Smart Ideas
Unmanaged organizational stress
Smart Business Cleveland | February 2001
Have you ever wondered what would happen if workplace stress ran so rampant that it took over your business? Robert Pater, founder of Strategic Safety Associates and the MoveSMART safety and leadership program, says you should be on the lookout for these symptoms:
Whining and pining -- Watch out for complaints focused on what employees perceive as negative changes from the way things used to be.
The silent treatment -- When you walk down the hall, can you hear a pin drop? Do people sit in silence instead of joking and chatting?
Angry explosions -- You may sense fear, blaming and out-of-control displays of emotion.
Clumsiness -- Have you noticed an increase in accidents? Stress creates tunnel vision.
Turnover -- How many people have recently left "great" jobs because their stress level was too high?
Unmanaged organizational stress may not be happening in your firm, but if it is, know the warning signs.
Dustin S. Klein
