Meng Fei

Do you work with a tornado? You know the kind of person who always seems surrounded by drama in their personal and professional lives? Any attempt by their colleagues to get them to change their ways falls on deaf ears. Can you see them heading for burnout in a couple of year’s time?

Research from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales found that 45 per cent of people questioned say they have suffered from stress, citing unattainable targets, poor management and bad work-life balance as the causes. Employees claim their work stress levels also affecting their home life, with half saying it impacted on their health spa and 41 per cent reporting it was detrimental to their social life. The expert highlights those in the financial sector as being renowned for being stressed.
Therefore employers have a duty of care to protect their staff. Staff who perform well become an asset not a burden.

Believe it or not some people actually love a crisis. In fact when things get too predictable they get bored! But how do you tackle someone who thrives under stress, but for whom this habit is beginning to damage their health spa and effectiveness?

Here are 10 Top Tips on how to recognise and cope with stress

1. Performance management and stress could be discussed at an annual Appraisal. An employee may not realise the impact stress could have on their performance. If their needs lie at the heart of their behaviour, this may subconsciously drive their choices and decisions. These needs may include a need to be in control, a need to be liked or a strong need for perfection, all of which could create scenarios with stressful outcomes.

2. Offer them one2One coaching or mentoring support, this will help them identify what behaviour or habits they need to change and what new approaches they can adopt. This could then be progressed through an action plan, reviewed periodically. A Personal Coach or Mentor will hold them accountable to take some action.

3. Recommend that they have a health spa check with their GP, and to start taking responsibility for their own stress management. Stress related illnesses are avoidable, and therefore a complete lifestyle assessment would be beneficial with the emphasis on reducing alcohol intake, eating a sensible diet, and avoidance of junk food.

4. Encourage them to delegate, prioritise and become personally more organised, e.g. by using a task list, setting realistic deadlines, proper diary and time management

5. Provide some opportunities for them to do some strategic planning and to allocate time for this in their schedule

6. Encourage them to learn some relaxation techniques, e.g. by taking up a relaxing hobby like fishing or Tai Chi. These will have a beneficial effect on their health spa by reducing stress hormones, lowering blood pressure, creating a happier state of mind leading to better sleep, more energy and resilience to stress.

7. Provide options for them to look into their own work-life balance, i.e. by not taking work home/on holiday and using technology to make this easier for them with remote working for instance

8. Discuss setting realistic goals and not to over commit themselves

9. Introduce some coaching techniques to help them pause and reflect on the consequences of their behaviour. They should be encouraged to adopt new ways of handling stressful situations, handling themselves in a crisis, and conflict management – perhaps by attending workshops focussed on emotional intelligence.

10. Help them to identify the warning signs of stress, i.e. binge eating or drinking, poor sleep patterns, aggressive behaviour, or stress related illnesses, e.g. migraine, eczema, IBS. The overall recommendation being that sensible stress management is a long term solution, which although it requires commitment provides a viable solution much more effective than the short-term solution, i.e. going sick and being put on medication.

Setting realistic expectations and identifying if your staff are under stress will save money and improve staff retention and morale in the longer term.