Employee stress is hurting Australian organisations – here's how HR can help
This article was produced in partnership with DLPA.
As we move into the end of 2022, employers are looking to the New Year with trepidation. The cost of living crisis coupled with rising inflation and a severe talent shortage are beginning to take their toll on Australian organisations. This uncertainty is causing mass employee stress, burnout and increasing mental health concerns – something which is giving HR leaders many a sleepless night.
But exactly what challenges should employers prepare themselves for as we head into 2023?
“The key challenges really seem to be around the impacts of prolonged stress on the workforce as a whole,” says Karlie Cremin, managing director DLPA. “We’re seeing resilience levels go down, complaints are also rising. Anecdotally, I believe this is because people generally have a shorter fuse so small things are erupting, coupled with many workplaces that’re still navigating a lot of the interpersonal nuances that come with hybrid working. The talent gaps in many organisations are also adding to the pressure. In this environment it can be very difficult for people to see a light at the end of the tunnel, or to get out from under their workload once it has gotten away from them.”
For HR leaders, the question becomes how can they safeguard their own teams when they themselves are feeling burned out. O.C Tanner’s Global Culture report found that
43% of leaders believe their work is infringing on their ability to be happy in their personal lives, with mid-level leaders feeling 33% less appreciated than their senior management team. There’s a leadership crisis on our hands, one that has the propensity to cause psychological stress in the coming months.
So, how can employers prepare themselves for the pitfalls ahead? Well, according to Cremin, it all starts with looking at individual workloads and workflows.
“We’re encouraging all clients to really look at the impact of tasks and ensuring you’re asking your workers to focus on high impact tasks to try to push engagement and productivity back up,” she tells HRD. “Sprint or similar goals are also very important. However, making sure that they’re actually attainable is equally important. Putting some focus on mindset and ensuring you have equipped teams with the structure to be efficient, but also the skillset and mindset to thrive in the work environment is really important. We see this often overlooked, and without it organisations really struggle to retain critical staff.”
In Cremin’s upcoming webinar, she’ll be discussing the role HR leaders should be taking in addressing mass employee burnout – before it’s too late. For employers looking to both futureproof their organisation while simultaneously supercharging mental wellbeing, Cremin advises investing in upskilling those core middle managers sooner rather than later.
“Equip teams, and particularly leaders, with the skills to manage their mindset and stay energised and engaged through fast paced environments,” she says. “Implement short term goals for everyone so they are focusing on what matters and not feeling so overwhelmed. Once burnout is occurring, there is a reality about the road back. You need to reset, re-energise and critically appraise the workloads to get to what really needs to be done.”
Learn the skills you need to thrive in 2023 and register for Cremin’s upcoming webinar here.
