Bob Martel
Updated: February 19, 2020
Central Mass. HEALTH
Overcoming workplace anxiety
By Bob Martel
Let’s face it. Workplace anxiety is no fun, yet it’s all too common. It eats away at people, and it has a detrimental effect on business, perhaps yours, too. It’s impossible to achieve one’s potential and perform well if they are plagued by work-related anxiety.
While positive anxiety can help us perform with greater energy and alertness, chronic anxiety may be a problem. Workplace anxiety lives both within the individual and across the organization.
And, there are many anxiety tell-tale markers if we will only see them: Panic, fears, avoidance, social issues, sick leave, short-term disability or even early retirement. Our heart races, we sweat, and we experience general malaise and paralysis. It can negatively impact the company’s productivity, affect morale, lower team performance, and cause an increase in workplace injuries, accidents, absenteeism and even presenteeism; being absent on the job due to anxiety. While studies have shown a direct correlation between job satisfaction with job-related anxiety, it seems clear being engaged in meaningful work in a positive work environment is essential to mental health!
Most wellness programs do not actively address mental health, specifically when it comes to work-related stress and anxiety.
Companies seldom seriously address the impact of chronic work-related anxiety. The workplace environment may cause internal work climate issues, and the relationship with the boss can lead an over-stressed and anxious key employee to leave.
There are solutions!
The role of company leadership
From the top down, management must step up to address this issue. Listen to self-reported symptoms, be aware of observed out of character behaviors of an individual or team or changes in work performance! Workplace anxiety appears in numerous ways: asthma, breathing issues, back pain, migraines, stress, depression, eye strain, and voluntary resignation.
Anxiety can lead to an employee’s lack of self confidence to perform their job well. Optimism then slides, and a pessimistic self-doubting attitude develops. It can result in disintegrating relationships with coworkers. Seemingly contagious, team cohesiveness is affected, creating a negative atmosphere.
It’s important to know workplace anxiety happens at all levels. Whether it’s an executive spinning out of control or an employee feeling hopeless about their job, effective communication goes a long way. Show you care. Helping employees see a better picture of their future will calm the nerves and steady the ship. Be supportive and demonstrate what it looks like to take control of your thoughts and actions and be the positive leader they seek. Accessing the company’s employee assistance program may be required. Look at the work environment, workload, and the level of freedom employees enjoy, or not.
The role of the individual employee
Stressors, whether at home or at work, have an additive effect, accumulating over time. It’s imperative one learns to take back control by learning such things as self-hypnosis, emotional maturity and effective communications. Talk about your workplace anxiety with a trusted friend, and consider the following:
- Induce the relaxation response: Breathe!
- Develop meditation and self-hypnosis skills
- Engage in positive self-talk
- Be aware of any self-sabotage, do not let doubt move in!
- Work to see the situation from different points of view
- Understand what you can control, and where you need assistance
When all else fails, give your workplace anxiety a name, talk to it, make it your friend, and do some introspection. Become more aware of its sources and address them as possible. Labeling it is the first step in creating a relationship with it, then “drop the story” as you begin to let it go, as best you can do. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Sleep
A good night’s sleep is essential and goes a long way to reducing anxiety. A well-rested employee begins to see things from a different perspective. As Forbes Magazine presents in numerous articles on sleep, today’s CEOs recognize the importance of sleep.
Training your mind and body to fall and stay asleep is easier than you think.
Reframe your perspective. Take back control. Try this: Breathe deeply a few times, as you say to yourself, “How lucky am I!” It will make you feel better. Counting your blessings helps, too.
Bob Martel is a board-certified hypnotist and performance coach. He can be reached at bob@bobmartel.com.
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Anonymous
December 7, 2019
Talent management is a term that is being thrown around in the workplace, being used interchangeably with human capital management and employee management system, but that is not correct. Each of these terms have key differences.
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