Managing Year-End Stress in the Office

How to Avoid Stress in December

It’s common for business professionals to face year-end stress at work during Q4. There’s a lot of pressure this time of year. Revenue goals have to be reached before the calendar year ends, and that comes at a time when seasonal demands mean more competition than usual, peak marketing budgets, and issues with inventory and supply chains.

No wonder employers are always wondering how to manage company stress as the holidays near!

The good news is that there are simple tips on company burnout and stress management that can ease the mental and physical impact of year-end busyness.

Symptoms of Work-Related Stress

Managers should be able to identify the symptoms of stress for themselves, other management professionals, and employees. Preventing Q4 stress and burnout starts with being able to spot the telltale signs.

Here are common physical symptoms of work-related stress:

• Dermatological issues
• Fatigue
• Gastrointestinal distress
• Headaches
• Heart palpitations
• Muscle tension
• Sleeping difficulty

There are also psychological symptoms to pay attention to, including:

• Anxiety
• Cognitive troubles
• Depression
• Discouragement
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Irritability
• Pessimism
• Trouble coping

When you’re on the lookout for year-end stress at work in your employees, behavioral changes may be the easiest to spot:

• Absenteeism
• Aggression
• Diminished work ethic
• Disinterest
• Frustration
• Impatience
• Isolation
• Mood swings
• Poor performance

Watching team performance can help as well. Teams show stress by arguing, failing to perform well or work well together, and complaining about one another.

How to Manage Year-End Stress at Work

Whether you’re trying to manage your own year-end stress or you want to help your employees avoid burnout, here’s what to do.

Check In With Yourself and Your Employees

When feelings are ignored, they have a way of building up and causing even more havoc in the near future. Regularly check in with yourself to assess how you’re feeling. Also, let your employees know that you’re available to them to listen to any concerns they have about overworking, burnout, or the work-life balance.

Identify the Root Cause

Talking through your stressors (or your employee’s stressors) can help you get to the bottom of what’s going on. When you know what’s causing the stress in the first place — instead of just recognizing the symptoms — you can brainstorm solutions for dealing with the issue where it started.

Set Realistic Expectations

While the end of the year may be the busiest time for businesses, the expectations you set for employees and that they set for themselves still have to be realistic. Since burnout can lead to a decrease in performance, there isn’t much good that comes from overworking. Make a habit of checking in with your team about their workload, and be sure to always set goals they can realistically and healthfully achieve.

Provide Mindfulness Training

Stress management and mindfulness training can teach employees how to weather anxiety-producing times. Send resources and provide in-office sessions so your team can learn about techniques like deep breathing, body scans, meditation, and yoga.

Advocate for Your Team

As a leader, you may be the only one who can stand between your team and unreasonable requests. Always be an advocate for your team and act as a buffer so they don’t get pulled into projects they can’t handle. Let them know that it’s OK to say “no” to low-priority projects and requests. 

That includes saying “no” to you, too, at times! Your employees should feel comfortable discussing their abilities and workload with you.

Give Thoughtful Employee Appreciation Gifts

Giving corporate gifts to your team comes with a lot of benefits. For starters, employee retention improves, brand reputation increases, and you’ll build better professional relationships. Company gifts can also help with brand awareness and reach, which in turn can draw in more leads, referrals, and job candidates.

Custom Lifelines "Waves" Ultrasonic Diffuser

To help people unwind at work or at home, give them the custom Lifelines "Waves" Ultrasonic Diffuser (300ml) - Cascading Mist and Light plus Essential Oil Blend. Not only is its sculptural design attractive in any space, but its lighting and scented mist also help with focus and clearing the mind. There are five colored light settings, orange and honey oil, and timers with an auto-off function.

Embroidered Zusa Navy/Ivory Oversized Sherpa ZZZs Blanket

The holidays are the perfect time of year to curl up in an embroidered Zusa Navy/Ivory Oversized Sherpa ZZZs Blanket, which is made sustainably using 18 recycled bottles. One side is sherpa fleece, and the other is faux fur. It’s also large enough to wrap up in for bedtime or to share with a loved one during movie night.

Oh What Fun MerchBox

Gifting an employee or manager with a branded MerchBox is the ultimate reward because these kits gather our best items that fit thoughtful themes. With the branded Oh What Fun MerchBox, the lucky recipient will get flavored popcorn, an insulated Corkcicle tumbler, headphones, a Bluetooth speaker, and a modern ceramic container for storing small items.

Contact Us at Merchology!

Do you need more employee appreciation gift ideas? Contact a Merchologist today. We’ll be able to show you our broad selection of branded wellness gifts for reducing stress and burnout. Plus, we can answer any questions you have about logo decoration, shipping, and more.