Humans are known to be emotional beings. Be it in our professional or personal lives, emotions play an integral part in our experiences. Most of us spend our days at work, and sometimes the pressure of managing too many tasks that involve multiple stakeholders coupled with personal commitments might get too overwhelming.
However, to maintain positive and productive work environment, it is necessary to learn to manage and handle these emotions better, especially the negative ones. Some of the most common negative emotions that are experienced in the workplace include anger, frustration, dislike, stress, worry, and anxiety. The continued inability to handle emotions can take a toll on the overall well-being and can hamper the quality of output.
While there is talk about how employees can better manage their emotions at the workplace, it is also necessary for employers to ensure that they provide several avenues for employees to maintain emotional well-being. Employers’ support in managing emotions is crucial as it can create a sense of belonging, which can result in a positive impact on their mindset. Employee wellness is quickly moving up the corporate agenda in response to the realization that a healthy and engaged workforce is essential to increasing corporate performance. Also, employers today understand the need to provide psychologically safe workplaces as it can boost the team’s performance and improve their overall well-being.
In this context, here are a few ways in which employers can help employees manage their emotions at work that can have a positive impact on their overall outlook.
Have employee wellness activities- These programs help improve employee health and well-being. Healthy employees can contribute to the productivity of the organization. Sometimes an employee only wants to express themselves or be heard. During such situations, an employer must keep their composure and communicate to the employee that they are there to listen and comprehend.
Concern and care for employees will help them handle their emotions better at work and not hamper productivity. Regular check-in by managers and leaders can also help understand issues their teams face in their professional and personal lives and how the organization can help.
Understand individual goals and needs- Employers need to pay heed to the employees’ aspirations and needs. It is beneficial for an employer to be aware of their employees’ stress levels to improve the quality of output. Every individual has a different threshold for stress, and assessing it regularly will ensure they are not overwhelmed.
Many a time, employees go through emotional upheaval in their personal lives, which can affect their work. During such times, employers may encourage them to take a break for mental well-being.
Partner with a holistic healthcare provider– Holistic healthcare refers to caring for physical, emotional, and mental well-being. A holistic healthcare approach helps employees stay healthy and stress-free in the workplace. Partnering with a holistic healthcare provider provides easy access to health and wellness with a team of professionals, including psychologists and therapists, who can help employees manage stress and emotions better.
Create relaxation spaces- Relaxation spaces in the offices could help employees rest and decompress during midday breaks. Making it socially and culturally acceptable to use these locations for breaks is also crucial – something that managers and senior leaders can drive.
Manage workloads and expectations- At times, unrealistic job expectations can have a negative impact on an employee’s health and well-being. Several studies show that a combination of high demands and poor control leads to health hazards such as greater incidence of depressive symptoms, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
It is not uncommon for employees to feel overwhelmed or have negative emotions. Recognizing the root of these will help in dealing with those emotions. Employers also need to understand the triggers adversely impacting mental health at work. It would help them create a positive workspace culture, which would in turn lead to better employee engagement and productivity.
(The author is Ms. Galveen Kaur, Co-Founder, Connect and Heal and the views expressed in this article are her own)
