In a workplace where conditions exist that are outside your control or realm of influence and where roles, responsibilities, authority, accountabilities or expectations are unclear, frustrated passion can arise, resulting in:
- A high stress environment
- Poor communication
- Office politics
- Workflow problems
- Diminished productivity and
- Staff disengagement.
This dysfunctional state, in turn, may deteriorate and lead to:
- Attendance issues
- Burnout
- Project or business failure
According to Statistics Canada, General Social Survey (GSS) “In 2010 slightly more than 1 in 4 Canadian workers described their day-to-day lives as highly stressful. “Over time, employers lose productivity to stress through absenteeism, reduced work output, and increased disability claims. Mental health problems alone are estimated to cost employers about $20 billion annually and account for over three-quarters of short-term disability claims in Canada.”
10 Top Workplace Stressors
As identified by the Mental Health Roundtable:
- The treadmill syndrome. Too much to do at once, requiring the 24 hour workday.
- Random interruptions
- Doubt. Employees aren’t sure what is happening, where things are headed
- Mistrust. Vicious office politics disrupt positive behaviour.
- Unclear company direction and policy.
- Career and job ambiguity. Things happen without the employee knowing why.
- Inconsistent performance management processes. Employees get raises but no reviews or get positive evaluation, but are laid off afterward.
- Being unappreciated.
- Lack of two-way communication up and down.
- Too much or too little to do. The feeling of not contributing and having a lack of control.
Workplace stressors compounded with life stressors on the personal front may create a level of stress that overwhelms, paralyzes, producing emotional outbursts, unbearable anxiety attacks or depressive episodes.
YOU can Affect Change – 7 Tips for Positive Change
As Benjamin Disraeli said, Man is not the creature of circumstances; circumstances are the creatures of men.
Consider the impact on your environment if you:
- Shared information openly
- Thought of mistakes as opportunities for learning
- Were loyal and defended colleagues in their absence
- Talked straight with people and confronted real issues
- Made every effort to collaborate; have real communication, were candid and authentic
- Practiced generosity and shared credit with others
- Cultivated a positive outlook and expressed yourself with energy and enthusiasm
In my work with a client, I facilitate self awareness, self regulation by developing emotional intelligence.
Mindfulness coaching helps you shift your relationship to yourself, others and your workplace culture allowing you to transform a toxic work environment into a healthy workplace culture.
In the process you identify the causes of anxiety, personal and workplace stressors, develop your coping skills, reclaim your personal power and make informed choices. Learn more about our 12 steps to becoming a mindful and authentic leader.
As a coach I provide the independent, compassionate and confidential support you need to help you identify the causes of anxiety in your life, sort things out, create intention that inspire action and move forward.
About Julia von Flotow
