<\/p>\n
This is a weekly work-life newsletter. Interested in more career-related content? <\/i>sign up<\/i> Receive it in your inbox.<\/i><\/p>\n
How is your stress level today?<\/p>\n
April is Stress Awareness Month in Canada, and for many workers, the timing is long overdue. Between looming deadlines, ongoing layoffs, and a growing sense that artificial intelligence tools are creating as much work as they save, the pressure is palpable.<\/p>\n
According to a recent survey of 2,000 professionals by book summary app company Headway, the most effective way to relieve stress is to sit just a few feet away or have a single Zoom call. <\/p>\n
Enter your best friend at work. Having one person makes meetings feel more forgiving, Slack messages feel more human, and the workday feels a little lighter. According to research from Headway, 42% of people say they have a close friend at work, and experts say these relationships are often overlooked but have a huge impact.<\/p>\n
“Stressful work environments are easier to endure when you know you have someone who has your back, empathizes, and relies on you, just like you do at work,” says Suzanne Deges-White, a certified counselor and relationship expert at Headway.<\/p>\n
That empathy, she says, is what makes workplace friendships unique. “In stressful situations, being able to shift your focus to joking or acknowledging your coworker’s position can prevent tensions from escalating,” she says.<\/p>\n
The need for such connections is increasing. Loneliness in the workplace is on the rise, with 45% of employees saying they feel “isolated or lonely” at least sometimes, almost double the 25% in November 2024, according to data from accounting firm KPMG. Remote workers feel it the most, with 67% reporting loneliness.<\/p>\n
Even one meaningful connection can make a difference, but building such relationships is not always easy. According to data from Headway, only 13% of close friendships start at work.<\/p>\n
“As we grow older, the dynamics of friendships change, especially in the workplace. As adults, we have more control over our time, which makes it harder to form and maintain friendships in general, not just with people at work,” Dr. Deges-White says.<\/p>\n
That’s why she recommends starting small. Repeated low-pressure interactions, simple chats before meetings, coffee breaks, and participation in workplace social gatherings can increase a sense of familiarity over time.<\/p>\n
Her rule of thumb is simple. The more you interact, the more comfortable you will become.<\/p>\n
These relationships are also important for employers, as they can directly impact retention and engagement. The same Headway study found that 58% of employees stay in their jobs because of the talent, not the role itself. Meanwhile, 66% said they would consider following a work friend to a new company.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon’t overdesign,\u201d Dr. Deges-White advises organizations looking to create space for these friendships. Creating opportunities for organic connections, such as internal mentorship programs, interest-based groups, or even the company’s recreational sports teams, can go a long way.<\/p>\n
Workplace stress doesn’t go away at 5pm, but so do the benefits of strong relationships.<\/p>\n
“What happens at work can affect the rest of our lives, so working with people we care about and who care about us can have a positive impact on us, even outside of work hours,” says Dr. Deges-White.<\/p>\n
41 percent<\/p>\n
A new study from human resources firm INTOO and Harris Poll shows that more employees fear being fired if they make a mistake on the job.<\/p>\n
read more<\/p>\n
An employee is interviewing for the same job he missed a year ago and is wondering how to approach the situation. <\/p>\n
Experts say it’s common for high-quality applicants to reapply for a role, and if you’re invited back for an interview, you should assume positive intentions and assume the hiring manager is aware you applied previously. It’s okay to use the same examples you used in your last interview, but be sure to show how you’ve grown. If it comes to you naturally, frame your reapplication in a positive way that shows you’re genuinely interested. <\/p>\n
read more<\/p>\n
\u201cMentioning AI makes for better blog posts,\u201d says technology investor Terrence Lohan. \u201cAt least you won\u2019t look like a bad guy who just wants to cut staff for cost efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tech giants such as Amazon, Meta and Block are carrying out mass layoffs, which are increasingly being attributed to advances in AI, arguing that the technology allows them to do more work with fewer employees. But experts also point out that while the productivity gains from AI are real, executives are using talk of AI as a more convenient cover for cutting costs.<\/p>\n
read more<\/p>\n
More than a quarter of Canadian workers and job seekers are downplaying their work history as part of a trend dubbed “resume Botox,” new data shows. This includes cutting back on previous roles, removing graduation dates, and reducing senior experience on your resume, LinkedIn profile, or interview. This can make you look older or overqualified on your resume, LinkedIn profile, or interview. <\/p>\n
read more<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
#feeling #stressed #friends #work<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This is a weekly work-life newsletter. Interested in more career-related content? sign up Receive it in your inbox. How is your stress level today? April is Stress Awareness Month in Canada, and for many workers, the timing is long overdue. Between looming deadlines, ongoing layoffs, and a growing sense that artificial intelligence tools are creating … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":628,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,3],"tags":[2385,2388,2387,2381,498,2390,2382,2389,2380,792,2293,2386,315,2383,2384],"class_list":["post-627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","category-mental-health","tag-career-advice","tag-career-gloves-and-mail","tag-career-leadership","tag-career-newsletter","tag-feeling","tag-friends","tag-future-of-work","tag-globe-and-mail-magazine","tag-newsletter","tag-noah-stack","tag-stressed","tag-thought-leadership","tag-work","tag-workplace-culture","tag-your-life-at-work"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/golliza.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/golliza.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/golliza.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/golliza.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/golliza.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=627"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/golliza.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/627\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/golliza.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/golliza.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/golliza.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/golliza.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}