Why Continuing to Train Your Managers is a Must
It has been revealed that half of all working days lost due to ill health in Great Britain have been caused by work-related stress, anxiety or depression. This is why continuing to train managers is essential to help retain and support staff through struggles.
Speaking at the new Cuddington, Cheshire-based Delamere clinic, Manchester Business School’s Professor Sir Cary said: “In 2017/18 57% of all long term sickness absence was stress and depression” which can manifest as alcohol abuse, drug abuse and mental ill-health.
He expressed that checking emails are recognized as one of the most problematic health and social issues by the HR leaders of top firms and the most important factor of workplace wellness is who your boss is.
Stress in The Workplace
People handle stress in different ways, however, exposed to it over a long period can trigger chronic stress which can take a real toll on the body, with side effects including:
- Mood swings
- Reduced of focus
- Anxiety
- Chest pain
- Insomnia
If a manager is trained to notice when one of their staff members is feeling stressed before it evolves into chronic stress, they can help support the individual and get down to the source of what is causing it; it could be something within the manager’s control such as workload or working environment.
Without the right support though, it could develop into chronic stress which the staff member may then turn to self-medicating to resolve; they could be suffering from lack of sleep and concentration and looking for something to help dull these symptoms such as alcohol or drugs.
How Managers Can Provide Support
One of the most important areas a manager should be trained in is how to spot the signs of stress. Signs and symptoms include:
- Change in behavior (if the employee is irritable, withdrawn or any uncharacteristic behaviors you’re not used to seeing)
- Change in their appearance
- Sudden Lack of concentration/commitment (if they start turning up late, for example)
If stress is identified, managers should talk to the member of staff to help find a solution. It could be as simple as listening to their problems. However, if they have turned to substance abuse, it could mean supporting them through drug rehab treatment.
Issues involving stress and substance abuse will need to be managed sensitively and so managers should look into training and development in how to handle the situation – the average Brit will work 34 hours and 26 minutes a week, meaning some work colleagues may spend more time together than with family. Sir Cary revealed that the UK’s working hours are the longest in Europe with the country’s productivity also lagging behind all of its competitor countries eg. Germany, France etc.
Sir Cary added: “Relationships are a leading cause of people suffering addiction, in my view, relationships with managers, relationships with colleagues, relationships with spouses.”
Effective training management training could help reduce sick days, retain staff and help build the foundations to a happier workforce.
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