Stress in the Workplace: A Growing Challenge for Companies
Mental stress in the workplace continues to increase. More and more tasks, constantly rising demands, and a lack of recovery periods mean that employees are under constant stress. For companies, this not only poses a health risk for their team, but also an economic problem. A survey of managing directors and HR professionals conducted by Techniker Krankenkasse reflects the dramatic increase in burnout issues.
Managers, HR managers, and coaches are called upon to create structures that reduce stress while strengthening their employees’ stress management skills. Because one thing is certain: the challenges of tomorrow’s working world are unlikely to diminish.
Building Stress Competence: Responsibility on Two Levels
The solution lies on two levels:
- Organizational level: Companies must create conditions that protect mental health—from realistic work goals to clear role assignments.
- Individual level: At the same time, people need tools to deal with stress more confidently. Those who recognize stress signals early on and respond in a targeted manner remain capable of acting even in turbulent times.
However, many people ignore the first warning signs and suppress symptoms of exhaustion. Yet it is precisely this early confrontation with one’s own stress behavior that promotes healthy stress management in the long term.
A Holistic Approach: What Really Helps Combat Stress
At persolog, we have been dealing with stress competence for over 20 years. Our approach in the persolog® Stress Model is holistic and individual: We analyze what stresses people, how they react, and which strategies help them to cope better in the future. Stress often arises from learned patterns of thinking and behavior. Those who recognize and change these patterns can reduce their own stress levels in the long term – and become active shapers of their own lives again.
Three Steps to Greater Stress Competence
How can you strengthen your own stress management skills in concrete terms? The path begins with self-awareness—and leads to long-term stress management skills through conscious reactions.
1. Identify stressors: What exactly stresses you out? Which situations, thoughts, or people trigger stress in you? The answers to these questions form the basis for your path to greater serenity.
2. Recognize reactions: What physical or emotional reactions do you exhibit when you are stressed? Often, those around us are more sensitive to these signals than we are ourselves. Looking in the “inner mirror” helps you to better understand your own stress patterns.
3. Develop strategies: Now it’s time to put them into practice: What short-term techniques can you use to stabilize yourself in acute situations? And what long-term measures help you prevent stress in the long run—for example, through changes in your everyday life, new ways of thinking, or healthy routines?
