Managing Work Pressure in Corporates

Managing Work Pressure in Corporates: Anna Sebastian Perayil’s Story

In the tragic incident that was reported from Pune, a 26-year-old CA died of cardiac arrest triggered by extreme work pressure.

Anna Sebastian Perayil cleared her CA exams in November 2023 and joined EY Pune on March 19th, 2024. She suffered a cardiac arrest due to excessive workload. Her mother, Anita Augustine, broke her silence by writing a heartbreaking letter to EY, where she started working four months prior to her death.

The untimely death of Anna Sebastian Perayil gives an awakening call to all employers and employees all over the world to navigate this serious issue that leads to depression, cardiac arrest, and death.

No one must undergo what Anna Sebastian Perayil experienced; hence, there is a need for employers and employees to address this need for a safer and healthier work environment.

What exactly is work pressure in corporations?

Work pressure refers to the condition when an employee is overburdened with work; whether that work is urgent or not is another debate. Work pressure in corporations is a global problem, and many employees like Anna either died because of cardiac arrest or strokes or chose to end their lives.

Thus, how to cope with the work pressure in corporations is an urgent need for discussion. It does not point to a particular corporation, but it is still a problem that most countries are suffering from, and now is the appropriate time to think about how employers and employees of big and small businesses should manage the work pressure.

Managing Work Pressure in Corporates:

Managing work pressure is looked at as one of the most important skills in today’s fast-paced corporate environment. Regardless of whether one is climbing the career ladder or staying at the same post, the expectation of high performance with ultra-tight deadlines, coupled with heavy multitasking, can be pretty stressful. In the long run, such pressure is likely to badly affect not only personal well-being but also productivity at the workplace. Thus, proper management of work pressure healthily and effectively is important for success in a corporate environment.

5 Ways to Cope With Work Pressure:

1- Prioritize tasks according to urgency:

Not all tasks need to be done as soon as possible. Some can be done later. The work is never-ending. Thus, one needs to organize the tasks efficiently and must know what needs to be done urgently and what can be done later. There is no pride involved in taking extra work pressure and going beyond the way to meet all the ultra-tight deadlines. Employers should also ensure not to overwhelm employees with extra work pressure that will have nothing good come out of it for both the employee and the organization as a whole.

2- Setting realistic expectations:

Setting unrealistic expectations is one of the most common causes of work stress as it leads to extreme exhaustion, missed deadlines, and deadlines with rising fear of not being able to finish. 

Employees should discuss the project with their supervisor. Be flexible in knowing what can be done within a given period. Supervisors/managers also need to ensure that they set realistic deadlines for their subordinates and work as a team to ensure the successful completion of tasks along with the well-being of employees.

3- Proper Time Management.

A good approach to time management reduces the pressure that is often experienced in the corporation, by making sure that all the work done falls in sequence and that everything appears to be completed on time. Employees can divide their work into small intervals while taking a break in between to recharge and then go back to work with a fresh mind. This will not only keep the employees mentally and physically healthy but also motivate them and increase their productivity levels.

4-Establishing boundaries between work and private life.

With the increasing acceptance of working from home and constant connectivity, it is extremely easy to let work come into personal life and get exhausted. Clear boundaries need to be defined to have a healthy work-life balance. One should set work hours very clearly to determine when they can begin and end their work every day, organizing their tasks efficiently, meanwhile, employers should also give their subordinates much-needed space and time off. 

5- Seek Help if needed.

Work pressure can be tough, but there’s always something and someone who can help them manage pressure much better. Such as talking to the manager, a mentor, a human resource department, or a colleague. Whether employees are experiencing depression or anxiety or there is any sort of adverse effect on their physical health due to work, they must communicate. Organizations should also need to create a safer environment for their employees to speak up if they experience any kind of discomfort.

Explore more: Young Chartered accountant, Anna Sebastian Perayil only 26 years age working in EY.

In Conclusion: 

Managing work pressure in the corporation is one of the most fundamental things that can stabilize one’s psyche toward success at the workplace without suffering from burnout. Prioritizing work efficiently, determining realistic objectives and deadlines, and taking time off from work can work well in reducing stress effectively in dealing with corporate careers. Employees who know how to delegate, set boundaries, and seek support will become much stronger in handling pressure situations that might be required in the management of a work-life balance. Meanwhile, employers also have to be aware of the mental and physical health of their employees and ensure they are healthy. A safer and healthier work environment is an undertaking that can be created by both employees and the employer together.