When it comes to workplace stress, team leaders have a double responsibility: not only to ensure the wellbeing of their team, but also to take care of their own mental health. We asked Austin Wedge, Impellus Customer Experience Team Manager and one of the Company’s Mental Health First Aid Champions, for some insights and advice.
Spotting the signs
“I’ve found that spotting the signs in your team can be tricky,” says Austin. “I've learned to notice when my team members are not their usual selves. It's important to address these changes early on to prevent burnout, so I always make time for one-on-one check-ins where they can speak openly."
Signs of stress to look out for include:
- Not performing to their usual standards.
- Taking more sick leave.
- Tiredness, irritability or mood changes.
- Becoming quiet and withdrawn.
- Being self-critical.
- Indecisiveness and poor judgement.
- Loss of sense of humour.
What should you do?
“I always make a point of not letting things drift,” says Austin. “I will arrange a confidential meeting to give my team member the opportunity to share how they are feeling and discuss the workplace issues that are affecting them.
“It’s important to listen and respond in a non-judgemental way – even if your team member’s feedback includes criticism of you. It can be difficult to hear, but I always look on it as a great learning and self-development opportunity.”
Discover four leadership styles and when to use them.
What may be causing your team member stress?
Common causes of work-related stress include:
- Feeling overwhelmed or overloaded if they cannot cope with the amount or type of work required of them.
- A perception that they have no control over how and when to do their work. This can lead to disaffection and poor performance.
- Being unsure about exactly what is expected of them.
- Feeling unable to raise issues that are affecting them.
- Poor working relationships and lack of trust which can lead to conflict.
- Poor change management.
Next steps
Consider creating a mutually agreed individual action plan to help affected team members deal with stress and resolve the issues that are causing it. In addition:
- Ensure your team member has a clear written job description and understands what is expected of them.
- Be collaborative and involve your team member in deciding how work should be carried out.
- Consider offering flexible hours to help your team improve their work/life balance.
- Carry out regular staff appraisals to identify strengths and weaknesses, recognise achievements and manage any under-performance.
- Have an ongoing ‘open door’ policy so team members feel comfortable approaching you at any time.
- Ensure your team members are informed about what is going on within your organisation.
Did you know: the law says there is a legal duty to protect employees from stress at work (this doesn’t apply to stress that isn’t related to work).
The challenges of remote working
“I’ve found over the past few years that remote working can trigger stress among my team members. For example, if they struggle to maintain a healthy work/life balance,” says Austin. “Remote workers can also start to feel isolated or find it difficult to stay motivated when working alone. And I know from experience that it can be particularly tricky to spot the signs of stress among a remote team.”
Spot the signs:
- Look out for warning signs such as work or emails being sent across late in the evening.
- Make time for regular online and face-to-face meetings where possible, both with the team as a whole and individual team members.
- Avoid micromanaging, but always check in regularly to make sure everyone is OK.
Read our blog post on remote working to find out more.
Look after yourself too
As a team leader, it’s vital to take care of your own mental wellbeing. If you are affected by stress, take steps to address it before things get worse.
“Make the most of any support services offered as part of your employment,” says Austin. “Speak to your own line manager, eat a healthy diet, take some exercise and make sure that work doesn’t creep into your home life. Take the time to switch off.”
You may find useful:
Managing and Appraising Performance: Find out how to create a consistent performance appraisal process with clear goals and targets and meaningful feedback for the advantage of both employees and the organisation.
Managing Change and Innovation: This course will show you how to identify opportunities for positive change and then gain support and buy-in from everyone in the team.
Developing Winning Teams: Discover how to build cohesive, motivated and productive teams, whether you’re starting from scratch, making some personnel changes or need fresh inspiration for an existing team.
