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Staff wellbeing

Prevention: Tips for Line Managers to Help Prevent Stress in Their Teams

A line manager plays a crucial role in fostering a positive workplace environment, and identifying and managing stress within their team. By taking proactive and preventative measures, such as regular check-ins, promoting open communication, and providing support information, a line manager can create a work atmosphere where colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to speak up about concerns. These actions help prevent stress by addressing issues before they escalate and ensuring team members have the tools they need to manage their wellbeing and/or reach out for help when they need to. A preventative approach not only helps to reduce stress but also boosts overall productivity.

However, it's important to remember that external factors beyond the line manager's control may also contribute to individual or team stress.

Listed below are key areas for consideration: 

Foster Open Communication

  • Promote a no-blame culture: encourage problem-solving instead of blame when mistakes happen. 
  • Regular check-ins: Have one-on-one meetings to understand workload, a safe space to discuss concerns, and wellbeing. 
  • Be approachable: have an ‘open-door’ to help colleagues feel comfortable to come to you to bring issues early before they escalate.  
  • Anonymous feedback opportunities: Provide ways for colleagues to share concerns privately if they’re uncomfortable speaking directly. 

Set clear expectations and manage workloads

  • Define roles clearly: Ensure each team member understands their responsibilities to reduce confusion. 
  • Set realistic deadlines: Avoid overloading colleagues with impossible expectations and ensure deadlines are achievable. 
  • Provide clear instructions: Reduce uncertainty by offering clear guidance on tasks and projects. 
  • Balance workloads fairly: Distribute tasks based on team capacity.  
  • Delegate wisely: Assign tasks based on individual strengths and workloads.  
  • Encourage Delegation: Empower colleagues to delegate tasks when appropriate. 
  • Prioritise effectively: Help colleagues focus key tasks and create work plans to prevent overwhelm. 
  • Monitor Workloads: Regularly check in with colleagues to ensure workloads remain manageable. 

Promote work life balance

  • Encourage to book annual leave: discuss with your team and individuals the importance of taking a break and scheduling annual leave. If your team/service requires staffing all year round, have this discussion on a team level to help support each other to take annual leave.  
  • Respect colleagues working hours: avoid sending emails, messages or assigning tasks outside of typical work hours. For colleagues who work flexibly, advise to make use of the Delay/schedule email sending function in Outlook. Encourage colleagues to sharing working patterns within then team. 
  • Offer flexible working arrangements if possible and appropriate: consider hybrid working, flexible schedules, and adjusted hours if appropriate. flexible working arrangements.  

Encourage a supportive and inclusive team culture

  • Encourage team bonding: Foster a positive, collaborative, and productive work environment through various activities such as:  
  • Everyday Activities: Casual team check-ins, collaboration sessions, and coffee break chats. 
  • Work-related Activities: Cross-team projects and mentorship or buddy systems. 
  • Social Activities: Team outings, games and challenges, and book or craft clubs. 

Foster an inclusive and respectful culture

  • Recognise & celebrate diversity: Acknowledge different perspectives, celebrate cultural events, and encourage sharing of personal experiences. 
  • Provide equal opportunities: Ensure fair access to training, promotions, and leadership roles, and use inclusive hiring practices. 
  • Support staff with disabilities, additional needs and Neurodiverse needs: Adapt communication styles, offer flexible work arrangements, and attend manager training on neurodiversity and accessibility. 

 

Recognise and Appreciate Efforts

  • Give regular praise: acknowledge hard work and contributions publicly and privately. 
  • Celebrate achievements: highlight team and individual successes in meetings, via emails or within a Teams space. Celebrate milestones to boost morale. 
  • Provide growth and development opportunities: offer training & upskilling, provide career development paths through discussing goals, learning opportunities, offer mentorship, advise the UoM coaching scheme. 
  • Give regular constructive feedback: help colleagues improve without making them feel overwhelmed.

Address your concerns of stress and wellbeing about a colleague

  • Recognise signs of overwhelm and stress: be alert to changes in behaviour, mood, or performance. 
  • Offer support, not judgment: If a colleague expresses stress, work with them to find solutions. 
  • Encourage use of wellbeing resources which can be found via Staffnet Wellbeing pages: Staff wellbeing | StaffNet | The University of Manchester

Lead by example

  • Demonstrate healthy work habits: show that it’s ok to take breaks, take annual leave, set boundaries and need support. 
  • Show emotional intelligence: be empathetic, self-aware, and responsive to team dynamics. 
  • Prioritise your wellbeing: where possible and appropriate, demonstrate care for your own wellbeing, stress management and balance in your own work. Protecting your mental health; a guide for leaders and line managers