Understanding and Overcoming Workplace Pressure

Understanding and Overcoming Workplace Pressure. The issue of workplace stress has become a growing concern in modern day society. Stress can have serious negative consequences on both the physical and mental health of employees and affect their work performance. The energy and utilities sector are no exception, and here at LSBUD, we do as much as we can to make sure that our team aren’t negatively impacted by stress.

What is stress?
Stress is defined as the physical, mental, and emotional response to a situation that exceeds the individual’s capacity to cope. While a certain amount of stress can be motivating and beneficial, prolonged exposure to stress can be detrimental to an individual’s well-being. In the workplace, stress can manifest in various forms, such as work overload, lack of control, insufficient support, and interpersonal conflicts.

Stress within LSBUD
Like any other organisation, LSBUD has experienced stress-related issues among its employees.

A few examples of every day niggles and issues from the LSBUD team:

• Back-to-back Teams calls
• Teams calls with one or many colleagues that are sat in the same room as you = lots of noise!
• Procurement platforms – sometimes very tricky to use and the impact of a mistake can be huge!
• People who do not respond in a timely fashion.
• Not having name badges at conferences makes it very difficult to network in a positive way
• Time management can be stressful; if you have lots of projects going on it can be difficult to sometimes get work completed on time.
• Looking at screens for too long.
• Issues away from work

LSBUD has implemented various measures to support its employees’ well-being. One such measure is the provision of resources for mental health support, including counselling services and stress management training. LSBUD has also established an open-door policy to encourage employees to speak up and seek help if they are experiencing stress or other work-related issues.

Overcoming workplace stress
While it is important for organisations like LSBUD to take measures to address workplace stress, it is equally important for employees to take responsibility for their own well-being. Here are some tips that our employees have said can help them manage workplace stress:

1. Take breaks: Regular breaks throughout the day can help reduce stress and increase productivity.
2. Prioritize tasks: Identify the most important tasks and prioritize them to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
3. Seek support: Talk to colleagues, managers or a mental health professional for support when needed.
4. Engage in stress-reducing activities: Participate in activities that reduce stress, such as exercise, meditation, or hobbies.
5. Maintain work-life balance: Strive for a healthy balance between work and personal life, to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
6. In the evenings, especially if you have dependents to look after, it is worth trying to have at least an hour’s downtime before going to sleep. This helps to calm your mind down after rushing around throughout the day.

By implementing measures to support employee well-being and promoting stress-reducing strategies, LSBUD is working towards maintaining a healthy and productive work environment. Employees also have a responsibility to take care of their own well-being and seek support when needed. Together, LSBUD and its employees can overcome workplace stress together and continue to provide our Safe Digging Service to ensure the safety of underground utilities.