Stress Management Training - What's Effective?

Stress Management

In the businesses, NGOs and government organisations I work with there are two kinds of people -those who admit there is stress in their lives and those in denial. Both may suffer but the latter cannot address what is a crucial workplace issue (in the UK the Health and Safety Executive make it a legal requirement for employers to address it is considered so important irrespective). Happily macho attitudes are dying out as people realise the impact stress can have on health (most of the Western World killers are stress related), efficiency/productivity (studies show that stressed people DO NOT work well) and relationships at work and at home.

Stress training is becoming recognised by businesses as valuable as if done well it decreases staff turnover (churn-rate), increases effectiveness and reduces absenteeism. As well as being an ethical stance, providing stress management saves organisations money. What then are some of the barriers relating to stress training? Aside from prejudicial attitudes that stress can make one weak there is also a misconception that people work well stressed. Some positive arousal or eustress can of course be beneficial - but most people in modern organisations that I see are well beyond this daily and working on adrenaline and heading towards burnout. The concept of "sustainable working" is often a useful one for managing stress, as is the distinction between "live relaxation" (like an athlete) and "dead relaxation" (like a unconscious drunk).

Other barriers to stress management include time and cost. Short targeted courses funded by government grants can help with both of these.

What Makes Stress Training Effective?

Some stress training is effective and some is not (as measured by participants in feedback or by "hard measures" like staff sick days). Here are some of the things that make workplace stress management training courses effective if included:

Choose an Experienced Provider

Would you do dentistry "in house" or ask your mechanic to o it? Of course not, it pays to get a specialist in to address stress at work and the same is true of investing in an experienced and specialist stress training provider. Of course I am biased but the real test is that paying customers agree.

Adequate Pre Course Assessment Was Done

Stress training will only work if it is targeted to the organisations needs. Public stress courses are possible but if the trainer is talking directly to the concerns of delegates after having done thorough research this is superior. A pre-course stress management questionnaire would be a minimal measure.

Stress Course Has an Embodied and Integral Perspective

Talking about theories of stress is not enough as stress is an embodied phenomena and this much be addressed. Similarly looking at any one angle on stress is insufficient as psychological, biological, social, cultural, environmental and organisational aspects must all be considered for effectiveness as these elements are all involved. Ken Wilber's integral model is the most complete theoretical overview I know of.

Stress Training is Interactive and Fun!

Interactive and experiential training will alleviate the problem of tired or bored delegates not taking anything in, and gain crucial buy-in.

Stress Management Training Enables "Real-World Transfer"

Training often has a bad reputation as in many organisations people will go on a course, then promptly forget everything they have learned. It is important that stress training embeds learning in real-world applications. Follow-up e-mails and revision sessions are also effective.

This article is of course just a brief introduction to stress training and what makes stress management effective, but I hope it has been a helpful start. There are several government grants for stress training currently available in the UK so please get in contact to benefit your productivity, health and relationships.