Published: 18 September 2021 | Last Reviewed: 8 August 2025
Workplace stress affects both productivity and employee well-being. As a manager, you play a key role in creating an environment where staff can perform effectively without unnecessary pressure. Below are practical, evidence-based actions for managers and employees to reduce stress at work.
For Managers
- ✅ Provide opportunities for staff to control their work and set their own priorities (APA research on autonomy shows this reduces stress).
- ✅ Plan changes collaboratively whenever possible.
- ✅ Stay in regular contact, define clear task limits, and offer support in completing work.
- ✅ Treat collective goals as team targets—not competitions between staff.
- ✅ Create an open atmosphere where issues can be discussed without judgment.
- ✅ Manage your own stress and model constructive responses to frustration.
- ✅ Encourage balance—staff should not be consumed by career objectives alone.
- ✅ Give honest performance appraisals and guide staff toward roles that suit their skills.
- ✅ Reduce organizational uncertainty by providing clarity on upcoming changes.
- ✅ Ensure healthy and pleasant working conditions.
For Employees
- 💡 Keep schedules flexible when possible, reducing self-imposed deadlines.
- 💡 Adopt a positive mindset by reframing events in their most constructive light.
- 💡 Identify recurring stress triggers and plan strategies to address them.
- 💡 Start tasks promptly rather than letting worry build up.
Healthy Coping Strategies
- 🌱 Understand your strengths and weaknesses, and focus on skills you can develop.
- 🌱 Maintain hobbies and activities outside of work.
- 🌱 Respond differently to stress—avoid fixed patterns like always getting a headache or always freezing under pressure.
- 🌱 Accept that others have different approaches and values.
- 🌱 Be productive at work without neglecting your personal life.
Case Example: A mid-sized marketing agency reduced absenteeism by 20% after introducing flexible schedules and weekly check-ins for stress management.
