According to recent research from CFO Magazine, the number one reason why employees leave their jobs is work-related stress, TLNT reports.
Stress is important for HR administration to consider when attempting to improve workplace morale, as it trumps promotion opportunities, lower-than-desired base pay, lack of trust in management and lengthy commutes as motivation to find employment elsewhere.
A recent survey from XpertHR found that slightly more than 52 percent of organizations are taking steps to alleviate workplace stress, Personnel Today reports. The top two measures were offering flexible working options (74.3 percent) and initiatives to manage stress-related absences (70.8 percent).
However, a mere 25.7 percent of employers have provided their workers with stress management training over the past year.
The news source notes in a separate article that companies should examine their existing policies regarding stress to identify problems that may exist. For example, a worker who takes time off because of stress-related issues is typically out of the office for six weeks or more, and it may be difficult for the person to assimilate back into the daily routine once he or she returns. Managers should be trained to identify employees who may be vulnerable, as stressed workers are typically neither happy nor productive.