Helping Out a Stressful Colleague
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Helping Out a Stressful Colleague

9 Mins read
cigna-teamAuthorCigna Team

Have you ever noticed any colleague who appears to be more anxious, irritable or sad? Managing stress levels in today’s hectic work environment can be challenging. In a positive workplace, colleagues should watch out for each other and take action if one’s mental well-being might be at risk.

Warning signs

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We all have different coping mechanisms when it comes to stress — some of us de-stress by complaining to anyone who will listen, while others just go off and have a good cry before returning to work. But if you see someone reacting in a way that’s unusual for that person, this may be a sign that they’re burning out.

Some other physiological warning signs to watch out for include headaches or migraines, chest pains, and tiredness.1

How can you help?

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It depends on your relationship with the colleague. If you know them well, you may tackle the subject head-on and ask them if they’re all right. Many just need someone to talk to and ventilate their anxieties or dissatisfaction, and by providing a listening ear, you could help them do just that.

If you don’t know the colleague as well, you may want to mention your observations to someone in the office who’s close to that colleague. You can also help through little acts of kindness — make them a cup of coffee, or ask them out to lunch. They may start opening up to you, and your friendly overtures may just put a smile on their faces!

Helpful advice

Whenever appropriate, help your colleague work out what exactly is causing their stress. Is their workload too heavy? Is time management a problem? Do they have a hard time fulfilling supervisor’s expectations? Talking to you may help them put their problems into perspective and encourage them to take positive actions. Here are some tips.

  • Time management. Managing time effectively is the key to work efficiency. Plan ahead each day and write a list of everything that needs to be done. Always prioritize tasks that need most urgent attention. Set realistic deadlines and stick to them.
  • Keep things small. Handling something complicated or large-scale needs herculean effort and the fear of failure is often a source of anxiety in the workplace. The solution is to split the project into smaller, manageable tasks and tackle them one by one. Work towards one’s goal step by step and you will find the project much easier to handle!
  • Effective communication. If work is piling up despite the above efforts, inform the supervisor and work out an alternative plan. Managing superiors’ expectations helps manage their anxiety, and therefore yours too!
  • Time off. If personal issues are the problem, do talk to friends or family. Take a little time off and recharge is a good way to take the stress off one’s shoulder.

When offering help, make sure to be sensitive to the colleague’s feelings and what you know of the situation. Showing that you are happy to listen and talk things over alone will make them feel supported.

Sources

  1. How stress could affect your life. Stress Management Society. Visited 9 March 2016.

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