Introduction
Workplace stress affects the performance of many employees. Stressful working environments discourage employees from supporting the goals of their companies. Over “42 percent of employees tend to quit their jobs due to stress” (Huston par. 4). Human Resources Managers (HRMs) should begin by identifying the major causes of stress.
This knowledge will make it easier for them to support their employees. An appropriate strategy will make it easier for managers to deal with the challenges affecting their companies. Many employees at Wal-Mart are not happy with their working conditions. This discussion describes a powerful strategy that can reduce the level of stress at Wal-Mart.
Dealing With Stress at Wal-Mart Company: The Best Solution
Wal-Mart has failed to achieve most of its potentials due to the increasing level of workplace stress. Many employees “have participated in various strikes and demonstrations in order to have their problems addressed by the firm” (Mohn par. 7). However, such efforts and strategies have not produced the best results. Wal-Mart should therefore introduce appropriate strategies in order to support the needs of its employees.
Wal-Mart can use a powerful Training Programme (TP) in order to deal with stress. This approach will ensure every employee embraces positive strategies and practices. The first function of this programme is “to encourage more employees to identify their sources of stress” (Vandeveer and Menefee 36). This knowledge will encourage the employees to track their stress levels. According to Vandeveer and Menefee 41), “a personalized approach will also encourage more employees to address the challenges affecting their workplaces”.
The proposed TP will encourage more employees to tackle their problems. Several practices will produce the best goals. The programme will encourage every employee to promote the concept of work-life balance. This strategy “will ensure the employees do not have tight schedules” (Vandeveer and Menefee 52).
According to Vandeveer and Menefee (65), “an unbalanced working schedule will affect the performance of different employees”. The Training Program (TP) will encourage more employees to communicate with one another. Wal-Mart lacks appropriate mechanisms to support the changing demands of its employees. The company does not promote the concept of teamwork.
A powerful communication strategy will ensure every employee shares his or her challenges with others. The proposed programme will encourage Wal-Mart’s employees to share their ideas and expectations. This strategy will make teamwork a powerful practice at the company. The company’s HRM department must be part of this new programme. The department will “support different employees in order to deal with stress” (Vandeveer and Menefee 84).
Wal-Mart should also use “appropriate strategies in order to reduce the level of stress and burnout among its employees” (Huston par. 12). According to Bakker et al. (675), “many European countries encourage their citizens to take vacations and paid leaves”. The proposed Training Programme will introduce new practices and concepts in order to support the needs of different employees. The strategy will encourage every employee to have strong ties with his or her family members.
The programme “will equip more employees with better mental skills and competencies” (Vandeveer and Menefee 56). Stress-coping strategies have the potential to support the needs of many workers (Vandeveer and Menefee 95). These strategies and goals will ensure more employees enjoy their lives (Mesko et al. 52).
The proposed programme will also encourage more employees to participate in different sporting activities. According to Vandeveer and Menefee (92), “exercises can improve the health of different individuals”. Many doctors encourage their patients and clients to embrace various sporting activities in order to have the best health outcomes. This strategy can work effectively in different organizations. These exercises “can empower various employees to tackle the challenges stresses affecting their working environments” (Bakker et al. 676).
Recent studies have indicated that “many employees in American companies do not take long leaves” (Mohn par. 8). Majority of the employees are not ready to lose their jobs. The targeted learning programme will “encourage more employees at the company to take more vacations” (Mesko et al. 54). A satisfied employee will support the targeted goals of his or her company. An employee “who takes some time off his or her busy work schedule will interact with several friends and relatives” (Mesko et al. 49). This practice will improve Wal-Mart’s productivity.
The learning programme will also equip more employees with better skills and competencies. The first skill “is problem-solving” (Vandeveer and Menefee 21). Many employees encounter numerous differences in their places of work.
Such differences and misunderstandings make it impossible for different workers to complete their duties. Stress-coping will be another powerful skill. A number of approaches “will ensure every employee deals with stress” (Mesko et al. 52). These strategies include “teamwork, effective communication, and collaboration” (Mesko et al. 52).
Concluding Remarks
In conclusion, the above strategy will train more employees and clients in order to deal with their sources of stress. A powerful training programme will ensure every Wal-Mart employee understands the main sources of stress. Every employee will learn how to reduce his or her stress levels. The proposed TP will produce effective working environments at the company. The proposed strategy will ensure every employee achieves his or her goals.
Works Cited
Bakker, Jorn, Leszek Holenderski, Rafal Kocielnik, Mykola Pechenizkiy and Natalia Sidorova. “Stress at work: From Measuring Stress to its Understanding, Prediction and Handling with Personalized Coaching.” ACM 1.1 (2012): 673-677. Print.
Huston, Warner. Study: Americans Afraid to Take Vacation Days. 2014.
Mesko, Maja, Ivan Erenda, Mateja Videmsek, Damir Karpljuk, Joze Stihex and Roblek Vasja. “Relationship between Stress Coping Strategies and Absenteeism among Middle-Level Managers.” Management 18.1 (2013): 45-57. Print.
Mohn, Tanya. Take A Vacation: It’s Good For Productivity And The Economy, According To A New Study.
Vandeveer, Rodney, and Michael Menefee. Human Behavior in Organizations. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2010. Print.