#Positively Stressed - Week 13

In the Navy we had a saying, “A complaining sailor is a happy sailor.” While it may sound counterintuitive, there is a deeper meaning behind this concept about mental health and stress management in any environment – workplace or otherwise.

By the end of boot camp, military recruits are assumed to be fully invested in the system they will be a part of for years or even decades to come. Buy-in is a requirement under this theory because it exemplifies and amplifies the alignment between the individual and the overall mission or organization. This can be difficult in the civilian workforce when the sole mission is to make money and is seen as a paycheck only for the employee, but can still be found – for civilian me, it has been handling insurance fraud cases.

Not all complaints are created equal and can be an important outlet for stress – when they are constructive. Are employees sharing real concerns, like “We haven’t have a day off in months” or are they merely venting frustrations without solutions or personal gripes, like “The boss won’t let me leave 2 hours early to go golfing.” The first signals a need for intervention to maintain a semblance of work-life balance and promote self-care while preventing burnout; the later may point to an ego issue.

“Happiness” in the workplace isn’t about constant positivity – it’s about feeling confident and supported in your role. Employees need to trust that their concerns will be heard without fear of retaliation. Managers may not always have immediate solutions (like adding more staff), but may be able to assist by providing other resources. This confidence is built when leaders model healthy coping strategies, provide transparency in the decision making process, and overall creates a culture where employees feel supported.

Encouraging a space for open dialogue about stressors is required because issues that are raised can be managed and addressed by supervisors, issues that are hidden are likely to stay that way until something – or someone – breaks.

Preventing the physical and mental anguish that comes from stress is why #PositivelyStressed exists!

Don’t forget to vote in the poll over on LinkedIn while it is still active.

By: Stephen Delcuze, Esq. - Found on LinkedIn here.