This blog is mainly aimed at the managers who are having to think of innovative ways to reduce stress for healthcare workers. It is impossible to eradicate workplace stress however there are ways to reduce it significantly or better manage it. It is important to note that there are many ways to manage workplace stress and no one model fits all. The goal here is to make everyone aware of the importance of managing workplace stress and the ways to go about it. So here are some of my top 10 ideas of how a manager can reduce workplace stress.

Sort out the staffing issues

The healthcare arena is always understaffed. It is key to get this fixed. The less staff you have the quicker your current workforce will be burnt out and leading to long-term sickness. Start working with the recruiting teams as well as staff to fast-track the process of good quality staff hiring and make sure you can hold on to your current staff too. You can do this by listening, communicating and understanding their needs and concerns. Make them feel valued, help them with their daily challenges, empower them, and build trust and a culture of care and honesty. This is a slow and difficult process but if get it right the benefits are unimaginable.

Get the work-life balance right

You would never get it 100% correct but as a manager, you got to work with your team and get everyone together with regards to designing work rota making sure all services are met. This is a team effort so don’t be afraid of trying new ways out, keep it fresh, but most importantly hear all staff’s opinions, feelings and commitments. Let them have a key role in designing, shaping and monitoring the work rota. Empower them so that they take responsibility and ownership of implementing a good work-life balance.

Embrace the concept of mindfulness micro-practices

These are simple actionable tools which take minimal time to implement example let your staff have time to name their challenging emotions such as am I feeling anger, exhaustion, or concern. Naming allows us to self-manage. Also, allow staff to take a moment or micro break in between tasks and reflect and aligning themselves.

Re-design the concept of break

Strictly enforce your staff take adequate break, if they do not take a break it will affect their output. Get the staff together to design their breakout space and breakout activity, and allow them to switch off completely

Manage chaos

Look for ways to improve management of noise, healthcare environment is highly pressurised with various types of sounds and lights. Look at ways to get natural lights, natural sounds, fresh air in. Use calming colours, and pictures. Cut out noise by implementing reduce noise procedures will help a lot. Having indoor plants, living wall, and water features all helps towards combating stressful stimuli.

Better nutrition

Make sure staff get wholesome good quality natural food in the canteen, better even let the staff design good quality wholesome meal plan for the canteen. Sell these at heavily reduced prices. Your staff works so hard for you so offering them good quality free food (if possible) is the least you can do. Having a well-fed, hydrated workforce will enhance your service delivery.

Be smart with indoor space

Look at corridors, pathways alcoves and think of the best ways to use these to reduce stress. For example, a nurse’s or doctor’s daily routes could have small calming alcoves for a moment of rest by adding soft cushions, natural or soft lights, or a quiet place to call family etc.

Connect with the outdoor green space

Use real plants and greenery in small to large spaces. Having floor-to-ceiling windows, letting in natural lights, and fresh air, make outdoor spaces a haven for flowers, insects and birds, flowing water features, and living walls, so that staff get a lot of natural stimuli, all of this help to cut out stress.

Maintain a high level of cleanliness and tidiness

Clutter breeds more stress. Having a clean tidy work area, walkway, path, lift, and stairs will help staff relax more. This should be throughout the hospital site indoors and outdoors from the parking space to every area around the hospital trust.

Know your staff

This is one of my favourites as to help your staff to reduce stress you should know them better. This is where you should talk to them daily, build one team mentality, hear their concerns, give them a voice, and let them feel they are genuinely valued and listened to. Get them together to build a positive working culture. When your staff feels valued, listened to, respected and can be who they are this will help in reducing work stress issues.

Final thought

So there you have my 10 tips on how to manage staff stress within a healthcare environment, I hope you have found it informative and maybe try some of the tips for your selves within your teams.

By Rayhan Abdullah Zakaria