Work-related stress affects millions of people around the world. This can be very prominent in the membership association and not-for-profit fields, as individuals are often required to wear multiple hats and frequently juggle heavy workloads.
While a small amount of stress can be beneficial for those who thrive under pressure, excessive and avoidable stress causes negative effects on both individuals and organisations.
It’s easy to overlook the causes of stress and refuse to acknowledge the issues until it gets too much. Understanding the causes behind stress build up is vital to tackling any issues early on, ultimately leading to a healthier and more productive work life:
Workload
Taking on too much work, or accepting unrealistic deadlines is a huge contributing factor to stress. Often those with a “Yes” attitude to work can be left feeling overwhelmed and forced to rush tasks, ultimately leading to a lesser quality of work and potential burnout.
Lack of Control
When working across a large team, or on the Board of an association the success of the organisation depends on a collaborative effort from many people, often putting the control of certain tasks in other’s hands, which some may find hard to remove themselves from. There can be a tendency to feel out of control when you are relying on others to deliver certain tasks. Particularly in voluntary organisations where you may not know your colleagues very well or see them often. The key thing is to keep control of projects with good management and reporting practices.
Working Relationships
Poor working relationships can have a detrimental effect on an individual’s mental health. It’s important to maintain open working relationships and clear communication so that everybody feels comfortable asking for help when faced with challenges. It’s common for people to realise that they are feeling stressed, but they don’t have the level of security with their peers to reach out for support.
Organisational Change
It’s no secret that many people dislike change. As the membership association and not-for-profit fields are usually made up of voluntary workers, frequent changes in team members can be expected. While some may welcome fresh faces, others may find it difficult to adapt to new team members and changes in working patterns.
While for some powering through a stressful period may seem like the only option, ignoring the causes is almost guaranteed to have detrimental effects for both workers and organisations as a whole. A build-up of stress can spiral an individual’s mental health, leading to a change in their emotional and physical wellbeing. On top of this, productivity and job performance will most certainly decline.
Once the causes of stress are identified, both employees and employers can take steps to combat the issues:
Finding a Healthy Work-Life Balance:
Setting boundaries, allocating breaks and avoiding long hours are all key ways to minimise the risk of stress. This is a sure-fire way to avoid any unwanted interruptions during family time, or on the other hand, make sure that a big work project is done on time.
Open Communication
Encouraging open communication not only helps when individuals are feeling stressed and need to reach out for help, but also helps them to avoid falling into any situations that act as a cause for stress. An environment should be created where people feel comfortable asking for help, rather than being made to feel like they are on their own.
Flexibility
Flexible arrangements will make workers feel more at ease in their daily lives. It would be foolish to think that people don’t have life outside of work, and sometimes these things must take priority. Allowing for a more flexible approach to working hours will help to alleviate stressful situations, and even stop them from occurring. It’s also important to think of others within the team who may be in a stressful situation and offer any support to them if needed.
Let us know in the comments your best practises for tackling stress!