Bark is a lead generation company that helps identify potential clients for life coaches, counselors, consultants, and other services. I receive numerous profiles of potential clients seeking life coaching services. Some are interested in hiring a coach now others are thinking about it. Those concerned about a pressing issue are more likely to want to hire a coach right away.
As I look through the profiles of prospective clients, I learned that their most pressing concerns are stress, career issues, developing positive habits, cultivating relationships, health/wellness, spirituality, and parenting. Stress, career issues, and relationships are clustered at the top of the list.
Stress has become more of an increasing issue for children and adults. Reports of hostile acts are all over the international, national, local, and even our neighborhood email newsgroup. People are increasingly using social media to vent their frustrations. Society is more divided over politics, religion, race, gender, and sexual orientation than ever. Rather than looking for common ground, those with extreme points of view are carrying the day.
Predictably, those attitudes and behaviors are present in the workplace. According to a 2022 article in the Geek Health Journal, approximately 33% of people describe feeling very stressed. At work 80% of people experience it. Annually it is projected that companies in the United States will spend $300 billion on employee health care and missed days at work due to elevated levels of stress. Furthermore, up to 80% of accidents at work are caused by stress-related issues. These are challenging times and leaders are tasked to effectively address them. As Albert Einstein said, “Problems cannot be solved with the same mindset that created them.”
Organization leaders did not create the issues that plague society and their places of business, yet they have to find a way to engender collaborative relationships and productivity. While leaders and managers are skilled, dealing with heightened levels of employee stress can be overwhelming. Leaders are human and can succumb to the pressure of trying to handle every situation. Don’t be ashamed to ask for support if/when you need it. Do you have any pressing issues that need to be addressed now? Life or executive coaches could be part of your solution.
Feel free to share your thoughts about how you handle stress in the workplace. To learn more about my coaching practice visit: www.prodestinycoaching.com