If you ever feel stress at work, you know you're not alone. Even when you're driven and passionate about your job, stress can find a way to creep in. If it happens to you, as a business owner, it can happen to your team too.
If you let it get too far, it can cause burnout which will be challenging to address. As a leader, part of your responsibilities is providing your team with the tools they need to do their job the best way possible, and sometimes that means helping them decompress.
Here are some tips that can help you manage team stress.
Few things are as frustrating as feeling overworked and not being recognized for everything you do. Just taking a moment to talk to your team and thank them for their great effort can lift their morale. Taking it a step further, you can reward them for it, too. Maybe you could treat them to lunch or coffee, or let them go home early on the day they've done a fantastic job. Doing this will undoubtedly make them appreciated.
Having a space to relax and unwind is a great way to boost your team's mood and help them stay productive. If there's room in your office, take advantage of it a create an area where employees feel safe and can de-stress while sitting down for some coffee, reading a book, having a snack, eating lunch, or maybe even watching a little TV. You can also add some greenery to make it a more relaxing environment.
Sometimes assessing the workload with your team can help solve the problem. Take time to evaluate everyone's assignments and see if some things need to be moved around to ensure the workload is assigned equally, and everyone can meet expectations.
It is easy to feel absorbed by everything that needs to be done and go an entire day without taking a break, but doing that daily will lead to burnout. Establish a culture at work that makes employees feel like it's ok to take breaks. Encourage them to take some time away from their desks to get some fresh air, take a quick walk, or get a snack. That will help keep their performance levels where they need to be and promote creative thinking.
Owning an independent insurance agency is more than just selling insurance. As a business owner, you have other responsibilities, including the well-being of your employees.