Dealing with Anxiety in the Workplace

A startling estimate of 12 billion working days, or 50 million years of work, will be lost to depression and anxiety disorders each year between now and 2030, according to an analysis conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO). It goes without saying that work can often lead to stress. Many individuals find it difficult to cope with strict deadlines, disagreements or conflicts with co-workers, a lack of clear direction from bosses, and long hours away from home. Any demand made on the brain or physical body is referred to as stress and when many conflicting demands are imposed, a higher number of employees report feeling overwhelmed.

According to Oracle, the combination of work-related stress and anxiety in 2020 has impacted the mental health of 86% of the workforce in the UAE. Nearly 30% complained about burnout, 41% were concerned about increased stress, and 39% were affected by the lack of work-life balance. Similarly, in the United States, statistics suggest that about 73% of the working population suffers from burnout. These are the most common mental health conditions in the workplace according to the European Study on Epidemiology of Mental Disorders. Psychologists believe that prolonged stress could potentially lead to anxiety. But what are the implications of anxiety in the workplace, and is there something that can be done about it?

Workplace anxiety is a learned reaction to stress, caused by a variety of factors. It differs from general anxiety disorder as the symptoms are uniquely work-related. Extra-long hours at work, increased workload, as well as lack of support are among the core contributors to workplace anxiety. Key indicators appear in the form of difficulty dealing with colleagues and clients, lack of concentration, preoccupation with fear rather than focusing on work, and turning down assignments due to the fear of failing, travelling, or public speaking.

To ensure employees' anxiety is minimised and productivity is heightened, research demonstrates that certain traits should be nurtured and enhanced in the workplace. Optimism, self-efficacy and objectivity are traits that can provide a solid, long-term solution to work-related anxiety.

Optimism is defined as a state of mind characterised by confidence, and a belief in one's own potential and bright future. Optimists believe that great things can happen. Self-efficacy is a personal evaluation of how well or how poorly an individual is able to cope with a given situation based on the abilities they possess and the circumstances they face. Objectivity refers to an individual who bases their opinion on facts, rather than feelings. Collectively, these traits are related to resilience, which is the ability to mentally or emotionally deal with a catastrophe or quickly recover to a pre-crisis position.

According to the data collected by BEACON RED, those who inherit or acquire these three traits are less likely to experience high levels of anxiety at work. In contrast, those with low objectivity are almost three times more likely to feel high levels of anxiety at work. Further, low self-efficacy increases the likelihood of experiencing high levels of anxiety in the workplace by above twofold compared to those who believe in their capacity to handle their tasks. Positive and optimistic employees are more than three times less likely to experience high levels of anxiety. Highlighting these characteristics will help organisations to understand what to focus on in reducing workplace anxiety.

So what can organisations do to enhance resilience-related traits in their employees?

First, it is vital to understand your employees’ needs and to detect areas of development. Through conducting work climate surveys, organisations can determine how employees feel and, more importantly, how they express their requirements. Surveys enable organisations to anonymously record comments and make educated judgments that can enhance the work environment.

Later, dedicated workshops and training programs can be employed to enhance hard and soft skills and provide tools for employees to remain objective and adopt a positive mindset in the workplace. For instance, emotional intelligence (EQ) training is ideal, as it covers a wide range of areas that can be improved to augment an employee’s efficacy in dealing with conflict, as well as overall wellbeing. EQ is the capacity to recognise, use, comprehend, and control emotions in a constructive and efficient manner – an ability that promotes objectivity in the workplace. Positive thinking workshops, specially designed for the workplace environment, are also highly beneficial and can be delivered online and in-person.

Opportunities for growth and personal development are essential in ensuring that employees remain challenged and motivated, enhancing their self-efficacy. Creating learning environments that enable employees to model actions is an alternative method of boosting self-efficacy. Frequent mentoring leverages the advantages of social contact when it comes to learning. Managers can also contribute to a healthy work culture by ensuring their employees are taking regular breaks and attending webinars. Studies suggest that this results in longer job tenures and lower turnover.

Employees will add more to the business when they are offered opportunities to build diverse skillsets. When an organisation invests in employee training and growth, workers feel respected and appreciated, and overall anxiety is reduced.