How to Cope with Uncertainty, Pressure and Stress, and Develop Resilience - Guest Article by Jill Maidment

According to statistics from the HSE in Great Britain, in 2021/22 there were 914,000 cases of work-related stress, depression, and anxiety, which accounted for more than half of the estimated 17 million working days lost.

Even before the coronavirus, absence due to stress was the second most cited cause, even though many employees still won’t admit that they are suffering from stress and will ask their GPs to be signed off with some mystery illness, such as stomach problems or ‘flu-like symptoms. Therefore, sickness absence figures due to stress are often inaccurate, may be even higher and often mask the real issues.  The cost of stress-related absence to the UK economy is estimated at around £1,000 per employee.

Often line managers fail to identify stress either in themselves or in their team members, which is exacerbated by remote working, or they fail to deal with the signs early on.  This can result in cases of burnout where individuals experience mental exhaustion with possible feelings of resentment and aggression towards their employer or colleagues.  Sometimes GPs will misdiagnose burnout (or executive stress and nervous exhaustion) as depression when in fact the individual may be suffering from chronic fatigue and insomnia, as a result of overworking and may need total rest.  The main cause of stress in the workplace is said to be the inability to cope with a high workload, along with pressure from managers. Working from home, remote working, and hybrid working has also created more interpersonal conflict, challenges creating boundaries, and feelings of isolation or lack of inclusion.

In order to better deal with the ongoing uncertainty and changes, Resilience is a key skill that can be developed in Coaching and Training.  Resilience is the ability to maintain effective work in the face of setbacks or pressure, to remain calm, stable and in control of emotions and behaviour under pressure, to bounce back quickly from setbacks, to tolerate conditions of uncertainty and ambiguity, and to remain optimistic.

Resilience Training can decrease sickness absence levels from between 33% – 60% and can create excellent ROI as part of a proactive approach to an organisational restructure or change program.  This holistic and preventative approach has been used effectively by the US military since 2009.  Resilience as a competency is complex but can be developed by honing a variety of skills including cultivating a Positive Mental Attitude and challenging negative beliefs, developing Emotional Intelligence, becoming more assertive and learning to say ‘No’ if you are already feeling overwhelmed by work or personal issues.

Natural Talent’s Coaching and Training modules support managers by assisting them to:

• Identify what Stress is
• Complete personal questionnaires to assess their own Stress levels
• Identify what causes them Stress
• Understand what effects Stress has on them and their lives
• Identify and deal with Stress in their team members
• Practise tools and techniques to combat Stress
• Practise models to become more effective at work by coping better with pressure, uncertainty and change
• Learn how to promote a ‘Can do’ Positive Attitude to ‘bounce back’ more quickly from setbacks
• Develop Resilience skills
• Create a SMART Action Plan for future Success

“Thank you so much for your time and patience in dealing with some very challenging issues.  Your empathy and understanding are second to none.  All participants are extremely grateful for the training, with many saying it was life-changing.  Teams are much more positive and relaxed now regarding the upcoming changes.” HR Director, Tech

 

Jill Maidment is the Founder and Director of Natural Talent.  She is a highly respected, sought-after and effective International Executive Business Coach and Mentor, Career and Transition Coach, Resilience Coach and British Psychological Society qualified Assessor.  For 20 years Jill and our Associates have been providing high-impact, solutions-focused Coaching and Training to leaders, managers and their teams in some of the world’s largest organizations, as well as working with professional firms and large public sector organizations and SMEs.