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There are countless causes of workplace anxiety for the average employee, especially in the gritty corporate world. Corporations were never built with employee wellness in mind; they are optimized for efficiency, productivity, results, and profits. Only now are corporations waking up to their workers being burnt out, anxious and struggling with their own mental health especially after the last couple of years. The only way to move forward and keep their employees happy is by putting workplace wellness at the forefront and addressing the root causes of anxiety in the workplace and eliminating them.
Corporations Are Underpaying Their Employees
You’ve probably witnessed the ‘Great Resignation’, whether you’re a part of a small to mid-size company or a fortune 500. You’ve watched employees head off to greener pastures and your HR department scramble to onboard new cogs for the corporate machine. Your colleagues moved on because savvy corporations are waking up to the fact that workplace wellness matters, and paying someone a ‘market rate’ is no longer acceptable when salaries have miles to go to catch up to inflation and rising living costs. If financial stress is clawing at your well-being, it’s time to re-evaluate because it could very well be increasing your anxiety at work.
Working Excessive Hours
Does it feel like there are fewer hours in the day to get things done? It’s an illusion. The hours aren’t shrinking; your workload is just growing, and this is a leading cause of workplace anxiety. The workload is growing at a pace that is not sustainable. That’s not your fault, nor is it your employees’ fault. If your excessive workload is cranking up your workplace anxiety, it’s time to stop it before you’re pushed over the edge. This is the year to prioritize your mental well-being over producing work for someone else. It’s time to sit down with your team leader and share your thoughts. If you don’t feel safe doing so, bring in human resources. And if you’re not feeling like you’re being heard, it’s time to revamp that resume and kick off the hunt for a better option.
A Loss of Confidence at Work
Are you suffering from imposter syndrome? Feeling left behind? Yearning for a promotion but don’t feel like you’re qualified enough for that next level? It’s time to level up! So many corporations miss the mark when it comes to offering their employees opportunities to get certifications or learn new skills. Even if you love your job, you never want to fall behind in your skillset. Feeling inadequate is a root cause of workplace anxiety regarding career development. If you’re not finding what you need to enhance your skill set, there are plenty of online resources that will help you take control of your career development, which will help build your confidence and sense of self-worth.
Navigating Workplace Bullying and Difficult Relationships
While we’ve seen a promising movement of diversity and inclusion being written into corporate policies across the board, that doesn’t mean there aren’t hold-outs. There are still plenty of organizations that engage in bullying and harassment, especially against women and minorities. No job is worth being subjected to that. You have every right to walk into your workplace and feel safe. You should be able to approach your team leads and communicate your concerns. Bring in a neutral mediator if there is an issue with one individual but you don’t feel comfortable discussing issues with them one-on-one. Your human resources department should have a clear and concise policy when dealing with harassment, discrimination, and disrespect, and employee wellness should be a priority.
You spend, at minimum, a third of your waking hours at work. And let’s be fair, there’s almost no job under the sun that doesn’t have its stresses. But if your workplace is causing your anxiety to increase, it’s time to tackle the issues, one at a time. Dig deep, and remember, a balanced state of well-being is always more important than any corporate career.
