Provide all the necessary training and supervision so that all employees are on board. Unresolved personal conflicts among staff. You cannot resolve these for your employees, but if such conflicts are impeding office productivity and collaboration, openly acknowledge the problem and urge them to find a way to work with each other enough to get the job done. Consider a referral to the Employee Assistance Program for free and confidential conflict mediation. The staff in my department work very hard and often there is a lot of stress.
Workplace stress is a very real and vexing problem.
In general, a combination of high demands and low control over those demands can lead to stress. Left unchecked, high levels of workplace stress tend to erode staff morale and stifle creativity and productivity. The department chair, by virtue of position and authority, is the best person to address the issue of workplace stress, and to initiate key changes in work practices to reduce stress. Since the causes of workplace stress vary, so do the strategies to reduce or prevent it. Examples of each stressor and possible solutions are below.