Employees are always at the verge of burnout, exhaustion, and stress. In highly stressful moments, it is the task of the manager to avert disasters. Here are the top five stressful situations that cause communication problems in the workplace, and how managers should act to avoid the imminent disaster:

1. Deadlines – The most stressful moment, in any kind of business, is the last few hours before the deadline. The whole team is practically running around on steroids, trying to get everything done. It is during these times that employees are generally on the verge of bursting, and communication problems in the workplace occur most. Tempers are high and everybody’s getting impatient.

During these stressful times, managers should be reminded of the famous British slogan during the war, “Keep calm, and carry on.” You should not be the first one to shout, panic, or stress. Even the slightest sign of pressure you show will be magnified twofold to your employees.

2. Presentation day – All reports are in, the slide presentations are ready, and everyone in the team is preparing to discuss the results of many sleepless nights. Presentation day is the peak of the stress scale, as everyone is dead tired. One more glitch will cause havoc and communication problems in the workplace.

During this time, you should be the ones to ensure that all things run smoothly. A little pep talk before the presentation could also go a long way. Even if you’re not the funny type, crack a joke or two when you sense that tension is brewing in your team.

3. Overtime – Whether they disclose it or not, employees hate staying for extra hours in the office to finish a task. Oftentimes, the stress brought about by staying late in their cubicles result to disastrous communication problems in the workplace. 

Employees would appreciate if managers stay during overtime and share the burden of extra hours in the office. This way, they would not feel exploited and underappreciated. If you can’t help it, leave a thoughtful note or something they could munch on while typing the night away.

4. Mondays – It is no secret that if the first day of the workweek starts bad, it would reverberate throughout the week. Usually, communication problems in the workplace occur during Mondays due to unfinished tasks the past week, missed phone calls, late appointments, and putting loads of tasks for employees first thing in the morning.

Start Mondays light. Good managers usually hold a staff meeting on Monday mornings to check on the status of employees – not just in their work, but in their personal lives too. 

5. Peak season – Every company has periods in the year when tasks come pouring in nonstop. During this period, deadlines overlap and overtime becomes a common occurrence. Communication problems in the workplace are common during this period, as everyone is too busy to mind what anyone is saying. 

It is your job to ensure that communication during peak season doesn’t break down. Communication problems in the workplace can easily be averted by updating everyone about the project in a serene and composed manner. This way, employees can at least relax and remain focused on their work.