5 biggest causes of stress in the workplace

Nobody, and we mean nobody, likes to feel stressed in the workplace. We all have a job to do with deadlines to meet and targets to smash, and there’s nothing quite like stress to slow us down… inevitably causing even more stress!

Stress is the body’s reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure, and can have a detrimental impact on employee productivity and wellness. If the employees aren’t happy, relaxed and thriving, neither is the business. We’ve put together 5 biggest causes of stress in the workplace. If you know what to look for, you can sharply administer the most appropriate solution…

Insufficient skills for the job

Have you been placed in a role that doesn’t reflect well on your knowledge and skill set? Maybe you mistakenly oversold yourself in the job interview, or perhaps your manager has given you new tasks that you’re simply not equipped to handle? Whatever the reason behind you having insufficient skills for the job at hand, try to put a stop to it immediately.

Such a situation can spur significant stress, which will make your hard tasks even more difficult. Be straight with your manager and make a case regarding where in the business your skill set would be better utilised.

An unhappy life away from work

While we all know we’re expected to leave our personal life at the door when we turn up for work, this simply isn’t realistic. If you’re facing serious worries, perhaps financially or mentally, it’s impossible to switch off from them just because you’ve ‘clocked in’.

If this is the case, look to technology that’s available and relay its benefits to your colleagues and managers. For example, LifeWorks, the first unified total well-being platform, supports, connects, recognises, guides and rewards employees in the workplace.

Dealing with tight deadlines

These days, everything is instant. Instant communication, instant food and instant drink, instant results… We’ve become a nation of impatient humans who expect things instantly. Unfortunately, this is not exempt from the workplace. If you find that your deadlines are getting shorter and shorter and you’re struggling to meet them, speak out.

Stress in the workplace can cause fatigue, anxiety, discouragement and even heart palpitations, and dealing with relentless tight deadlines can most certainly cause these.

Micromanagement

Is your every single move being monitored? No wonder you feel stressed at work! Micromanagement is exactly what it sounds like; someone trying to personally control and monitor everything in a team, situation, or place, and can make an employee feel anxious and frustrated.

If you continue to put up with such a detrimental process, your mind and body will continue to suffer. Instead, share your feelings with someone you trust.

Lack of progression opportunities

Nobody likes to feel as though they’re going round in the same circle without actually making any progress… We are not hamsters on a wheel. If you’ve been stuck in the same job role for a suffocating length of time and with no signs of a promotion, this can be very disengaging.

Humans constantly need something to work towards! A lack of progression opportunities can have you feeling as though you’re running a mile-a-minute only to end up in the exact same spot. Take a step back, look at the bigger picture and ask yourself if it’s time for a career change.