Half a trillion dollars (yep – trillion, with a “t”).

That’s the estimated annual cost of work stress to U.S. employers, according to this 2017 Mental Health America study.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

This eye-opening survey includes dozens of disturbing statistics that quantify the extensive impact job stress has on today’s workforce:

• One in three (33%) of respondents report missing work because of stress.
• Among those reporting they “always or often” miss work due to workplace stress, over half (53%) miss six or more work days each month.
• 81% of respondents say the stress from their job affects relationships with friends or family.

You’re smart. You don’t need statistics like these to convince you that job stress is bad for your employees and your business. What you do need are practical tips for helping your staff manage the daily stress that’s an unavoidable part of their job.

And that’s exactly what we share here:

Provide Resilience Training

Bring in a consultant to teach your staff how to reflect and become more self-aware. By training your employees to become more mindful, they will more clearly recognize the specific causes of their stress and plan appropriate coping strategies to manage it – like eating well, exercising and getting adequate sleep. Increased awareness, coupled with healthy stress-management habits, will help your employees to bounce back from stressors.

Find the Humor in Stressful Situations

When it comes to combatting stress, a good laugh can be the best medicine. The next time you see a coworker struggling with a tough work situation, find an appropriate way to break through with laughter. Share a funny joke or story (as long as you’re not laughing at some else’s expense) or frame the situation differently to provide some perspective. Humor may not change your employee’s predicament, but a good laugh can definitely lighten their mood and improve their mindset.

Share the Best Productivity Habits

Boosting productivity is essential to helping employees achieve their work goals. And logically, they’ll feel less stressed when they check more things off their to-do list. In this post, our team shares 5 productivity hacks that will give your team a little more breathing room each day.

Help Employees Achieve a Healthier Work/Life Mix

As technology blurs the boundaries separating home and work, it’s becoming tougher for employees to completely disconnect at the day’s end. In this earlier post, our team shares tips for facilitating a healthy work/life “blend” that’s sustainable and promotes peak performance.

Offer Flexible Work Options

Make it easy for your employees to take the time away from work they need to stay focused, productive and balanced. Implement a formal program that allows employees to design their schedules to accommodate their personal lives. Popular options include flextime, job sharing, telecommuting and extended leaves.

Provide Adequate Staffing Support

All employees need time off to recharge, refocus and recover from work stress. Make sure your business is prepared to handle short- and long-term absences with support from Exact Staff. Whether you require a single temporary for a day, an entire project team for a month, or a strategic staffing program to increase work flex, we provide a range of staffing and placement services to combat work stress and create a healthier bottom line.