NIOSH Stress at Work Recommendations for All Workers

If you thought OSHA was the only agency related to workplace safety, think again. The National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) also plays a role by researching workplace injuries and illnesses and making recommendations.

For NIOSH, stress at work has become an important issue. After all, most employees want to work hard and succeed at their job, although that can become stressful. That’s why we thought it was pertinent to share some recommendations that can help workers in all industries reduce the amount of stress they experience in the workplace.

Get Clear Instructions

Even if there is no data from NIOSH, stress at work is often a result of employees not understanding what they need to do. Either they haven’t been given clear instructions or they don’t understand the instructions they’ve been given. This is a one-way ticket to stressing out over something that could be easily corrected. Of course, this is also a lesson to managers and supervisors to be clear with assignments and make sure they understand what they’re being asked to do.

Avoid Conflict

It shouldn’t be a stretch to say that conflict at the workplace can be a source of risk. It’s only natural for co-workers to not get along or have a difference of opinion sometimes. But it’s important to prevent conflicts from escalating to the point where things get heated, leading to stress and emotional anguish. If two people have a clash of personalities or a history of conflict, it’s best to keep those two people away from each other rather than trying to force them to find common ground.

Don’t Multitask

In every industry, there will be people who are obsessed with multi-tasking, believing it’s the best way to get a lot of things done in the shortest amount of time. But it’s also a great way to get stressed out. Multi-tasking is a good way to feel like there’s too much on your plate at once. It can be overwhelming and make you feel like a chicken running around with its head cut off. Instead of multi-tasking, try to prioritize and tackle one job at a time to see if that reduces your stress at work.

Limit Interruptions

It’s easy for all of us to get frazzled and stressed out when we’re bombarded by interruptions when we’re trying to get things done. Unfortunately, there’s not always a way to control interruptions. The trick is realizing that you can control how you respond to those interruptions. You can decide if something is worth your time and if you’re going to allow it to break up your rhythm. If you can gain better control of the things you allow to interrupt you, it’s easier to prevent those interruptions from stressing you out.

Get Some Exercise

The best thing that a worker in any industry can do to relieve stress is to exercise. Nowadays, most jobs require people to stay in the same place for extended periods of time. That alone can be stressful without you even realizing it. The key is to take frequent breaks and use those breaks to get a little exercise. Even if it’s just a short walk, that can help you blow off steam and relieve a little bit of stress.

Employers Stay Vigilant

According to NIOSH, stress at work is an issue that employers should monitor closely. You can’t always rely on employees coming to you and letting you know that they feel stressed. Supervisors should keep a close eye on their workers and monitor for signs of stress. That will make it easier to address workplace stress before it becomes a serious problem.

Put Safety First with the Right Software

Whether it’s stress or other workplace hazards, all companies should be putting employee safety first. The best way to accomplish this is with safety management software like the kind offered by EHS Insight. We have designed a comprehensive system to manage every aspect of occupational safety and create a safer and healthier workplace.

If workplace health and safety is a priority, get in touch with us and we’ll have a conversation about how our software can help your business.