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Mending Workplace Woes to Battle Stress and Raise Productivity
> 8/16/2006 11:27:27 AM

Career stress is not uncommon and can come from any number of places. A demanding boss, backbiting co-workers and failure to meet career goals can all be sources of stress. These and other factors can lead to depression, anxiety problems and other stress related issues, and beyond that, will often destroy the workplace environment or worker morale.

A recent story from Forbes details some strategies for mediating workplace conflict. In quoting specialists who help restore peace to a troubled office, the article provides ideas that can help to alleviate tensions and reduce stress throughout the workplace. One particularly interesting method they discuss is to videotape meetings. By playing back a tape of real meeting situations, employees can see and hear their reactions as well as their interactions with co-workers. Bosses or human resource mediators can use this method to point out trouble spots in behavior and make suggestions about more productive ways to interact.

In a more extensive piece in today's Baltimore Sun, writer Hannah Cho assess the benefits and pitfalls of creating company sports teams and leagues. On one hand, company sponsored teams are a great way to build comraderie and foster loyalty, but on the other hand, they open companies up to a murky realm of liability and can sometimes create divisions within the workplace between those who play and those who don't.

Execs also see a benefit, because when co-workers play together as a team, they are better prepared to solve problems in the workplace with a teamwork mentality. Plus, the controlled stressful situations of a sporting event can help make stress in the working environment more manageable. It might not be a perfect solution, and while there may be some employees who don't or can't participate, athletics or other non-work related team building exercises are a great way to get folks talking, interacting and generally enjoying the time they are in the office a little bit more.

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