The holidays can be a stressful time for some people. But if you are a business owner, there are some things that you can do to make this time of year — and all year round — a little more calm for your employees.
Smallbiztrends.com offers these suggestions for reducing employee stress:
Focus on open communication — Don’t take for granted that you know what employees want or need. Make sure they know you are open to comments, questions and suggestions.
- Listen to them — Stop and really focus on what your employees are saying. Don’t just hear what they are saying; really listen.
- Encourage them to ask for what they need — This should include working from home when the babysitter doesn’t show up, or other situations that require flexibility.
- Build community — Encourage team members to support each other.
- Allow a personal touch — Let them show a little creativity in their jobs, and to decorate their workspace in a way that reflects their personal style.
- Be transparent — Let them know how you feel about challenges on the job, and that you’re aware everything isn’t always perfect.
- Be authentic — Don’t try to be someone you aren’t; it will only alienate people.
- Check your intentions — Are you keeping in mind that your employees are fellow human beings and not just a means for you to increase your bottom line?
- Provide mental health days — The hope is that employees will feel comfortable enough to share whether their stress is work related so you can fix the cause.
The Miami law firm Pollack, Pollack & Kogans LLC represents clients in all areas of business law. The business litigation firm acts as local counsel for out-of-state and foreign attorneys, in the fields of complex civil and commercial litigation, probate litigation, injunctive relief, judgment and debt collection, contract litigation, landlord-tenant disputes, legal ethics dilemmas, securities arbitrations, and all business concerns and disputes.
