Health Expert Dr. Günther Schreiber suggests: Eight steps to manage mental stress in the Workplace

Acceleration, permanent availability or the drive towards perfectionism have been part of the modern working environment for years. The coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns have added even more stress factors. „The 24-hour news and more and more new regulations lead to an increase in anxiety disorders and depressions all the way to burnout“, explains Dr. Günther Schreiber, Physician for general medicine, psychosomatics, and psychotherapy. The qualityaustria Network partner for Healthcare exemplifies what measures employees and employers can take to prevent and counteract this.

The coronavirus pandemic has turned the working world upside down. Office workers are isolated in their Home Office or have to work and take care of their children at the same time. Other employees still work at their workplaces but have to wear masks permanently. Collegiality and the feeling of belonging together are declining as a result of social distancing and the increasing detachment. Mental stress can have serious consequences not only for employees, but also for occupational health and safety and the operational capability of the entire company. Dr.med.univ. Günther Schreiber, qualityaustria Network partner, Project Management and Coordination Sector Healthcare gives eight tips.

1) Promoting team spirit through the employer

Permanent media reports can generate – or at least intensify – fear, panic and a feeling of helplessness. Employees who were already suffering from corresponding symptoms before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic are especially susceptible, as they may feel confirmed in their fears. This can have severe consequences, ranging from withdrawing tendencies to massive aggression. „Employers are challenged to inform their employees in a factual manner, to take sensible measures and to promote social cohesion“, says the expert.

2) Working on communication and error culture

If superiors or colleagues discover negative mood swings among employees, the first thing to do is to hold an open and constructive conversation to find out the causes. Then, supervisors can adjust the framework conditions, for example by changing working hours, temporarily reassigning roles, requesting supervision etc. It is also recommended to work on the communication and error culture.

4) Greatly increasing verbal communications

Non-verbal communication is the oldest language in the world. It is much faster and more effective than verbal communication. Handshakes and other gestures help to eliminate barriers and to assess our counterpart’s character more closely. „We will increasingly experience misunderstandings in communication with effects on relationships. It is almost impossible to avoid this. However, one small chance is to greatly increase verbal communication“, explains Schreiber.

5) Keeping employee motivation high

The lack of customers can lead to idle time and boredom in some industries. The paradox is that employees may find it annoying, despite the slack period, when customers eventually come into the store, since they currently are in „standby mode“. „Humans quickly become accustomed to convenience. The trick is to keep the motivation high and to communicate to employees that it is essential to fight for every single customer. „Here, not only the social skills of managers are important, but also the corporate culture“, emphasizes Schreiber.

7) Using a variety of aids when working from home

It makes sense to maintain a daily structure when working from home. After an hour of work, short breaks with exercises are recommended, ideally even outdoors and more often, if necessary. In addition, it is important to distinguish between the private and professional field. Devoting time to both at the same time can lead to personal overload. Single parents, for example, can ask their close friends or other reference persons to help out with childcare. If necessary, employees should not be afraid seeking psychotherapeutic support, using counseling hotlines or joining self-help groups.

8) Activating hobbies or developing new ones

Remembering other times of crisis – and how these were overcome – can also reduce emotional pressure. So can activating hobbies or developing new leisure activities. Finally, even taking a ‘time out’ from one’s typical role (as a mother, father, son, daughter, spouse, …) can help to take time for oneself.

Further information

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