Searching for your first board role? Start here
To transition into the boardroom, you need a brand, a unique board proposition, and a governance mindset - but you also need to consider the value you add and the cultural fit...
Brain Circuits
Full recovery: three ways to help your employees cope with work stress
According to the American Institute of Stress, 80% of US employees feel stress at work, with a third suffering from exhaustion and 44% feeling overworked. Ronit Kark, Sabine Sonnentag, and Laura Venz explain how promoting psychological detachment can support employee recovery.
What is psychological detachment?
Psychological detachment allows us to disengage from work-related thoughts and activities during non-work hours. It’s crucial for recovery as it replenishes our cognitive and emotional resources. Without adequate psychological detachment, employees experience work-related stress during their time off, at home, and on vacation, which can lead to exhaustion and burnout. Here are three ways to promote it.
1. Respect boundaries
Be mindful of the boundaries between employees’ work and personal life.
Avoid unnecessary communication after work hours and ensure that employees are not expected to complete tasks during their time off. This reinforces the message that recovery matters and should be prioritized.
2. Show empathy for recovery needs
Watch out for signs of overwork or stress in employees and offer support through active listening and understanding.
Create a supportive environment where your teams feel comfortable discussing their recovery needs and taking the necessary steps to detach from work.
3. Role-model recovery behaviors
Role-model the behaviors you want to see by practicing healthy recovery actions yourself.
Take regular breaks, disconnect after work, and engage in leisure activities. These behaviors demonstrate that recovery is encouraged, valued within the organization, and essential for long-term success.
Key learning
Promoting psychological detachment from work will help employees manage stress, reduce exhaustion, and work more effectively, resulting in lower employee turnover and enhanced organizational performance.
Authors
Related
5 strategic imperatives to transform geopolitical turbulence into advantage
Research indicates that 14% of companies report net positive effects from political risks that disrupted competitors, creating market openings to capitalize on temporary dislocations and long-term shifts in global trade patterns. Simon J...
How to scale with purpose: 5 lessons from Vinted
Milda Mitkute shares lessons from scaling second-hand clothes business Vinted into Lithuania’s first unicorn, and launching a new startup to make maths education more engaging and accessible for children. ...
Are your leaders ambidextrous?
Non-linear career paths that deviate from the functional norm in some way can produce leaders who deliver more impact. Consult the checklist to see whether you are promoting people with more diverse...
Learn Brain Circuits
Join us for daily exercises focusing on issues from team building to developing an actionable sustainability plan to personal development. Go on - they only take five minutes.
Explore Leadership
What makes a great leader? Do you need charisma? How do you inspire your team? Our experts offer actionable insights through first-person narratives, behind-the-scenes interviews and The Help Desk.
Join Membership
Log in here to join in the conversation with the I by IMD community. Your subscription grants you access to the quarterly magazine plus daily articles, videos, podcasts and learning exercises.