Lead by Example: Show Employees How to Manage Stress

Stress in the workplace takes a toll — not just emotionally, but physically and even financially. Stressed-out, anxious, and fatigued employees don’t work as hard, they don’t work as creatively, and they aren’t as willing to take risks. They do tend to call off more, taking more sick days and getting less done when they’re in the office. So in a very real way, workplace stress can impact your bottom line.

The question is, what can you do about it? After all, stress happens. There’s nothing you can do to prevent stress from making its way into your workplace. You’ll have tough clients, urgent deadlines, high-stakes situations, and busy seasons. These common stressors cannot be totally prevented against, but perhaps they can be managed.

Learning to manage stress is important for any business owner or leader — but you can’t just leave it there. In addition to managing your own stress, it’s important to help your employees manage their stress for them — which often means leading by example.

Think about that the next time you feel yourself getting overwhelmed by your daily tasks. If you lash out, explode in a fit of rage, or have a breakdown in front of your employees — well, you’re only human, and these things can happen, but be mindful of the fact that the way you deal with stress is a model to the rest of…