Work takes up a big chunk of our lives and if it’s stressful, this affects how we feel and how we perform in the office, as well as having a negative impact on our home lives.

Our colleagues can cause the most stress of all. Personality clashes, difficult managers and team members not pulling their weight can all cause stress in the office, but it isn’t just personalities that cause the problems.

Delays

One major frustration about working on a project is being held up by having to wait for information from a colleague. No matter how organised you are, if your work gets put under pressure through no fault of your own, that has repercussions. The best way to handle this situation is to make it known who is causing the hold-up, which should hopefully encourage them to give you what you need, when you need it.

Priorities

Huge workloads cause stress. If you feel overwhelmed with the amount you have to do, learn to prioritise and delegate. Setting yourself daily goals can give you some satisfaction when you achieve them and can help you see that you are making progress.

Environment

The better the working environment, the happier and more productive the staff will be. If you are searching for offices to let Basingstoke is well-served, and companies like Matrix House (http://www.matrix-house.co.uk/) offer great working spaces and facilities.

Feeling happy at work can boost productivity amongst workers.

Communication

When workers feel they are doing all the work while others appear to have time on their hands, resentment can build up. Sharing information and details of what everyone is working on can help alleviate this issue and create a better team atmosphere.

Deadlines

Deadlines are a great way of focusing the mind and ensuring a job or project gets completed, but setting unrealistic deadlines or constantly changing deadlines can cause stress and undermine their value. Once a deadline is set, everyone on the team should be aware of when it is and work towards achieving it.

Management

One of the main causes of stress is poor management, whether it is staff not feeling valued, or not understanding their role. Scheduling regular one to one meetings, where any personnel issues can be discussed, is a good way to keep workers happy and committed to the business and their jobs.