Workplace stress: definition
According to the INRS (Institut National de Recherche et Securite – National Institute for Research and Safety), workplace stress occurs when a person feels an imbalance between what they are asked to do in a professional context and the resources they have to respond.
It is important to distinguish between temporary stress linked to a one-off situation (public speaking, submitting an important report, etc.), which is a natural bodily reaction, and chronic stress. The latter persists over time and generates harmful effects for both the individual and the company. Repetitive stress affects both psychological and physical well-being, potentially leading, in the worst cases, to burnout. At the company level, stress can deteriorate the social climate, affecting the overall functioning of the organisation and its productivity.
It is therefore the employer’s responsibility to act through a collective prevention approach while also implementing corrective actions to reduce the sources of stress in the company and the risks associated with workplace stress.
What are the factors of workplace stress?
The factors of workplace stress are numerous; among the most common are:
Work overload
Employees feel overwhelmed, pressured by tight deadlines or too many requests or tasks to complete, and find themselves in a stressful situation. A lack of work (underwork, being sidelined) can also be a source of stress.
Unclear objectives
Unrealistic, unachievable or poorly formulated objectives can cause stress among employees who put excessive pressure on themselves to meet them.
Lack of support and recognition
Poor management can generate stress. The employee lacks guidance, support and gradually becomes isolated. A lack of communication can cause frustration, confusion and increase stress levels. This can stem from management but also from interpersonal relationships between colleagues within the company.
Job insecurity
Job insecurity may be linked to the macroeconomic context (offshoring, job cuts, etc.) or to increased competition, precarious employment contracts, changing schedules, and inevitably generates stress.
Poor organisation
An inefficient, unclear organisation or unclear processes can make work more complex and increase stress levels. This can also result from a new way of working such as remote work (or imposed remote work as experienced during the Covid pandemic), which disrupts the habits of employees and managers who are not trained to support employees in a hybrid working model.
The work environment
Finally, the work environment (open-plan offices, noise, lack of space, distance from home, etc.) can also be a stress factor for employees.
What are the indicators of workplace stress?
It is important for the company and management to be able to detect signs of stress among employees in order to take preventive or corrective measures if stress is already established. Certain signs are indicative of a state of stress, such as absenteeism, increased turnover, more frequent interpersonal conflicts and avoidance behaviours (delays on tasks, lack of response, justifications). Managers must be alert and able to detect changes in their teams’ behaviour: mood swings, irritability, anger, increased physical complaints…
Once these factors are known and identified, the company can take action. However, 6 out of 10 employees feel that their employer does not implement solutions to improve their psychological well-being (Alan/Harris Interactive barometer, February 2022). So, what solutions are available to companies to reduce workplace stress?
What solutions exist to reduce workplace stress?
Workplace stress prevention
It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the safety and protect the physical and mental health of their employees at work.
To achieve this, they can implement collective prevention actions that address the causes of stress rather than its symptoms: training, workshops, concrete action plans involving trade unions and employee representatives, for example.
Preventive training in stress management is essential. Having a thorough understanding of the stress factors to which employees are exposed enables managers, in particular, to detect early warning signs and take action before the company reaches a critical point.
Reviewing the work environment to reduce workplace stress
Reducing workplace stress requires concrete and ongoing actions. These actions relate to the company’s operating model. They must be driven by the executive committee, as they are an integral part of the company’s strategy.
It is indeed essential to foster a positive work environment by encouraging communication, collaboration and mutual respect. For example, measures such as implementing remote work, flexible or adjusted schedules, can help reduce stress by enabling employees to better balance their professional and personal lives.
It is also important to offer training and professional development opportunities to employees. This allows them to feel valued, to develop their skills, which contributes to their well-being and motivation.
Finally, it is important to implement support programmes for employees who suffer from workplace stress. This can include individual coaching sessions, stress management programmes or wellness benefits such as meditation sessions.
Coaching, a solution to reduce workplace stress
Today, the coaching approach is well known and recognised. Companies do not hesitate to engage external coaches to support employees, particularly on workplace stress issues.
The very act of offering professional coaching support to employees is a way to show them that the company cares about their well-being, has understood that there is a pain point and is committed to supporting them.
Often it is the HR Directors, alerted by managers, who propose training or personalised support. Coaching is very practical. The coach examines the barriers, motivations and resources of the employee and proposes an action plan at the end of the session to be tested in the following weeks. The follow-up, over 8 to 10 sessions, allows verification of whether the action plan is working and adjustments if needed. In a coaching process, HR is often involved, as are managers, in order to define objectives and ensure all parties have the tools to take action.
The coach helps provide perspective and distance, and this process brings solutions to light. Gaining perspective itself helps reduce stress because it reveals levers for change — it is systemic.
Through tools, models and reflection, the coach facilitates an awareness that the current state is not satisfactory but that it is reversible.
