Blame Game

When it comes to workplace stress, it is an understandable reaction to blame someone or something else for that stress. After all, it's called "workplace stress" so it must be work's fault. A person experiencing workplace stress or burnout is likely to fall into the trap of blaming the boss, team leader or co-workers for that stress. It's exactly that, however: A Trap! Blaming creates a sense of being stuck and helpless. Anytime we feel helpless, we begin to see ourselves as powerless and unable to change our situation. It is difficult, if not impossible, to work from a position of empowerment and be proactive when we identify ourselves as a victim.

As a side note, blaming triggers stress hormones like adrenaline. Adrenaline is useful when it is from challenge-focused, primary arousal (survival situations, competition and even job situations like a big presentation); however, long-term affects of adrenaline from secondary arousal (vague, persistent worrying) eventually depletes a person's energy and can actually damage one's health. Simply put, no one can stay in "fight or flight" mode indefinitely. It's exhausting!

But what if my boss really is a huge jerk?

Fair enough. There are plenty of people in the world who seem to serve the sole purpose of making life difficult. It is true that we have very little, if any, control over how people behave. That does not mean we are trapped. It means we have difficult choices. A person might be in a miserable situation at work, but that pain seems more tolerable to him or her than the alternative. If a person allows those other choices to remain vague, he is once again allowing that secondary, useless form of adrenaline to take hold. The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook outlines five questions to ask yourself to help identify your actual choices:

1) What specific steps could you take to change a major stress producer at work? Notice that the question doesn't ask how you could eliminate stress altogether...focus on one major stress.

2) What would you risk in attempting that change?

3) What steps could you take to change jobs altogether?

4)What would you risk in attempting to make that change?

5) What steps could you take to change your perception of a risk so it seems more tolerable to you? i.e. if the risk is not having any idea how to begin a new job search, would you be willing to meet with a recruiter or career counselor to gain advice and insight?

The outcome of these questions will either be "Yes, I am ready to make some changes in my work life" or "No, I am going to choose to live with the current conditions because it still seems less painful than the alternative. I may choose differently in the future." Both are fair and appropriate answers. It will vary depending on your situation. Asking questions like the ones above is not a one time questionnaire. Ask yourself these questions every month or so. Do the answers change? Has your tolerance for risk changed with the evolving situation? When we recognize the choices at our disposal (whether we are ready to take them or not) it creates a sense of empowerment. We then move from the trapped victim to the empowered person making the best choice for the current situation.

Don't Assume Yourself into Stress!

When workload increases, it is natural to experience stress. Often what creates that stress is when assumptions (also called "faulty cognitions") trigger painful emotional reactions. Take the following scenario:

Mike looks at the report that he has been asked to do with dread. A few months ago this task would have been outside of his job description, but he's been required to take on more as the company has reduced staffing. He feels insecure in his ability to do the task correctly. As he stares at the unfinished work, he thinks, "I've got to complete this report perfectly or I'm going to end up with a pink slip on my desk." His second thought is, "My boss is doing this to me and it's not fair." Often, the third thought (either consciously or subconsciously) is, "I'm trapped here!"

The first thought Mike has creates anxiety, his second thought makes him angry and his third triggers depression. Much of Mike's stress is caused not by the task itself, but on the assumptions about the task. He has made two critical faulty cognitions:

1) His first assumption (faulty cognition) is that the report must be perfect. The trouble with "perfect" is that it is very hard to quantify. Whether the goal of "perfect" was self-imposed or demanded by the boss, it is necessary to define what "perfect" looks like. If it means that budgeting figures in the report must be accurate, that is a more manageable goal than "perfect" because it is targeted and verifiable. It is just like a child afraid of a dark closet. The fear of the unknown is more frightening than the known. Define the goal of the task specifically.

2) His second faulty cognition is that the boss will fire him if the report isn't perfect. Is this a realistic assessment of what might happen for Mike's situation? Perhaps...but perhaps not. Being realistic also means being specific. Being specific reduces the vague sense of doom. If Mike can slow his thinking down, he might begin to assess his situation more accurately: "If I don't get those figures right the first time around, I'm going to have to stay late tonight. I had hoped to get out on time to meet friends for dinner. I'll be disappointed if I can't, but I can manage that."

Any time you begin to have vague, catastrophic fears about consequences of missing your mark at work, remind yourself of what you know is a realistic consequence. If you don't know...FIND OUT! Ask your boss or team leader what would happen if you failed to meet a deadline, turned in a report with errors or had a poor performance in a meeting.

