7 Signs People are Overstressed & How to Reel Them in

Have you noticed your people are overstressed?

Probably not. And part of the reason is you: As a leader, you’re often overwhelmed, leaving a blind side for others’ stress.

The bitter truth: Stress levels are at an all-time high. More than half of employees experienced stress at work in the past day, according to a Gallup poll.

“Work-related stress can arise from employee interactions with managers, colleagues and the organization as a whole. Spotting these stressors early on is a big step in helping that individual cope,” says Simon Walter, director at Rhino Safety, a health and safety consultancy firm.

Helping When People are Overstressed

Managers set the standard at work. So it’s helpful when you reel in your own stress. Then you’re better equipped to identify people who are overstressed — and help them deal before there’s a meltdown, affecting everyone and everything.

The best bet: Know the signs of being overstressed. Then step in with resources — in some cases, good tips; in other cases, support — to help employees get back on track.

7 Signs People are Overstressed

Here are seven telltale signs people are overstressed:

1. Heightened emotional responses. When stressed, people sometimes become increasingly sensitive to what’s going on around them. They might get angry at seemingly little things. Or they become frustrated and lash out unpredictably. You’ll likely notice more conflict and tension among team members, too.
2. Mood swings. A bit different from the heightened emotional responses, people having mood swings fluctuate between extreme calm and high irritability. The stress might sneak up on them and they aren’t prepared to process it properly. When they get it under control, they’re calm … but only for so long.
3. Withdrawal. Sometimes when employees face work stress, they withdraw from work and personal social activities. Watch for this in people who normally enjoy the social elements of work.
4. Tiredness. You might notice this in a physical sense — a constant lethargy — or a mental sense — diminished motivation. From there, performance also dips.
5. Increased absenteeism. Stress can exacerbate physical and mental health issues. So employees who are overstressed at work will likely need to get away from work, taking more sick time off. Or if they have the opportunity to work remotely, they’ll choose that more often and withdraw more.
6. Changes in schedule. Employees who are overstressed might start changing their normal working habits — for instance, showing up late, working excessive hours or disappearing for long stretches. If they don’t have a healthy work-life balance they might not be coping with something in or outside of the workplace.
7. Turnover. People who are overstressed often leave jobs after they’ve suffered through the other symptoms noted here. And that’s where workplace stress really starts to affect the bottom line — to the tune of $300 billion annually.

7 Ways to Help the Overstressed

Now let’s look at seven ways you can curb stress across your team (manager included):

1. Identify stressors. Encourage people to keep a journal, even for a brief period. When feeling stressed, write a quick description of the situation. As they see stress patterns form, they can start to develop a plan to deal with it.
2. Set boundaries. This is where a manager’s influence impacts employees most. Respect your people’s lives outside of work by not sending messages — or responding to them — beyond normal work hours. Don’t send, encourage or expect work communication when people aren’t supposed to work and remind them to do the same.
3. Encourage better responses. Unfortunately, many of us have unhealthy responses to stress — over-indulging in food, caffeine, alcohol and other bad habits. Encourage people to try healthy diversions such as brief, brisk walks, indulging in favorite hobbies or activities and increasing healthy sleep. Set the example, too.
4. Avoid perfection. Remind employees that you hope they “give it their all,” but no one is expected to be perfect at everything all the time. Of course, the solution isn’t to be complacent or lazy. Instead, practice recognizing when something is good enough. As a leader, you might have to help them see what is good enough.
5. Insist on organization. Chaos breeds stress. While you can’t make self-proclaimed disorganized people suddenly become organized, you can set the example and give them tools to cut the clutter. Whether they deal in paper or electronic files, reducing the volume of it can reduce stress. With email or work requests, try this: If it’s junk, delete it. If it needs immediate action, do it. If it requires action later, put it in a “to-do file” that you check regularly.
6. Create rituals to start and end the day calmly. Encourage employees to hold one or two daily calming rituals — perhaps a quiet cup of tea, meditation, a brief social scroll or stretching — to put things in perspective.
7. Point employees toward available resources. You can help them address stress in other areas of their lives by making sure they know about financial, mental health and other types of support your company offers.