#Wellbeing Week: Let's tackle pressure

For an industry that needs brilliant people, we have a bad habit of chewing up talent! Industry-leading research recently found that 90% of PR professionals reported experiencing mental health issues with most reporting this to be due to workload pressure or stress. This week being #WellbeingWeek is a chance to pause and reflect on what wellbeing means to us; especially against the backdrop of this jaw-dropping insight!

While pressure can inspire us to do great things, too much bad pressure for too long can destroy our most valuable assets. Our people. Our culture. And our ability to succeed.

For some this word induces thoughts of stress and anxiety. For others it’s exciting, motivating or encouraging. But for most it likely brings up mixed emotions and feelings.

The relationship you have with pressure is as unique as your fingerprint. How you react to it is based on your own genetics and life experiences. But it’s not confined to the individual.

Pressure can be contagious moving person-to-person through speech or text, or even with a look or a stare. It may be implied or inferred and can travel through a business in no time affecting multiple individuals or whole teams. With lasting effects on the culture and reputation of the organisation.

Think of the last time you got an email from your boss or a colleague and the tone felt immediate or stern. Did you feel the pressure or was it motivating?

If you’re anything like me, you have a love/hate relationship with pressure. The idea of a deadline challenges you to deliver but can also make you feel overwhelmed.

Pressure in communications teams

Communications teams are among the most affected by pressure due to unpredictable workload, peaks and troughs and the many team changes. There’s constant flux between too much and too little going on, making it for an often highly-stressful working environment.

Paul Phillips, member of the foxandcat.online network and trainer on ‘managing pressure and building resilience’, says:

There’s a tipping point where good stress turns to bad stress and the pressure you’ve been able to successfully thrive on and embrace suddenly generates anxiety. To some extent that tipping point depends on the environment and culture of the company you work in, but it also depends on how you process your thoughts, how you organise yourself and aspects of your lifestyle.

The #HeardMentality campaign, which fox&cat supported the implementation of back in 2021, ran again this year. It revealed that less than 10% take advantage of what their companies are providing them with. Of the 10% who did, 75% had a positive experience.

When we reach out for help - it helps! And I can speak volumes in this capacity, I was one of the lucky ones because my previous employer understood mental health.

Too much or too little: it’s all pressure

In comms you work blooming hard! There’s often loads coming at you all at once and too many decisions to make by, err… yesterday. It’s easy to become overwhelmed or stressed. Your work may suffer and you’re probably less able to cope with life altogether.

On the other hand you might have very little (or no) pressure at times which can seem truly blissful. For a while it can be good – a bit of downtime, chance to do some admin, time for a holiday perhaps.

But if you don’t manage the troughs it can lead to uncertainty and boredom. And forget the peaks and your staff will jump ship. The best place to be is somewhere in the middle where you wake up each day feeling motivated, with a team who also feel that way. And your workload is pushing you forward at an achievable rate.

Problem: in comms sticking to that middle ground for any great length of time isn’t realistic.

The answer? Read on…

How you can manage pressure in your team

First, recognise it’s possible! Then think what’s causing pressure in your team. We believe there are four main factors:

• Inability to deliver the work you have (or to get work in the first place)
• Lack of training that helps individuals, teams and agencies develop
• Leadership that doesn’t address, understand or acknowledge pressure
• A culture that isn’t ripe for change (we call it wellbeing)

If you can take time to consider your situation holistically and mindfully, you’ll be able to develop a long-term strategy that works.

Perhaps you’ve heard the fable of the fox and cat? When faced with many challenges (high pressure) the fox came to a gruesome end because he couldn’t decide what to do for the best. But the cat, with only one option, easily chose her solution.

Objectivity is key. So consider finding a comms agency who’s experienced, professional and understands pressure to help support and guide you.

Lastly, it takes a combination of people to create lasting change: HR, client service teams, line managers etc. So it’s good to get everyone on board.

The time for action is now

Mental health is an issue in the comms sector. Particularly in health comms where we aim to make a positive difference to other people’s wellbeing through the campaigns and client work we service. But to be effective, we need to keep mentally and physically healthy too.

It takes courage to admit something’s wrong and commitment to overcome whatever challenges you face. But there’s plenty of support out there…

The HCA, CIPR and PRCA have useful information around mental health and available services. You can also find lots of information at Mental Health First Aid England or Mental Health at Work. And at fox&cat we’re only too happy to have a chat.

If you’re ever concerned about your mental health please do talk to someone. It’s time for action.

About fox&cat: www.foxandcat.online

Fox&cat is a mould-breaking agency which launched in March 2021 with a clear mission: to help communications teams thrive under pressure.

We help all kinds of teams to fight all kinds of fires. So, whether you are part of an in-house team or an agency, we can step in to support you. We use our leadership experience alongside the help of communications experts to help you remedy the issues holding you back.

Our solutions stem from four strategic workstreams: client servicing, training, leadership support, and wellbeing.

Fox&cat is an active member of the PRCA and CIPR. We also have presence throughout the pharma & life sciences sector through our PM Hub.

Contact: info@foxandcat.online

References available upon request.