How can I reduce stress for my team?

Before we talk about ways to lower stress, we want to make sure you know what this document cannot do. It is not the same as getting counseling or help right away. For example, if a staff member is very stressed and needs stronger help, or if they do not have enough food, you should call your local 211 line right away. These lines are available all over Texas. They can help you find emergency services and professional help that may be needed in serious situations. The ideas here are ways to lower stress. But, they do not replace the need for more professional help at times.

Child care is a rewarding field, but also one that normally comes with stress. But in the pandemic, we need to recognize that there's even greater stress put upon child care staff and owners. These stressors manifest themselves in behavior you can see in your staff. According to the Centers for Disease Control here are some warning signs that you should watch out for: 

• Display irritation, anger, or denial that they're even upset.
• Appear uncertain, anxious, or nervous.
• Express feeling tired, overwhelmed, that they aren’t motivated.
• Communicate that they are “burnt out”.
• Reports of trouble with sleeping or focusing.
• Appear sad or depressed. 

It's important to know that many of these signs can come on slowly over time. A given staff member may seem a little sad one day, but the rest of the week be fine, and then over time it's two days, then three days, and then before you know it, every day. It’s important to watch for these signs, not only at one point in time, but how they may change and grow as the pandemic continues. 

What can I do to alleviate stress for myself and my employees? 

Ask yourself these 4 questions: 

• Do I check in with my staff enough?
• Are there changes I can make during the workday?
• What incentives and rewards can I provide?
• Can I encourage staff to enjoy time outside of work? 

Checking in with staff 

 One of the best ways to start reducing stress among your staff is to talk more. Talk more with your staff members, but also encourage them to talk with each other. Some of the important questions you may want to answer are: 

• Are they showing signs of stress?
• How acute are those signs?
• Are there ways that you can start offering them suggestions on reducing stress? 

We’ll share more about ways to reduce stress later in this document. But as a starting point, even in these conversations, showing that you care and that you're concerned becomes a valuable way to start improving the situation for your employees. Ask them: 

• How they’re feeling and doing
• What is causing the greatest stress for them in their day
• How to mitigate the challenges causing stress
• If they have ideas about how to reduce stress  

Prioritizing supportive connections both in and outside of the workplace is also a way to help your staff stay positive. 

• Encourage staff to talk with each other and uplift their peers. For example, you can go to one of your employees and say: "Louisa is having a hard day today. Can you take a few minutes to say hello to her? Tell her how much you appreciate the work she does for the children." This simple act shows the employee that people are listening, that they care, and that they are there for them during these challenges.
• Encourage communication beyond the workplace.  It is helpful to tell your staff to stay in touch with their family and friends. Remind them that when they are not working, these talks and connections can really help lower their stress. They can also help them deal with the effects the pandemic is having on their mental health. 

There are also ways to help mitigate stress during the workday that do not take a huge amount of time or effort but can have such a positive impact on staff's outlook. 

• Set regular schedules.  Making sure teachers have regular schedules is important for their workday. It also helps lower stress. This lets them plan their lives around their work. If you can, try to make their schedule the same as it was before the pandemic. This helps them feel normal and have structure. This can help them get through this difficult time.
• Take breaks. You can also tell staff members to use their break time. It can be hard to do this when you do not have enough staff. But, taking a break to stretch, walk outside, and get fresh air can really help lower stress.
• Build in Group Relaxation. Also, in the workplace, you can find times for small groups or the whole team to get together before, after, or during the workday. You can do group activities, like quick yoga, exercise, or a short meditation. These activities do not mean you have to hire someone from outside. You can use a free YouTube video to do yoga. Or, you can use a cheap phone app like Headspace or Calm to guide your team through a 10- or 15-minute meditation to help them relax.
• Use Paid Time Off. You can also encourage your team to take paid time off. Again, this is particularly difficult when so many child care businesses are understaffed, but this time away from work is also crucial for keeping their time at work most effective and healthy. 

Usually, child care providers do not make a lot of money. It has become even harder to make money during the pandemic. So, it is often hard to give extra money or rewards. But, it is important to remember these two things when it comes to rewards that can help motivate your staff.

• Simple, Cost-Effective Gestures.  Many of these rewards do not need to be big or cost a lot. It can be a monthly or weekly pizza party during the week. Or, you can give DoorDash gift cards once a week or month to your employees. This way, they do not have to cook at home for their family. They can take a few extra minutes to relax after the day.
• Opportunities to Learn. Through the Texas AEYC Teach program, www.texasaeyc.org/programs/teach, your staff can get money and help to get more education. This can help them feel good about themselves in their career. These rewards can really help the person's self-esteem and morale.

It is also important to remember that there is more money coming into the child care system. This money is from the Child Care Relief Fund from TWC. This money can be used to give rewards. In another document, we talk about how you can give temporary pay raises or bonuses. This shows that you really appreciate the extra effort your staff is making during this time.

This extra money can also be used for substitutes or temporary staff. This can give your staff mental health days on a rotating schedule. Or, it can pay for your fees when you close an extra day. This day off is not vacation or sick leave. It is just a day for staff to relax and get back on track during this hard time.

It can also benefit your staff to know, and have reinforced ways, that they could use their time outside of work most productively. 

• Suggest Breaks from the News.The CDC and other sources have shown that hearing, reading, and watching the news a lot can make your staff feel worse. The news on TV or social media is often very sad about the pandemic.
• Emphasize Consistent Home Schedules. You can also tell them to make a schedule at home, like we talked about for the workday. This schedule should be regular and include time with family. It should also have time outdoors, if possible, to get fresh air and see nature. This has been shown to lower stress.
• Continue Hobbies or Other Activities. Tell staff to keep doing their hobbies or other things they liked to do before the pandemic. These things can help them relieve stress. For these schedules, just like the ones at work, we suggest that they try to make them as normal as possible. They should try to make them like they were before the pandemic. This helps make sure there is still some sense of what was normal and typical before the pandemic, every day and every week.

It is important to remember that everyone feels stress. You, your staff, the families you help, and even the children all feel stress. It is also important to know that stress is even harder on people who already have mental health problems. When you look at your staff and your own actions, notice signs that are more than just typical stress. If you see any signs, it means they need stronger help. If you see this need, you should call 211. They can connect you with the professional help that is needed.

Disclaimer

The information contained here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal, tax, or financial advice.