Stress is a complicated thing, and it shows up differently for everyone. Symptoms vary depending on how each person handles pressure. There’s a long list of signs, but the key point is this: stress doesn’t look the same for everyone. And it exists in different levels.

What makes it even harder is that there’s no set workload or work environment that always causes stress. It all depends on the individual’s preferences and mental bandwidth. If someone has more tasks and responsibilities than they feel they can handle, they’ll start to feel overwhelmed. If that feeling becomes constant, it leads to stress.

The same workload might be ideal for one person, pushing them to grow and perform, while the exact same setup could be stressful for someone else. And to make things more complex, a person’s private life also impacts their overall stress levels. This makes it even more important for leaders to understand each individual’s needs.

The cost of poor leadership and unhealthy environments

Studies in the UK show that around 13.5 million workdays are lost each year due to employee stress. Some of the most common causes of workplace stress include:

• Fear of being laid off
  
  

• Pressure to meet unrealistic expectations (with no increase in job satisfaction)
  
  

• Lack of control over how work is carried out

This is just one of many reports pointing to the real cost of unhealthy work environments.

In some organizations, it’s still seen as a badge of honor to work 60+ hours per week – but that lifestyle simply isn’t sustainable for everyone. Worse still, in some teams, setting boundaries or saying no to extra tasks is seen as a weakness or a lack of ambition.

But stress is not a sign of weakness.
It results from an outdated way of managing people – a legacy from military-style leadership models that no longer belong in the modern workplace.
And yes… unfortunately, that’s where some of today’s management principles come from.

No one could have predicted that stress-related anxiety and depression would cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion in lost productivity every year. (Yes, read that again: one trillion dollars.)

But the financial loss is only part of the story. What matters most is the impact on people’s quality of life.

It’s not impossible to prevent stress – but you do need a plan

I know it may sound complicated – or even impossible – to prevent stress.
But the truth is, it’s not.

Successteam is our contribution to solving that challenge.
We help teams perform, not despite their work environment, but because of it.

Whether you use Successteam or not, here’s the thing: It’s 2021, and if you don’t have a strategy to prevent stress, you’re already behind.

Your employees are the foundation of any successful team, and it’s your responsibility to protect their mental health. We all need to be better informed. Speak up when you notice signs of stress in a team member. Say something if you’re feeling overwhelmed yourself.

We must normalize putting mental health first.

It’s your job as a leader to create the best possible conditions for each person on your team, so they can thrive and hit their goals. That’s better for the individual. It’s better for the business. And it’s how you keep your best people.

A true win-win.

— By Nadia Nielsson, CEO of Successteam