Helping employees manage the rigors of the workplace is essential for any business to function successfully. Research suggests that most employees are dealing with burnout due to pressures and uncertainty in the workplace, which increases the possibility of employment practices liability.
Helping Employees: How to Help
There are many steps that business leaders can take to help manage employee stress and the exhaustion that results from it.
Communicate Openly
Employers should plan to discuss the pandemic and its effects openly and honestly with employees at all levels, soliciting ideas for creative solutions to help protect themselves and the company through more than just purchasing EPLI. When the facts are available, and employees feel a part of the solution, their stress is alleviated.
Infuse Empathy Into the Workplace
Employers can relieve a great deal of employee stress by showing their human side. Likewise, by ensuring that empathy, compassion, and a focus on mental health are essential, employers will significantly minimize the pressures their staff feel daily and reduce the possibility of employment-related insurance claims.
Alleviate Simple Tasks
The outside world can provide plenty of stress, so it is vital to limit the stress levels inside the scope of the business. By providing employees with additional resources to simplify mundane tasks, staff members will be less stressed by their daily work and feel supported and valued.
Provide Education and Training
Employees may be feeling stress and not even realize it. Thus, managers should provide education on the types of stress and ways to deal with it. Here are some suggested techniques for coping with stress in the workplace:
- Exercise: employers may offer gym memberships or encourage workers to take a walk.
- Mindfulness: focusing on breathing or taking a few minutes to pray or meditate makes a big difference in stress levels.
- Hydration: drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water each day improves productivity and lowers the likelihood of headaches.
- Music: It can reduce stress levels, so employers can choose to play music or encourage employees to don their headphones at their desks.
- Aromatherapy: Using a scented spray or essential oils may assist in mindfulness and create a calming atmosphere. Lavender, geranium, chamomile, rosemary, ylang-ylang, lemon, and bergamot scents are all believed to relieve stress.
Encourage Outside Relaxation
The work-from-home trend that started with COVID has blurred lines between personal time and office hours. Moreover, it adds to the stress for many employees. Leaders should encourage outside activities and provide ample time off for staff to recharge and focus on their mental health.
In this time of personal and professional upheaval and change, business leaders must acknowledge their responsibility to ensure their employees’ physical and emotional well-being. Thus, the steps outlined above will demonstrate a commitment to wellness that will result in better performance and a reduced possibility of liability for employment practices.
About World Wide Specialty Programs
For the last 50 years, World Wide Specialty Programs has dedicated itself to providing the optimal products and solutions for the staffing industry. As the only insurance firm to be an ASA commercial liability partner, we are committed to that partnership and committed to using our knowledge of the industry to provide staffing firms with the best possible coverage. For more information about Staffing Professional Liability Insurance or any other coverage, we have available to protect your staffing business, give us a call at (877) 256-0468 to speak with one of our representatives.