Resilience for HR Professionals: Building Personal and Organizational Stress Management Skills
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In the fast-paced world of HR, professionals are often on the front line of employee challenges and company changes. You are responsible for managing various aspects of employee well-being, workplace culture, and organizational growth… and since 2020 that’s become even more challenging! But while you support your colleagues and the company as a whole, you also need to manage your own stress and build resilience.
WATCH: Jay Unwin as a Panelist in Caring for Your Mental Health and Wellness at Work
This article, the first in my new regular monthly column, will explore the importance of stress management for HR professionals and offer practical strategies for building personal and organizational resilience. I’ll be keeping things nice and simple. Often, we don’t need novel ideas. Instead, we need to get back to basics.
Maybe you’ve already heard some of the stuff I’m about to share, but my question to you is: “Are you actually doing it though?”
The Importance of Stress Management for HR Professionals
HR professionals play a crucial role in the overall health and success of any organization. You are responsible for managing employee relationships, benefits, and performance, as well as navigating legal and compliance issues. As a result, HR professionals often face high levels of stress, which can negatively impact your well-being and job performance.
Managing stress effectively is essential for you to maintain your mental and emotional health, ensure your ability to support employees, and contribute to the organization's overall success. By learning how to manage stress and build resilience, you can better handle the challenges you face and become more effective in your role.
Personal Stress Management Strategies for HR Professionals
To manage your own stress effectively, consider the following:
Prioritize self-care: Taking time for yourself is essential for managing stress and maintaining mental and emotional well-being. Schedule regular breaks, exercise, and practice mindfulness or meditation to help manage stress levels. A recent panel hosted by HREN featured some great tips on breathing from Carson Finkle, founder of Create Meditation, and you can learn the exercises by watching the on-demand video.
Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life to prevent burnout. Communicate your boundaries to colleagues and management, and ensure you are not working beyond your capacity. This can feel difficult, and perhaps even selfish, but by protecting your energy you are helping others get the best from you when they need it most.
Develop a strong support network: Connect with colleagues, friends, and family members, who understand your role and can provide emotional support during challenging times. We humans are social creatures, and we did not develop to operate on our own.
Seek professional help: If stress becomes unmanageable, consider seeking the help of a mental health professional or counselor.
Organizational Stress Management Strategies
You’re in HR because you care about people, so here are some ideas for how best to support those around you, which will also create a better environment for you, too:
Foster a positive workplace culture: Create an environment that encourages open communication, collaboration, and support among team members. This can help reduce stress levels for everyone, including for you and the rest of the HR team.
Implement stress management training: Provide training on stress management techniques for all employees, including those in HR. This can help equip everyone with the tools they need to manage stress effectively.
Encourage work-life balance: Promote flexible work arrangements wherever possible, and encourage employees to take breaks and time off to recharge.
Offer employee assistance programs (EAPs): Provide access to confidential counseling and support services for employees experiencing the effects of too much stress, or symptoms of poor mental health.
Evaluate and improve workplace policies: Assess current policies and practices to identify areas where improvements can be made to manage stress more effectively across the organization, for HR professionals, and all other employees alike.
Conclusion
HR professionals play a vital role in managing employee well-being and fostering a positive workplace culture. However, you must also prioritize your own stress management and resilience to be fully effective in your role. By implementing personal stress management strategies and working to improve organizational stress management practices, you can better navigate the challenges you face and contribute to the overall success of your organization. By focusing on both personal and organizational resilience, you can create a healthier, more supportive work environment for yourself and your colleagues.
Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing more insights around both personal and organizational stress management, dealing with external and psychological stressors, the impacts they have on us as individuals and collectives, as well as what we can do to manage them effectively at an environmental and individual level.
I look forward to you joining me on this journey!
Jay Unwin is a Stress Management Speaker and Strategist. You can learn more at his website, or you can connect with him on LinkedIn.
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