Individuals suffering from high-levels of stress also find it harder to concentrate - don't let your workplace fall victim to stress and un-productive behaviour.

Stress in the workplace is often dismissed as a natural part of the office environment and an inevitability of the average work day. While there is some truth to this sentiment, too much stress can cause decreased productivity and bad health amongst your employees, ultimately fostering negativity and pessimism in the workplace. Recognising and managing stress in the workplace is the responsibility of managers and employees and there are a number of measures that can be taken to reduce stress and promote a health environment at work. Read on to find out how to spot stress and how to combat it:

• How to spot stress

• Ways to combat stress

• Tips to reduce your personal stress levels

How to spot stress

Identifying stress among your employees and recognising the symptoms of stress in your own behaviour can be challenging. After all, there is a level of stress that is expected as normal in any work place.

Here are some indications that stress levels in your business are getting too high:

• Short-tempered employees - a short temper is one of the key signs of stress in a workplace. This could include an increase in arguments amongst colleagues as well as something simpler, such as a snappy attitude. Research has found that individuals suffering from high-levels of stress also find it harder to concentrate. Look out for employees tuning out during meetings or spending more time procrastinating.

• Sleeplessness - most easily identifiable by bags under the eyes, sleeplessness is a major indication of too much stress. People who are stressed at work tend to take their problem from the office home to dwell on it. If it starts affecting a person's sleep, this could activate a vicious cycle whereby stress creates lack of sleep which in turn creates more stress.

• An increase in the number of sick days claimed - more sick days can indicate high stress on two fronts. Firstly, high stress causes a weakened immune system so those that are highly stressed are more susceptible to getting sick. Secondly, those with high stress levels are more likely to simply not come to work.

• Burnout - if you spot one of your employees constantly overworking and can observe the physical and mental wear this is resulting in, it is likely they are about to burn themselves out and potentially do serious long-term harm to their health. Be aware of those burning the midnight oil!

• Smoking and alcohol - people frequently use alcohol and cigarettes as a vice when feeling stressed. In extreme cases, this extends to the abuse of illicit substances and can be very damaging to an individual. Keep an eye on new habits among your team.

• Emotional symptoms - stress generally affects a person's emotions by triggering a release of hormones and chemicals into the bloodstream. Any severe change in emotion among employees should be cause for concern. This includes anxiety, agitation or aggression, violence and withdrawal.

Of course recognising stress in your business is only half the battle; once discovered, you must take measures to alleviate that stress and implement systems to help prevent future stressors.

Ways to combat stress

Here are some helpful hints to combat stress in the work place

• Time management - create a realistic time schedule on your workload to prevent overload. Be realistic about how much work you can get done in a given span of time.

• Maintain a well organised office that is stocked with the necessary equipment and materials to avoid small set-backs, such as a shortage in printing paper, which can often have large effects on stress.

• Develop and use a 'TO-DO' list that is organised as per priority and importance. When a new task arises, add it to the list and categorise it, rather than trying to remember it on memory power alone. Having a list will organise your tasks and help you chart your progress.

• Allocate time schedules for all activities - scheduling time for seemingly trivial things, such as returning phone calls and replying to emails, will remove the stress of ad-hoc activities from your day.

• Talk to your colleagues - discussing work and talking through your stresses with your colleagues often helps to ease stress and serves to remind employees that they are not alone in their struggles. It can also provide the opportunity for work alliances to occur, whereby those with less work at a particular time can assist someone who is under more stress.

• Take breaks - as simple as it may sound, taking a proper break from work every few hours can do wonders in preventing high-levels of stress. Careful not to break up work with other work; get up from your desk, have a stretch and walk around.

• Let it go - accept that there are limitations to your abilities and to your business's capabilities. Do what you can do; don't waste too long fussing over what you can't. 

• Take care of your health - lack of exercise and a bad diet are big contributors to stress. Make sure you stay active and eat well; this will leave you better equipped to manage the pressures of work.

• Learn to say no - over-commitment is a very common reason for high-stress. Be realistic about what you can achieve and how long it will take you. Biting off more than you can chew will not help you or your business!

• Ask for help - do not hesitate to ask for assistance; this applies to assistance with work as well as assistance in coping with stress. Outside professionals can be enlisted to address the problem and introduce stress-management measures into your workplace.

For more tips on running a productive work place, see Ten most common mistakes made by SMEs >>