We Are an Official Sponsor of International Stress Week 2018

Since 2016 526,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, which resulted in 12.5 million sick days in the United Kingdom alone. At Johnsons we understand the importance of managing stress within the workplace and are focused on alleviating it amongst our employees, which in turn contributes to long-term employee happiness, worker retention and productivity.

Learning to identify the factors that cause job stress and implementing programs that can monitor and decrease stress levels will result in a happier and healthier workplace, that’s why we have chosen to sponsor and support the 20th anniversary of the ISMA International Stress Awareness Week, which runs from 5th-9th November and aims to reduce the taboo associated with stress and mental health.

The stress awareness theme for 2018 is ‘Does Hi-Tech Cause Hi-Stress?’ and will focus on the stressful effects that technology can bring and also the positive contribution that technology can make in both your personal and professional life, alongside exploring tips and activities on how to actively reduce stress.

At Johnsons we operate within a friendly, collaborative and positive working environment where everyone has a strong team spirit. We encourage effective communication between our employees and management through our open door policy, which fundamentally allows us to build stronger and healthier relationships throughout our whole company. Our open door policy means that we encourage open communication, feedback and discussion about anything an employee might find important. We believe it is beneficial in a number of ways, from allowing the employee to feel that they can communicate with senior managers on a personal level, to the employers learning first hand what’s important to their team.

Goal setting is an incredibly important skill for success and when it’s done effectively, it becomes the pillar beneath our employee’s ambitions and serves as a measurement of their progress. A consistently heavy workload with long hours, coupled with the expectation to produce an impeccable work product on short deadlines, can leave an employee exhausted and weary. At Johnsons we hold annual performance review meetings, alongside regular catch-ups which provide an opportunity to set clear and realistic goals for our employees. If an individual is struggling in any aspects of their role, we will work collaboratively to create a development plan that will help them meet their goals in a way that suits them.

A positive work environment has the power to boost productivity and employee wellbeing, which is why we endeavour promote a relaxed, positive and friendly environment at both our Head Office and in our plants. Whether our employees work on the production floor, at a desk or spend their day visiting customers, at Johnsons we encourage our employees to take regular breaks to reduce stress. Many of our employees choose to take short walks around the buildings, take time out in the canteens, make a hot drink or have a chat with colleagues.

As we grow increasingly more connected through technology and social media, it is becoming more and more difficult to separate work from our personal lives. It is commonplace to check emails at all hours, take business calls at the dinner table and work on our laptops on weekends, which in turn creates a stressful environment that it’s hard to get out of.

At Johnsons we believe in a healthy work-life balance and alongside regular breaks we offer attractive working hours, which we don’t expect anyone to work beyond. We understand how important a work-life balance is for our employee’s productivity, performance and state of mind and believe they will work harder and become stronger advocates of our brand if they don’t view work as a chore.

By encouraging our people to look after themselves and find balance, we ensure that they want to immerse themselves in the culture, engage positively and go the extra mile for the business.