48% of Canadians are more stressed now than five years ago
Stress levels are on the rise across the nation, as employers struggle to keep a grip on employee morale.
A recent report from Ipsos suggested that stress and anxiety have simply become a way of life for us, with 48% of Canadians more stressed now than five years ago.
HRD spoke to Katy Kamkar, clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at University of Toronto.
Kamkar suggested some simple ways in which employers can guide teams through the current mental health crisis.
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“Managing stress in times of uncertainty and supporting employees is very important right now,” Kamkar explained.
“We want to be able to improve employee morale and engagement, as well as continuously work on increasing productivity.
“Employers that chose to set good examples themselves, playing the role model if you will, have good feedback from their managers.
“For HR leaders, they need to focus on how to best manage the uncertainty during uncertain and fluid times.
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“We want to ensure constant communication in terms of minimizing stress and anxiety. Employers need to foster a culture of healthy communication – sharing information openly with all workers and managers.”
Leading through these uncertain times is tough – especially when your team is feeling blue.
Speaking to HRD in a recent article, senior leadership coach Emily Bond offered some stellar advice.
“The reality is most people are feeling exhausted – and they’re not mentally prepared for the second half of the COVID-19 marathon. It’s important to consider how your work impacts those around you,” she told us.
“As a leader, you need to dig deep to find those extra reserves of energy. When you find yourself trying to balance overloaded work schedules with home-schooling your kids with managing domestic tasks, self-care sort of falls to the wayside.”
How are you helping your employees during these trying times? Tell us in the comments.
