How Digital Signage Can Play a Role in Reducing Workplace Stress

There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about work-life balance. Employees have made it clear that they feel overworked and overstressed and lack quality time with family and friends. The work-from-home models that arose from the pandemic gave them a flavor of what better work-life balance might look like.

Clearly, however, there’s a long way to go. A recent Harris Poll survey found that 78 percent of workers don’t use all the paid time off their employers allow. The primary reason is a workplace culture that pressures them to be always available and responsive. Even those who take time off say they struggle to “fully disconnect.” Two-thirds spend their time off dreading the backlog of work they’ll face when they return. Almost half feel guilty about taking time off.

This culture is creating significant levels of stress. The 2023 Work in America Survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 77 percent of workers experienced work-related stress in the last month. Another 57 percent are feeling the effects of burnout, including emotional exhaustion, lack of motivation and a desire to quit.

Using Effective Communication for Cultural Change

Changing culture requires effective communication, and many organizations are using digital signage to promote employee well-being. With digital signage, organizations can deliver consistent yet relevant content to employees regardless of location.

Traditional digital signage enables one-way communication through text, images, animations and videos. Organizations can display motivational messaging in the form of encouragement, gratitude and other positive affirmations. This positive messaging can help boost morale and optimism and create a more supportive atmosphere. Even soothing images of nature can help reduce stress. Organizations can also use digital signage to disseminate wellness information. This content might include stress-management tips and self-care practices, as well as information about support services covered by the company medical plan.

Most importantly, digital signage can foster a sense of community, belonging and appreciation. By highlighting employee accomplishments, contributions and work anniversaries, organizations can create a more positive culture. Digital signage can also encourage camaraderie through team-building messages.

Maximizing the Value of Digital Signage for Internal Communication

Digital signage with interactive features and feedback mechanisms further increases engagement and allows organizations to gain greater insight into employee sentiment. In the APA study, 55 percent of workers said their employers think the workplace has a better mental health environment than it actually does. Through polls, quizzes and other interactive tools, organizations can collect valuable data that helps them better understand mental health challenges and finetune wellness programs.

By integrating digital signage with wellness programs, organizations can ensure that digital signage messaging aligns with a broader communication strategy. It also enables human resources, employee committees and other stakeholders to have input into the content delivered to the displays.

As with any digital signage initiative, content should be relevant, timely and engaging. Organizations should update content regularly and use a mix of messaging types to cater to different interests. Displays should be placed strategically in high-traffic areas to maximize impact while taking ambient noise and other distractions into account.

How SageNet Can Help

SageVIEW Inspire is SageNet’s digital signage ecosystem for internal messaging. Our experts will consult with you to determine your objectives, then deliver an end-to-end solution with displays, software and more. We will help you integrate digital signage with your business systems and social media and leverage live streaming and video on demand to provide real-time, real-life updates. The result is a highly engaging communications platform that reduces workplace stress while inspiring your employees to improve performance.