Anxiety in the workplace is not a problem that affects only individuals. It’s an epidemic, especially for industries with high pressure. HR directors face this challenge every day, as they are responsible for ensuring that their teams are productive, resilient, engaged and supported. The ability to manage anxiety “in the moment” is equally important as long-term wellness programs for creating a culture of innovation and thriving.
How can HR professionals provide employees with tools that will help them reset their mindsets, reduce stress and promote creativity “when it counts most”? Simple mindset techniques can be easily integrated into the workplace. Here’s how HR Directors can integrate these strategies into wellness programs to foster resilience, compassion and creativity throughout the organization.
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Anxiety can prevent the attributes critical to any organisation, namely resilience, compassion and creativity. These are not just personal attributes; they are workplace skills that can be fostered through well-designed wellness initiatives.
Resilience is a skill that helps employees remain focused and productive, even when priorities or deadlines change. Compassion – both for themselves and for their co-workers – prevents stress from becoming burnout. Creativity flourishes when anxiety and stress are managed and not suppressed.
HR directors must help their employees to tap into these skills in real time, particularly when they are overwhelmed by work. The good news is? This doesn’t require complex systems. You can empower your team to manage stress and anxiety by integrating simple, accessible tools.
Tools to Refresh Your Mindset at Work:
Human resources programs tend to focus on long-term interventions. However, it is equally important that employees have immediate tools available for when they are stressed. Three effective strategies can be integrated into your wellness program:
1a. The Breathing Reset of One Minute
Stressful situations, such as an overflowing email inbox or a deadline looming close by, can cause panic. This disrupts concentration and decreases productivity. This can be combated by teaching your employees to do a simple breathing exercise that takes one minute.
Encourage your employees to practice mindful breathing for 60 seconds in order to reset their nervous systems. Inhale four times, hold it for four and exhale four. Repeat. This technique can be taught through workshops or digital tools. It helps activate the parasympathetic system to reduce stress and allow employees to focus on their work.
Tip: Provide mindset content that employees can consume on their laptops, or integrate this exercise into your team meetings. You could also suggest it to employees as a quick tool following a difficult feedback session.
2b. Thought Reframing
Stressful situations can lead to negative thinking patterns. A busy employee might think “I’ll probably never finish all this work,” which can lead to anxiety and poor decision making. The simple tool of thought reframing can change the way employees react to pressure.
Reframe stressful thoughts to manageable and action-oriented statements. Instead of saying “I am drowning in email,” employees can learn to say “I will prioritise my most urgent tasks, and tackle the remainder in blocks.”
Tip – Offer employees training sessions or workshops on mindsets where they can practice thought reframing. Managers should also model this language when providing feedback and communicating.
3c. Compassionate Pausing
Employees in fast-paced industries are often their own worst critics. They ignore signs of stress and judge themselves harshly if they are unable to keep up. Compassionate pausing encourages employees pause and acknowledge their stress.
Teach your employees how to recognize moments of overwhelm, and encourage them to practice self-compassion. They can stop stress spiraling into burnout by simply pausing and taking a deep breath. This practice can help employees develop emotional resilience, particularly in high-pressure situations.
Tip: Include this tool in your wellness programs by incorporating themed workshops or resources on mindset. Consider embedding this tool in employee communications, or at annual reviews, to normalise reflection moments.
Integrating Mindset Tools in Wellbeing Programs
The key for HR directors to create a resilient and creative workforce is to embed these mindset tools in your existing wellbeing program. Here are three effective ways to achieve this:
2a. Integrate into daily workflows
Encourage your teams to incorporate these tools into their routines, whether through reminders at team meetings, integration with digital platforms such as Slack or wellness check-ins. Managers can easily incorporate a quick breathing exercise or reframing into their toolkit.
2b. Train managers as mindset leaders
Managers are crucial in demonstrating stress management and resilience. Managers can be trained to lead by example and use these tools. Encourage their team members to follow suit. Leaders who actively practice these practices normalise them for all.
2c. Create a culture of psychological safety
It’s important that employees feel comfortable expressing their stress or overwhelm. HR can help cultivate this culture by providing space for reflection and vulnerability–whether through open forums, anonymous feedback options, or mental health check-ins. The more supported employees are, the more likely that they will use these tools freely and without judgement. The success of this program is solely determined by the leadership and their willingness to embrace the new approach. The key is to train in emotional intelligence.
Long-term benefits of “In-the Moment” Mindset Tools
These tools are designed to relieve stress immediately, but the benefits over the long term cannot be denied. You can create a more creative, resilient and compassionate workforce by providing employees with simple strategies. This leads to a decrease in burnout, better team dynamics and more innovation.
The challenge for HR directors is to integrate these tools into the organization and make them accessible. Start small and see how much impact you can have.
HR is not solely responsible for eliminating stress. However, it can give employees the tools they need to manage their stress both now and in the future. These mindset refreshes can help your team transform the way they approach high-pressure environments and ultimately thrive in them.
