There's a fine line between ensuring your employees have enough on their plate to keep them working hard during the week without pushing them over the limit and overloading them with tasks and responsibilities.
In some cases, workers can be stressed to a point that is seriously detrimental for their health and, in response, disadvantageous to the company.
A new study from Lifeline has found that almost two thirds of Australians have lost sleep over the past year because of stress. It also found that 78 per cent of respondents have experienced stress in the workplace.
More than a thousand (1,201) respondents aged over 18 from across Australia participated in the survey, which was conducted to highlight the issue of stress in everyday life.
In the workplace, too much stress can have negative effects on an employee and their work.
Excessive stress can cause behavioural problems such as poor workplace relations with colleagues, absenteeism, loss of self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as a slew of negative effects that will affect productivity on the job and the overall health of your staff.
According to an article from the American Psychological Association, job stress costs US businesses approximately $300 billion per year through absenteeism, diminished productivity and employee turnover.
So perhaps it's time you had a close look at your business to see if there are ways you can deal with high stress levels in the workplace.
You can start out by gauging the levels of stress your staff are dealing with from employee surveys, which can offer you insights into the thoughts and feelings of your workforce.
If you're interested in trying an Australian-built online survey software tool, click here for a free custom-branded demonstration of PeoplePulse.
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