The clock reads 09:15. Your team is gathered in a meeting. Employees have prepared well, but when it's their turn to speak, it can feel like their voice disappears. The heart races, and the fear of making mistakes can become overwhelming.
Consequences of Performance Pressure
This situation is recognizable to many, especially employees who feel a significant responsibility to perform. The fear of evaluation can lead to:
- Physical symptoms such as dry mouth, palpitations, and sweaty palms
- Racing thoughts about what colleagues will think
- Avoidance of meetings where one has to speak
Over time, this can lead to increased stress, reduced self-esteem, and higher absenteeism. According to a report from the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, stress-related challenges can be one of the biggest causes of absenteeism in Norwegian companies.
Break the Pattern with StoppStress
StoppStress is a digital stress management program that can help employees understand and change their automatic stress responses. Here are some ways the program can be implemented in your company to manage performance pressure:
1. Trigger Mapping
Employees can use the Harmoni app to map situations that create anxiety in meetings. Identify the trigger (for example, being evaluated by colleagues) and the stored expectation (e.g., "If I say something wrong, I will lose respect from my colleagues"). This awareness is the first step towards change.
2. StoppStress Exercise
When anxiety creeps in during a meeting, employees can use the "StoppStress" exercise. They learn to notice how the feeling manifests in the body, maintain focus on the feeling without escaping into thoughts, and breathe calmly. Repeated practice will create new experiences related to the situation.
3. Change Beliefs
With the help of Harmoni's AI guidance, employees can explore and change limiting beliefs. For example, they can work on replacing the thought "I must be perfect" with "I am good enough as I am." This takes time and practice, but over time it can change their emotional response in similar situations.
Implementation and Results
Choose one situation where employees often experience performance pressure and use the StoppStress program to map the trigger and the stored expectation. By implementing the program, you may see a reduction in absenteeism and an improvement in team dynamics. Previous case studies have shown that companies that have used the StoppStress program have experienced up to a 30% reduction in stress-related absenteeism and a significant improvement in employee well-being.
Is Your Company Ready to Take a New Step?
Visit stoppstress.no to learn more about how the StoppStress program can be implemented in your company and help employees manage performance pressure.
StoppStress is a tool for stress management, not treatment.
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Do You Want to Reduce Absenteeism in Your Company?
The StoppStress program uses memory reconsolidation to provide employees with lasting tools against stress. Learn more at stoppstress.no →