10 tips to combat workplace stress in 2023

Rachel Murray, Head of Employee Wellbeing at Bupa UK, shares ten stress strategies to help you and your team combat workplace stress and avoid burnout.

A little bit of stress can be healthy in the workplace, but knowing how to keep it in check is key. Many of us may think workplace stress is a normal part of working life, but it can have significant consequences on employees and companies as a whole. Stressed employees may be less productive, less engaged, and may be more likely to seek employment elsewhere.

Along with the business ramifications workplace stress has, it can also take its toll on peoples’ physical and mental wellbeing leading to an increased risk of mental health conditions like depression, as well as placing increased pressure on the cardiovascular system.

Knowing how to help employees manage stress is a key way of supporting employees to be mentally and emotionally resilient, which also helps to keep your business performance strong.

10 tips to tackle workplace stress:

1. Taking better care of yourself
2. Positive self-reflection
3. Create an open culture
4. Work-life balance
5. Time management
6. Learn to say no
7. Stay connected with your colleagues
8. Make time for breaks
9. Encourage resilience training
10. Know when to ask for help

1. Taking better care of yourself

Self-care often falls by the wayside when we’re busy at work or with other commitments. Sometimes we may even feel guilty about the time required to take care of ourselves. Taking self-care time both in and outside of work is imperative to help us unwind, reset and keep our workplace stress levels within a healthy range.

Try and implement some of the following simple self-care strategies into your routine so you can boost your wellbeing both in and out of work:

• Eat healthily – consider providing healthy options in the workplace, such as water, herbal teas, fruits, vegetables, nuts and low-calorie snacks.
• Think about providing microwaves or a kitchen station so staff can reheat healthy home cooked meals and avoid fatty fast foods
• Take a break by getting outside – go for a walk, stargazing or eat alfresco style.
• Create a chill out zone – a place to de-stress, think about adding beanbags, hammocks, books, games and plants – you could even get employees to help design it
• Sleep for at least seven hours each night – have a nightly routine and make sure your bedroom is dark and free from distractions.

2. Positive self-reflection

Too often we tend to dwell on the negatives in the workplace, from feedback we receive to interactions that may not have gone to plan. This in time can affect your mental health and increase levels of workplace stress. It may also leave you feeling unhappy, frustrated and tired. And eventually, burned-out.

Positive self-reflection can help build good mental health, as it can:

• Increase your self-awareness, which helps your ability to understand and use your emotions in a positive way (emotional intelligence)
• Help you to find meaning and purpose in your life, which is important for your mental wellbeing
• Improve your performance in the future
• Help you to set more realistic and achievable goals, which you’re then more likely to be successful in

3. Create an open culture

Take the time to speak with colleagues on a human level, join team calls, ask people how they are, and don’t be afraid to share aspects of your own life, experiences and how you’re feeling. Be available to answer any questions they have and let your team know that you’re there to listen, too. Create an open-door policy to show you are available to help colleagues experiencing workplace stress, as their mental and physical wellbeing is not only crucial to their own happiness, but also to the success of your business.

This transparency will encourage employees to speak up about their concerns and may help reduce any temptation to overwork themselves. Stressed employees can lead to costly burnout absences – or even turning up to work when they’re not well enough.

4. Work-life balance

More of us have become aware of just how important a good work-life balance is. Offering flexibility in the workplace can help to boost satisfaction and benefits for both the employees and employers including a better company image. Employees who feel valued, heard, and taken care of also enjoy their jobs more which helps them achieve peak performance. Importantly, hybrid or remote working brings its own wellbeing challenges so it is vital to adapt your wellbeing programmes for remote teams.

5. Time management

Placing high or unrealistic expectations on yourself or your team can increase the risk of burnout, which can impair performance in work and harm mental health. No matter how busy your agenda is, don’t lose sight of the fact that everyone is striving towards a common goal and you’re all human. There’s only so much that can be achieved in one day.

One useful tip to think about is goal setting. Making a simple list at the beginning of the week can really help you to better organise your time around what you need to achieve. Reflect on where you’re spending your time and consider if there’s better ways to manage this for you or your team. Work with your team to implement ways to better time management strategies.

6. Learn to say no

If you’re a people pleaser, saying ‘no’ can be difficult even when you’re already too busy to take on anything else. The notion of turning people down can cause more stress and pressure. However, being overworked adds extra stress to your schedule, reduces the chance of being able to perform at your best and impacts your wellbeing. When you’re feeling the pressure and know you can’t complete a task to a quality you’re happy with in the time you’ve been given, remember that you’re allowed to say no.

Managers can encourage their team to speak up when they’re taking on more than they can handle by practicing what they preach.

7. Stay connected with your colleagues

Hybrid working may mean that you don’t see your colleagues as often as you did pre-pandemic. This could mean it’s a lot more tempting to spend the entire day immersed in our work. Networking is now more important than ever, as employees feeling lonely at work may struggle to be productive.  

Social activities are great for reducing stress, boosting morale and team building. Make it fun and organise social activities, such as team lunches, nights out, quizzes and recognition rewards events.  This will create a better office atmosphere and improve productivity, creativity and collaboration. Ask your team how you want to get to know each other – create a team charter and agree the best way to socialise and keep in touch with each other.  

People with good connections in the workplace are more likely to be happier, less stressed, more engaged, and even physically healthier. It’s not only formal meetings where the opportunities to connect are, there’s also short interactions that play a vital role in the sense of belonging, even if it’s a little chat at the water fountain. So, push yourself to get out there and your efforts will be rewarded. 

8. Make time for breaks

Many employees slip into the routine of working indefinitely without a break due to high workload or have deadlines to meet. Despite urgent work matters, it’s very important to take a break in order to stay sharp and focused. Taking regular breaks and being away from workspaces gives employees time to recharge and rest themselves. After a break, employees are more motivated and are back working with more energy.

Set a company culture that isn’t afraid of scheduling breaks. Research shows that the most productive employees work for fifty-two minutes, followed by a seventeen-minute break.

9. Encourage resilience training

Although being perfect is what many people strive to be there are disadvantages when it becomes an obsession and that’s the time you need take action by understanding why you push yourself. 

Resilience is the process of training our attention to focus on specific aspects of a challenge, as well as identifying and using our unique strengths to overcome those challenges. 

Having a wider understanding of the effects of stress on your employees and business can help you make effective choices and implement relevant policies to help your whole workforce.  

Building resilience is very much a personal journey that takes self-reflection, time and practice. Managers can support an individual’s development by providing the right tools and training to combat whatever stressful situations throw at them in line with what they’re able to personally cope with.  

10. Know when to ask for help

While you may think that asking for help at work makes you look weak, it’s actually the reverse. Too many individuals that experience stress at work suffer through it alone are truly doing themselves more harm. The most effective way to deal with work-related stress is to ask for help.

If your company already has business health insurance, make sure you’re making the most of the services available and that you’re communicating these regularly to your employees. Health insurance can help you access health professionals quickly, getting to the source of stress and equipping you with coping strategies to change how you cope with it.

Other outlets, like Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP), small business health insurance, occupational health can help make a significant difference for colleagues struggling with stress.