Reducing assumptions will reduce anxiety. The snowball stops rolling; the angry act of blaming and the depressed feeling of being trapped don't have to occur.

Up Next: I've passed anxiety and I'm already knee deep in blaming! NOW what do I do???

How Employee Mental Health Affects a Company's Bottom Line

I read a short article entitled "The Hidden Cost of Turnover", which highlights both measurable and hard to measure costs of employee turn-over. The article detailed everything from the cost of recruiting fees to the "learning curve" cost of a new employee who might take time to perform at peak levels. The article didn't provide any "take away" figures on what exactly that cost might be, so I decided to look into it myself. In a study done by Bliss & Associates, Inc, they found that the cost of turnover is 150% of the employee's annual compensation. That figure grows to 200% to 250% when turnover is within managerial and sales positions. Costs included both direct expense such as advertising and temporary staffing and the indirect cost of lost productivity. With figures that dramatic, the cost of turnover quickly stops being "hidden." The next logical question in the article was "are you doing enough" to decrease turnover?


And then the article ended.


That's like leading a horse, not to water, but to an empty creek bed. Here's some of the water that was missing:


In today's job market, companies might not worry about employee retention. People who have jobs are not only glad to have them, but are often willing to carry large workloads, log extra hours and even work in hostile work environments in order to keep a steady salary. While stress and less than ideal work conditions are an unfortunate necessity at times, if employees feel an undue amount of stress and burnout, they are more likely to leave that company when the job market stabilizes. A company expecting a rebound or even growth after a period of decline, might instead find themselves hit with a costly employee exodus.


As a manager or team leader, here are questions you should ask yourself:


1) Do I know the signs of workplace stress both in an individual and at a team level?


Chronic stress has affects on the physical body. Workers might experience more frequent headaches, be more susceptible to seasonal illnesses and report difficulty resting or sleeping during time off. This, naturally, can create an increase in absenteeism. Chronic stress can also decrease cognitive ability and stamina. Trouble concentrating or completing assignments is reported as a result of chronic stress.
At the team level, low morale will result in a lack of cohesiveness in decision making, more frequent office conflict and lower work quality.


2) Do I know how to decrease workplace stress for my employees?


While it is tempting to squeeze out every bit of time from employees when a company does not have the ability to increase staff size, it is important to realize that more hours in the work day does not equal more productivity. Maintaining healthy work hours and work boundaries keeps employees mentally sharp and more efficient. Challenge: for one or two weeks, avoid sending emails or work-related requests after business hours. During that one week, require employees to honor business hours; if it is time to go at 5pm, they should go home. If a project or deadline makes that impossible, require that they leave early the next day. After a week or weeks, do you notice a difference? Reports have been made that companies who work a four day week are just as productive as those who work a five day week. Could it be because those who work four days a week are more mentally rested and energized for their work?


Other areas for consideration include:
- Do employees experience chronic work overload?
-Do they experience unfair treatment by co-workers or team leaders?
-Are the expectations of employees reasonable or impossible?
-Have employees received adequate training? This is especially valid if employees have been asked to perform tasks outside of their job description due to downsizing.
-How are employees recognized for their work, especially when it is "above and beyond" the call?
-Is there clear direction about company and individual priorities?


3) Do my employees know how to manage their workplace stress?


Perhaps the question you are asking right now is, should it be my responsibility to make sure they can manage their stress? In short, yes. It will have an affect on your bottom line; more importantly, however, depending on the type of industry you are in, it is unethical to knowingly use chronically stressed, burned out employees. This is especially true in health care, helping professions such as counseling and social work, and in education. Make wellness and self-care a priority for your company and employees. Encouraging people to participate in their own care shows them that they are seen as whole individuals, not simple "workers."


Recently, an accountant for a small company expressed to her boss that she was feeling unfocused and tense because lately she hadn't been able to find the time to run. This was something that she had always used as a stress reliever. Her boss would have every right to simply ignore the statement. After all, the work day is the work day. Instead, he said, "How can we make it work that you get done what you need to do for this company and still have time for your run?" In a matter of 5 minutes they had decided that one day a week, she would come in an hour earlier so she could leave for a run at the end of the work day. It's my guess that this woman not only feels less stress and anxiety, but also has more positive feelings and loyalty toward her boss and company.


Workplace stress can be difficult to navigate for managers and employees alike. Indeed, we did not even address the burnout that is experienced by management! If your company has arrangements with an EAP, use it! If not, contact us at Lotus Counseling and Consulting to help you manage workplace stress and, in turn, make your company more productive and profitable.