Can you handle it? Lane4 research results
'Can you handle it? Thriving on Pressure in the Workplace' reports the findings of Lane4's research survey.
The study looked at the impact of pressure on workplace performance and was carried out online between July-September 2011 yielding 380 responses.
Results showed that:
- Pressure is inevitable – 85% of people experience medium to high pressure at work. The good news is that 49% of this pressure has a positive impact. However, 31% of the pressure we experience at work turns to stress.
- The things that drive us – We relish the opportunity for challenge and experience positive pressure when we are in control. We also thrive when faced with targets and deadlines.
- The things that drain us – Poor quality organisational change, lack of job security, life-role conflict and excessive workload or working hours are our biggest sources of stress.
- The workforce is in good shape – People generally feel that they look after themselves physically, are able to manage their emotions at work and feel confident and in control of their working life.
- Leaders need to do more to prevent stress – 24% of people say their manager is a source of stress at work whilst only 16% say their manager protects them from stress.
- 24 hour availability to work can be a good thing – 24 hour technology may be getting unfair bad press as it appears to reduce stress in as many people (38%) as it causes stress (36%).
- Emotions are contagious – The majority of respondents felt that their mood improved when their colleagues were in good moods (78%) and many were brought down by their colleagues' bad moods (48%).
- Sources of pressure should be tackled head on – People who employed proactive coping such as coming up with strategies and taking action to fix the situation reported better coping and performance under pressure.
Pressure is inevitable and not something to be avoided. It can stimulate and drive us to do great things. When we fail to cope with pressure it becomes stress and has a negative impact on our performance, our relationships and even our health. The challenge for individuals, leaders and organisations is to create conditions where people feel in control of their own choices, supported, challenged and able to turn pressure to their advantage.
To read the report in full, please download the PDF below.
For more information about the study, please contact Kelly Walsh kelly.walsh@lane4.co.uk
2011-11-14
Can you handle it? Lane4 research results
'Can you handle it? Thriving on pressure in the workplace' reports the findings of Lane4's research survey.
Lane4 survey results: A Question of Trust
The results from Lane4's Trust Pulse Check found that one in seven UK workers distrust their line manager and 30% doubt leadership communication.
Lane4 survey results: What's motivating you?
The results are in! Lane4's latest survey shows that leaders are getting in the way of employees' motivation and that 90% of people think that their motivation is affected by their environment.
How the Best of the Best Get Better and Better (Harvard Business Review, June 2008, 123-127)
Until 1954, most people believed that a human being was incapable of running a mile in less than four minutes. But that very year, English miler Roger Bannister proved them wrong.