Work is stressful as it is, but often there are contributing factors to the work that can be changed. This is especially true in a startup environment. The fact that we spend most of our waking life at work, means that work-related issues are the main source of frustration and stress in our lives.
A recent Comparably study found that 65% of workers reported that workplace stress is a major issue for them. The interesting finding in the report was the main reason with 41% of the vote for the stress was ‘unclear goals’. Our money was on the commute or bad leadership, which were tied for second place.
Why this matters
A third or 33% of women respondents and nearly half of men responded that those undefined work goals created more stress than anything else at work. This resulted in burnout, which over half of all respondents said was an issue.
While the type of job does matter, it was generally consistent across all occupations such as executives, administrative staff and customer service representative that unclear goals were at the top of their list.
The fact that clear office communication could prevent these issues from escalating and help ease office stress, is a frustrating and, excuse the pun, stressful realisation.
The most effective way to combat uncertainty is through effective communication, as startups scale these issues can escalate as small teams suddenly grow in size and communication needs to evolve along with it. Stress can reduce productivity and leave staff demotivated, so having a clear communication strategy and platform is crucial to building a strong workforce.
Burnout is a major issue
We break down the Comparably study to highlight some of the key findings and demographics of the respondents. Of those who reported feeling burnout:
- 57% of workers with a high school education reported feeling burnout
- 53% of workers with a college education
- 55% with a master’s degree said the same.
- 59% were in entry-level positions
- Those with more experience were not far behind with over half of respondents with over 3 years of experience also experiencing burnout
There are things that can be done to improve the situation. Often regular check-ins and reviews with your employees can be helpful to help them create a pathway in your company. Townhalls and regular company-wide updates that share the company journey are crucial to building a great rapport and eliminating the uncertainty.
There is effort required, but the benefits of a motivated workforce is often worth the investment in time from your part.