What’s more, 38 percent rated their stress intensity as high or extremely high, while 45 percent said their stress occurs on a frequent or chronic basis. Tech professionals are stressed out and burnt out, and if employers and managers don’t take action, they’re going to face major talent problems. To get to the bottom of this issue, we talked to tech managers and executives about the drivers of stress in tech, and how to get it under control. Here’s what they had to say:
The Root of the Problem
Workplace stress in the tech industry goes beyond the stress found in most offices, but how did it get that way? What makes stress in tech so bad? There are a few underlying reasons. One is that the technology is so unpredictable, said Erica Scott, an operations manager at ezLandlordForms. All technology workers deal with constantly changing priorities that arise from errors, but many are putting out these fires in young companies without much experience and resources. And as more and more tech startups pop up, that means more competition, more pressure, and more stress for employees. And as if all that wasn’t enough, tech professionals work everyday knowing that one mistake can have devastating effects. But in other areas of tech, such as healthcare, more than money is on the line. Mistakes can cost a patient’s life.
The Signs of Stress
Workplace stress has become an expected part of the tech industry because of each of these underlying factors. That means when the stress becomes too much, many employees don’t speak up. When employees keep their stress, questions, and concerns bottled up, there’s a direct ripple effect up to C-suite leaders. As stress continues growing, employee productivity and motivation will drop, putting even more pressure on the C-suite to solve major issues impacted by the drop. It’s important for tech employers to recognize when employees are stressed, and then take steps to help relieve the pressure.
Managing Stress in Tech
While much of the workplace stress professionals encounter is caused by the nature of the tech industry, C-suite leaders play an important role in keeping it under control. A big part of building solid relationships with employees is communication from the company’s leaders and how trust flows from the top down. Part of changing workplace stress comes down to changing the office culture. Employees need to know that taking a break is OK. Seeing C-suite executives lead by example and encourage self-care is the best way to ensure employees are comfortable taking the same liberties. Offering employees freedom and flexibility to structure their days is another solution to the workplace stress problem, Chan shared. Read more about being a healthy entrepreneur here on Tech.Co Photo: Flickr / aaayyymm eeelectriik
