{"id":2993,"date":"2024-04-24T10:00:22","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T09:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/workwithimpact.co.uk\/?p=2993"},"modified":"2024-04-29T15:32:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-29T14:32:20","slug":"from-the-top-down-how-stressed-leaders-impact-teams-and-organisations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/workwithimpact.co.uk\/news\/from-the-top-down-how-stressed-leaders-impact-teams-and-organisations\/","title":{"rendered":"From the Top Down: How Stressed Leaders Impact Teams and Organisations"},"content":{"rendered":"
In today’s fast-paced professional landscape, the role of leadership is crucial in navigating challenges and steering teams towards success. However, the pressure of leadership can often lead to stress, with 41% of senior leaders feeling stressed and 36% feeling exhausted. This impacts the wellbeing of the leader, but also trickles down into all levels of the organisation.<\/p>\n
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Managers and leaders have a direct impact on their team\u2019s stress and anxiety levels. When we are stressed, we may become more pessimistic, use more negative language, behave out of character, be emotionally volatile or forget to consider how others may be feeling. These behaviours impact those around us, particularly our team and may begin to impact productivity, morale, and overall performance. Consider a scenario where a senior manager is constantly frazzled due to tight deadlines and demanding clients. Their stress trickles down to associates and support staff, creating a tense work environment. How does this impact the team and the organisation?<\/p>\n
Stressed leaders can impact the overall functioning and dynamic of their teams, including morale, performance, trust, communication, and wellbeing.<\/p>\n
The long-term impacts of a leader\u2019s stress on the team will in turn impact the organisation\u2019s outcomes and performance. Prolonged exposure to a stressful work environment may lead to increased absenteeism and sick leave, and eventually result in increased turnover as employees feel compelled to leave the organisation. Additionally, the negative behaviours of stressed managers, such as micro-management or aggression, can lead to negative company culture. Stress itself can also lead to increased errors and reduced compliance to procedures and processes, as it impacts our concentration and focus levels. Recognising the potential of stress in leaders to have far-reaching consequences within the organisation is essential, and addressing these consequences is even more important.<\/p>\n
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While stress is inevitable in leadership roles, there are strategies that mid-level and senior managers can employ to mitigate its negative impact on their teams and organisations:<\/p>\n
Through our comprehensive wellbeing offerings<\/a>, Impact bespoke strategies specifically tackle the challenges your team face in the workplace, including stress management. Together we can support leaders and organisations to cultivate a positive workplace culture that prioritises employee wellbeing throughout the year.<\/p>\n