Fall 2002, Vol. 10, No. 1

Managing Employees in Times of Stress

By Stephen Heidel, MD, MBA
San Diego, CA

Employees may experience stress due to organizational problems, personal problems, or external events. When any of these problems occur, it is normal for individuals to become preoccupied with the stresses that are impacting their lives and the lives of their loved ones. They may experience strong emotions--including anxiety, anger, fear, insecurity, uncertainty, and depression--that interfere with their ability to concentrate and focus on work. Managers cannot solve every problem they confront, but they are expected to manage problems as they arise. By addressing stressful situations, even those they cannot solve, managers are able to gain the respect of their employees.

General Approach to Managing Employee Stress

The following are guidelines for managers to help identify and deal with employees who are under stress.

1. Be alert to concerns and problems that may exist among your employees. Managers are generally aware of conditions within the organization, such as a possible merger, impending layoffs, dysfunctional workgroup, serious conflict with a coworker, etc. Managers should also be alert to warning signs that indicate an employee may be under stress due to an external event or a personal problem. These warning signs include any change in performance or behavior, such as irritability, isolation, missed work deadlines, unexplained absenteeism, etc.
   
2. Address the concerns immediately. Respond quickly to warning signs, events or rumors. As soon as a manager becomes aware that one or more employees are under stress, he/she should approach the employee(s).
   
3. Listen to the employees' concerns. The conversation should begin with simple, open-ended questions, such as “How are things going?” “Is there a problem?” or “I've heard you may be having some problems. Is it true?” These questions will allow the employee to respond in any number of ways, ranging from a vague explanation to being completely frank.
   
4. Respond with empathy. After inviting the employee to talk and listening to what he/she has to say, the manager should respond in a supportive manner. Remember that 'stress is in the eye of the beholder.' What is experienced as stress by an employee may or may not be experienced the same way by the manager or someone else. The manager should respect the concerns expressed by the employee then respond to those specific concerns.
   
5. Develop a plan. At the time of the initial meeting with the employee(s), determine if a plan of action is necessary, and if it is, be sure it is conveyed at that initial meeting. The plan might include: 1) further investigation and then getting back to the employee(s) with clarification or further action; 2) asking the concerned employee(s) to consider using resources within the company to address the problems (human resources, medical, or psychiatric evaluation); or 3) agreeing to meet with other employees or the team to get more input.
   
6. Communication/follow up. Keep talking to the individuals who are impacted and/or expressing concern. Do not let employees “worry alone” or become isolated from other employees. If the stress is a personal problem involving one employee, the manager should touch base with the employee just to let him/her know that the manager is aware and concerned.
   

Tim Urban is a 58-year-old senior engineer who has worked for Davidson Engineering for 28 years. He has had an excellent work record. He suffered a serious myocardial infarction. After four weeks his cardiac function was stable and he was released to return to work on a part-time basis at a sedentary computer job. His performance was fine for about two weeks. He then lost his concentration, withdrew from his coworkers, and became very tired. His boss expressed concern about his health and talked with him about his behavior. Mr. Urban admitted he was not feeling well, but said he had just been to his cardiologist who said his heart was recovering well. A week later his behavior was no better and in some ways was even worse. Mr. Urban had no sense of humor and was making mistakes that were not characteristic of his previous work. His boss asked him if he would go talk to an employee assistance counselor. Mr. Urban acknowledged that he was feeling down and has gotten worse in the past few weeks, despite good reports from his doctor. He agreed to see a counselor who thought he might be depressed. The counselor referred Mr. Urban to a psychiatrist who diagnosed depression. After talking with Mr. Urban's cardiologist, the psychiatrist prescribed an antidepressant medication. Within four weeks, Mr. Urban was feeling much better and his behavior at work improved significantly. He was very grateful to his boss for steering him to a counselor.

During times of stress and uncertainty, employees look to their manager and their company for support and understanding. Employees know their company cannot solve problems that arise outside the workplace, but they appreciate expressions of concern and support by their manager.

Stephen Heidel, MD, MBA, is a Board Member of AOOP, CEO of Integrated Insights in San Diego, CA, and Associate Clinical Professor, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

 
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