Stress is an unavoidable part of work and life, but managing it effectively is the key to sustaining individual well-being and organisational success. While short-term stress can be a catalyst for growth, chronic stress without recovery leads to burnout, disengagement and declining performance. Awareness is the first step. Everyone needs to take note of their stress level and own their recovery habits.
Through our Executive Health Programme, I see one of the challenges for HR leaders is to differentiate between productive stress and the kind that undermines performance and health.
“Having worked closely with Dr. Debar, I understand firsthand the vulnerabilities that come with overseeing employee well-being and driving change,” says Miranda Dodd, Mayo Clinic Healthcare executive director, who leads the Mayo Clinic Healthcare team and serves as the on-site HR leader. “As HR directors, it’s easy to neglect our own needs while focusing on the team, often striving for perfection. I regularly remind our HR team and people managers to prioritize self-care and reach out for support when needed. This could involve accessing mental health resources, engaging in work-life balance initiatives or scheduling regular check-ins to ensure ongoing support.”
Employers can foster a healthy work environment by preventing burnout rather than taking a reactive approach. A high return-on-investment wellness strategy should be targeted, measurable and system-driven.
As one of the few doctors in the UK certified by the Benson-Henry Institute to run the Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program, I work with my patients to empower them to leverage neuroscience and manage stress effectively through mind-body practices.
Chronic stress can have long-term health consequences, so addressing it early is key to maintaining personal well-being. Only about 10-15% of patients recognize that they are stressed. But stress manifests itself in many health conditions such as hypertension, insomnia and digestive issues. I’m interested in root causes. If we can address them early and incorporate health-promoting strategies, then we can prevent more serious health conditions from forming later in life.
I equip my patients with evidence-based knowledge so they remain in control of their health. For example, if someone is predominantly functioning from the limbic system, which is your inner survival state of fight or flight, that will impact your physiology. Your cortisol level may be a little higher, which can prevent your ability to sleep. Your hormones and metabolism also may be off, which can lead to wanting to self-soothe with food or alcohol.
I offer my patients the opportunity to have an unhurried consultation where we can explore many facets of their physical and mental well-being. For example, we discuss their nutrition, their sleep and relationships. Although they may be high net worth in terms of their bank account, are they also high net worth in terms of emotional support to access an internal place of safety and reflection to be able to recover from the stress they are under at work?
Optimizing recovery and resilience
Elite athletes know to incorporate rest and recovery into their training for optimal performance. We all need to do this as well. Rest is not something you do once your to-do list is complete. Rest comes with activity. When you prioritize rest and sleep, you will improve your overall well-being. When an employee is operating from their prefrontal cortex, they are more productive, more creative, more communicative and less fatigued.
Also, see if you can move a bit more and laugh a bit more. All of those things will help you optimize recovery from stress and prevent burnout.
When you face a demand or threat, your body activates the sympathetic nervous system and releases cortisol, the primary stress hormone. Once the stressor has passed, the body should return to baseline, allowing it to recover. When this cycle is completed properly, stress can build resilience.
If you’ve ever overcome a stressful event in life, processed it fully and completed that cycle, then the next time you face a similar experience, you may think: ‘Oh no, but I can do it.’
Consider a preventive approach to health screening with the aim of early detection and risk management. One way to do this is by forming small groups within your company who regularly check-in with each other about their stress levels and mental health. The key to true change is to embed it into the company culture.
My recommendations include:
- Align your business goals with employee well-being
- Offer mental health resources and stress management training
- Provide burnout prevention training for managers
- Cut out unnecessary meetings to free cognitive space
- Encourage breaks and recovery time
- Promote balanced workloads and deadlines
- Check in with employees about their well-being
If stress feels uncontrollable, physical symptoms persist or lifestyle changes don’t seem to help, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider.
www.mayoclinichealthcare.co.uk
