The healthcare industry can be extremely stressful with long hours and literally having lives in the hands of staff. Stress is the silent killer and many people do not have the coping skills to manage stress in a healthy way. Luckily in healthcare we are in the business of people so a hospital or practice can assist staff in relieving stress. A proactive approach in helping staff cope by an employer can make a huge difference. First it is going to put the in good light in the eyes of the employees as caring for staff is seen quite easily. Employees that have less stress are going to perform at high levels in as all jobs will have some stress incorporated which is healthy if it is a reasonable amount. The following are tips to help staff in healthcare to manage stress business and how to assist them in reducing stress.
Ask Employees That Have A Tough Schedule If They Need Relief
There are going to be those people working long hours as many shifts in healthcare are 12 hours or more. Trying to schedule employees in a fair manner is important as someone constantly getting terrible shifts is going to wear an employee down. Giving employees options to switch with others can allow people to create a schedule that works for them. Parents at times are going to have to switch due to commitments of their children so keep this in mind. Getting approval before switching shifts should be done as scheduling people that work well together helps things go smoothly.
Investing Money Instead Of Spending It
Money problems can make their way into the office, hospital, or practice impacting performance in a negative manner. Investing money can alleviate stress caused by not being able to pay the bills or living paycheck to paycheck. For those that are not savvy in investing there are other options like that of investing with a robo advisor. These advisors are a financial advisor that relies on tech and a particular algorithm. People that want a hands off approach to managing their finances and investments this is the perfect option. Financially healthy employees will be less stressed and their quality of life will be higher.
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Talk About The Dangers Of Using Drugs Or Alcohol To Cope
Unfortunately those people that use alcohol or drugs to cope can lead to addiction by managing their stress this way. The additional fact that this is extremely healthy makes these very poor ways to manage stress. An employee showing up with a hangover or still impaired is not only unsafe but should be reprimanded immediately. Setting up a gym or helping pay for gym memberships can encourage exercising as a way to reduce stress. Getting out all of the tension that has built up over the course of the day can be immensely therapeutic.
Simple Questions Can Inform Management Of How An Employee Is Doing Stress-Wise
Asking employees how life is going is usually going to result in a generic answer. There will be those people that open up so try to help them out with the schedule or take some work off of their plate. This does not mean that the employee shouldn’t be held accountable as there are people that always seem to be in a personal crisis. In roles like that of marketers giving staff the ability to work from home weekly can be a huge perk as well as a great way to reduce stress on a weekly basis. There are things as simple as providing lunch on a busy day at the hospital so staff does not feel rushed during their only break. Having employees list what stresses them about the job can be very enlightening. Hopefully this can be solved with a few policy changes but remember there are people that are going to complain about everything if it is anonymous.
Stress is never going to be completely eliminated so keep this in mind. Take care of your staff in the above ways will allow staff to work at optimum levels for sustained periods of time. Keeping employee turnover low is also important in the success of a healthcare based business. Never underestimate the value of positive attitudes in the workplace as it can make a huge difference!
