Education

Reduce Stress Increase Profits – The vital role hormonal balance has in the workplace

December 5, 2010 | By: deaneparkes

Much has been written about the importance of maintaining hormone balance for a healthy body yet little written about the vital role it has on the health of a business.  Stress and the over production of cortisol create adrenal fatigue. Many people lay awake at night worrying about work? Why is Monday morning the highest rate for a heart attack?  Should the health of the company be more important than the health of the people running it?

Recent research is proving that companies that focus on creating a positive emotional connection between all workers from CEO to the newest employee have more stable business and happier more productive staff.

But how do you go about creating a positive emotional connection?

Cutting edge business research is showing there are steps to take in your business to improve emotional engagement and create a workplace with lower corporate cortisol levels.

• Make sure everyone has clear expectations in their job. Want to raise corporate and personal cortisol levels just have people not quite sure what they should be doing. By first ensuring everyone is clear on what they are doing there is less wasted time, money and energy.
• Make sure everyone has the tools to do their job and understands how to use them. Ever been stuck in a line up and the cashier runs out of tape for the till and is unable to figure out how to replace it? Stress levels begin to rise as the line up increases and the cashier scrambles to get it resolved. Another case of hormones out of balance in the workplace for both staff and customers.
• Clear communication – this involves understanding the differences in how different sexes and personalities communicate. Though not as simple as do this, do that and voila you have clear communication, it is however possible if you have clear communication as part of your focus in running your business. It is proven that stress levels are lower and emotional engagement is higher when there is clear communication
• Accountability – I see this as ‘it is just a job’ syndrome. I’ll just do what I have to do and get out of here. Forget the fairy tale of freedom 55 or other such nonsense. Most people I know do not see retiring any day soon. Creating a work environment where everyone understands their job and is clear on what they are accountable for accomplish more in a day and feel more satisfied in their job. Lower corporate cortisol.

A company with no attention on personal and corporate accountability has lower productivity raising corporate cortisol. People who have no clear understanding of how their job impacts the business and what they are accountable for end up taking no responsibility in their work. This leads to people not wanting to take responsibility, make a decision or looking to place blame. All stress causing, corporate cortisol raising activities.

• Trust – Do you trust the people you work with whatever your job is? Simple as that
• Appreciation – Research has proven over and over the # 1 reason people quit their job is they do not feel appreciated. Consumers too quit shopping where they do not feel their spending is appreciated. The costs of hiring new people and hoping they work out is very high. The cost to bring new customers into a business is much higher than keeping current customers. If it is true appreciation & recognition inspire talented and skilled people to stay in their job why is it not part of every company’s business plan? Appreciation and recognition play a vital role in creating healthy happy corporate hormones. Encourage an attitude of gratitude throughout your business. Though some may think this is a weak management style it is nice to know when clear expectations, communications, accountability, trust and appreciation is in alignment it actually is a position of strength.

By focusing on stress reducing actions you create a more productive and satisfying place to work.