Few would argue that we live in stressful times or that manufacturing is anything but a stress-free occupation. Of course, we handle most day-to-day stress in our lives and in the workplace pretty well. At least we think we do.
According to the American Psychological Association, over half of U. S. workers surveyed indicate that they feel severely stressed at work and that such stress reduces their effectiveness on the job. The study estimates that employee stress costs American employers $300 billion each year in lost productivity plus legal and medical costs.
The most common reasons for on-the-job stress are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work expected, interpersonal conflicts, seeking a balance between work and personal time, and concerns about job security. So what can you do to help your workers, your staff and yourself reduce stress? Here are a few suggestions:
- Clearly communicate expectations. A major source of stress for employees is not fully understanding what is expected of them. If they don’t know the basis on which they are being judged, they worry that they may be falling short. That’s why it’s important to be as specific as possible about what you expect of them.
- Resist overloading. We’re all trying to be as productive as possible, but we also need to be realistic about how much one person can achieve. Some people’s personalities are such that they stress if they can’t get everything done by the end of the workday. If you pile too much work on them, they will never feel satisfied with a day’s efforts and the stress will build up.
- Set priorities. If you give your employees a list of tasks, let them know the order of importance. Also explain that you want them to address the most important items first. This will reduce stress for both of you if everything on the list isn’t accomplished during that shift.
- Be open and honest. Nobody likes to be kept in the dark, and if you create a culture of keeping secrets from the employees, the overall stress levels will rise dramatically. Your people need to know what’s going on and how it will affect their livelihoods.
- Keep your workplace healthy and happy. Establish and enforce policies to keep your shop free from hostility, bullying and sexual harassment. Not only will this reduce stress, it will also reduce the risk of legal problems.
Life and work are never completely stress-free, but applying these common-sense actions will help alleviate the chronic stress that can get between your employees and the productivity both you and they want them to achieve.
Your Torrance Haas Factory Outlet can take the stress out of choosing the right CNC machine. Call: (310) 381-0750, email: jphillips@haasfactoryoutlet.com, or visit www.haasfactoryoutlet.com.