employees just like combat and training stress take a toll on soldiers. Businesses can use the same stress control techniques as the military finds successful for soldiers in these high pressure situations.

The stress triggers of combat seem obvious, but to the uninitiated, it is difficult to explain just how stressful things can be for soldiers in the peacetime training and unit maintenance environment.

When soldiers get ready for battle, stress control is so important that trained stress specialists consult with commanders to monitor and control stress levels for both soldiers and their families.

Knowing that family members are well cared for is a big relief for combat soldiers, so every unit is charged with establishing family support groups to help with every concern.

These efforts help control stress among deployed soldiers and help families deal with their soldier’s absence.

Can you identify three things your company can do to help families during the high-stress periods in your organization? You can use this to help control stress among your highly productive, dedicated employees.

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Can You Hear the Cannon's Roar?

Is your corporate environment like that of soldiers preparing for battle? Are office-place stress levels pushing the max?

The stress found in military units isn't usually as dramatic as that of recruits facing drill sergeants, but the continued training, equipment maintenance, record keeping, and readiness inspections keep stress at very high levels in the military.

Even when war seems unlikely, soldiers continually prepare for wartime. Every unit trains for and is constantly evaluated on their combat readiness. Maybe your company is like this - always pushing the competition, always preparing a response to hold onto market share.

Throughout the year, combat units practice for and are tested on their individual and unit skills at all levels -- squad, platoon, company, and battalion.

The combat-like training prepares soldiers for battle. Tanks roll across difficult terrain and fire their cannons in simulated combat.

Pilots are challenged with real and simulated operations in support of ground forces. Artillery troops prepare their big guns and practice both live fire and the maneuvers required to keep up with the forward units.

Soldiers have very little time to relax properly, and families feel the strain of Army life in the soldiers' long work hours and frequent absences. You've probably seen this same type strain in your company with families wondering whether life will ever slow down, whether parents will ever get a break from the high pressure of corporate demands.

Corporate leaders can identify with the soldiers' plight. Few businesses experience the roar of cannon fire, but almost every corporate manager has known the stress of demanding business conditions and the roar of a dissatisfied boss.

Do a stress check in your outfit and decide whether people are suffering from workplace stress; find out how much this is affecting your bottom line.

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Anything Such as Positive Stress?

When new soldiers arrive for basic training, they are met by drill sergeants who are specialists at increasing stress.

The stern orders and directives might seem like harassment to the poor teenagers who seem unable to do anything right. No matter how hard they try, it is never good enough.

The high stress, however, is intentional and part of the training. While there might be some negative reactions, the purpose is to help these soldiers achiever far more than they would ever expect.

Drill sergeants know when to coach, when to instruct, when to raise the temperature, and when to use compassion to relieve the stress.

By the time the recruits graduate from basic training, they admire and respect these tyrants who manipulate the recruits' stress to help them achieve.

Stress can have positive results, especially if it is intentionally structured to reach difficult goals. If you're going to use stress in this way, be sure you know how to turn it off or the approach can backfire and you'll lose your valuable front line employees.

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Tough Questions About Workplace Stress

Mission readiness is just as great across corporate America as it is in the military.

The bottom-line costs in terms of net profits, missed opportunities, and personnel turmoil are good enough reasons to emphasize stress control, and proper stress control can contribute to business growth and job security for everyone involved.

If you want to fulfill your own responsibilities as a leader, you'll want to ask some tough questions about your own organization:

1. Are there stressful situations in your organization that need attention?
2. Are some people pushed too hard by corporate demands, family situations, or medical problems?
3. Are some people unaware of the seriousness of their situation, and do they need professional attention?
4. Will your company pay a price for not attending to these individual stress cases, or will it improve by giving attention to the stressors that affect each employee?

Circulate a memo among the decision makers with answers to these questions and proposed solutions. You'll be a hero.

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Dictatorial Bosses Demand More & Get Less

Corporate leaders and managers sometimes try to manage the stressed people by using increased demands and closer supervision. Instead, they should use stress-reducing techniques to manage the stressors.

It's important to manage employees and to help them understand how to manage their individual stress, but if you're interested in maximizing your company's productivity, you'll also want to learn how leaders and managers can take part in the improvement.

While the demanding remedies of dictatorial managers might get short-term improvement from stressed employees, such relief is usually only temporary. The increased urgency and focus on details typically generates even more stress, and the problems shift from slight distractions, such as back pain, headaches, and inattention, to more drastic reactions such as absenteeism and medical problems, both good indicators that stress levels need attention.

Find out which changes can be made in your company to alleviate unnecessary stressors?

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Causes of Stress

Popular opinion says that today's changes in workplace technology, culture, and business management crate far more stress for workers than in times past.

Just as stress control is a military leadership responsibility, the same applies in corporate leadership. The better that leaders control stress among their people, the better the people will accomplish their mission.

Find out what your leaders are doing to control workplace stress.

Severe Stress Reactions

Impulsive reactions such as road rage are a reflection of stress-filled lives. Sometimes, people manifesting many of these symptoms are considered to be simply difficult personalities, but the difficult part of their personality might actually be prompted by high stress on the job or away from the workplace.

Is anyone in your office displaying symptoms like these -- taken from the US Army FM 22-51 - Leaders' Manual for Combat Stress Control

1. Argumentative nature
2. Reckless action
3. Indifference to danger
4. Memory loss
5. Physical exhaustion
6. Insomnia
7. Rapid emotional shifts
8. Apathy
9. Constant moving around
10. Rapid or inappropriate talk

Another 16 symptoms appear in the Army's list of severe stress reactions, including stuttering, mumbling, crying, social withdrawal, and frantic or strange behavior.

Employees who experience these severe stress reactions need some immediate relief. Some people won't realize that their stress level is out of control, and they might even deny the need to take action. Tolerating employees who exhibit severe stress reactions isn't doing them a favor.

Nor does allowing stress-filled situations to continue help the company. Leaders are responsible for both the detection of these severe stress reactions and for bringing the stress levels back to normal. More on this in future blogs.

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