Team Spirit

Stressed-out employees can rob your company of productivity. "When people feel their stress load is too heavy," says Paul Allie, a senior researcher who studies office environments for Steelcase Inc. in Grand Rapids, Michigan, "they respond in emotional, behavioral or physiological ways that can be harmful"--to themselves and the company.

Allie offers these tips for reducing workplace stress for your employees:

• Reduce uncertainty. Employees need to know where they stand--especially if things seem rocky. "Give employees the real facts," Allie says. "Let them know when business is doing well, and don't allow rumors to proliferate if and when business takes a downturn. Even bad news, when given in the right way, helps reduce uncertainty--and that helps reduce stress."

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• Provide regular feedback. Don't limit your comments on performance to an annual evaluation; if you see someone doing a job well, praise him or her. "Employees want to believe they are contributing to the good of the company," Allie says.

• Consider offering flextime. "Often a change of just 30 minutes or an hour [as to] when people come in to work can make a big difference in how they manage their lives away from work, which is often a big cause of stress," Allie says.

• Encourage goal-setting. When people see clear, obtainable objectives ahead, they hesitate less and accomplish more.

• Push decisions down. You'll create a stronger feeling of mutual trust when you allow employees to make decisions. Whenever you can, Allie advises, push decisions as far down the hierarchy as possible.

• Promote teamwork. Encourage cooperation rather than competition. Allie says employees will be more positive about their environment if they get support from fellow workers.

• Consider necessary learning curves. When employees need to learn new skills, allow sufficient time for training and practice.

Finally, Allie says, watch for signs that employees are distressed, but don't smother them with undue concern. "If you begin to sense that an employee is overwhelmed, ask them about their workload," he suggests. You may find out the problem is something personal--and a demonstration of understanding and support will help.

"Remember, people have lives outside of work," says Allie, "and though they may not want to discuss those issues, they will still benefit if they feel a sense of camaraderie with management."

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