Stress is a used, misused, abused and overused word in our daily conversation. But what is stress, clinically speaking?

Dr. Hans Selye, the father of stress management research, said “Stress is the wear and tear on your body caused by life’s events.” He believed the most frequent causes of stress are an inability to adapt and not having an established code of behavior to guide our actions. Translation: If we can’t change, we need to understand when enough is enough.

Because April is stress awareness month, now is a perfect time to discuss how stress affects us. Hundreds of experiences in life cause stress, both good stress (eustress) and negative stress (distress). Our bodies are designed to meet these stressors, but each person must determine the right balance necessary to function at an optimum level.

Stress is frequently caused by time pressure -- you don’t have enough minutes in the day to do everything you want and need to accomplish.

Stress takes a toll on everyone in the workplace, young and old alike. That’s the finding of a study on U.K. workers, reported on the HeartMath website. Of survey participants 30 and younger, three-fourths reported taking at least one sick day during the previous 12 months, although fewer than half of workers 55 and older did the same. One possible reason: 86 percent of the younger group reported feeling stress at work, compared to 66 percent of older employees.

Dr. Paul J. Rosch, Chairman of the Board of The American Institute of Stress, said, “In most incidences, it’s not the individual or the job that causes burnout; rather, burnout is the result of a mismatch between the personality or the goals of the worker and the job description or the expectations of the workplace.”

It’s up to managers to keep stress among workers as low as possible. First, evaluate the stress level of your workplace or department. Then draw up workable solutions.

Hold group discussions. Meet with employees to gauge their perceptions about their jobs and the level of stress they experience. If that is not a good option, conduct a formal written survey. To eliminate any reluctance that employees may feel in discussing the stress level of their environment, make it anonymous. Ask about employee perceptions of their job conditions, perceived levels of stress, health and satisfaction. And then implement solutions that will benefit employees, which in turn will benefit your company.

When it feels like everything is going wrong, try and remember all the things that are going right. Stopping to smell the roses can be a healthy way of getting through those tough moments. Encourage employees to participate in problem-solving. Follow Dr. Selye’s suggestion to let them adapt and establish a code of behavior that guides their actions toward a healthy outcome.

Relax your standards. The constant struggle for perfection is not a bad goal, it’s just unrealistic. I’m not encouraging sloppiness or poor service, but instead accepting that failure is not fatal. When employees understand that mistakes are not the kiss of death, their stress levels decrease.

Finally, do something for someone else. It’s a powerful way to feel good and reduce stress. Stepping away from your own concerns to help someone else solve a problem or improve his or her situation can help you see the many positives in your own life. You get extra credit if you can involve employees -- perhaps on a workday so that you don’t impose on their personal time.

Most employees believe workers have more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor, and health care expenditures are nearly 50 percent greater for workers who report high levels of stress.

The results of a study by the American Psychological Association showed that most participants believed stress can make people sick. In fact, 77 percent of respondents said they had experienced fatigue, headaches and upset stomach as a result of stress. Even more serious side effects are heart attacks, ulcers, substance abuse and, sadly, suicide. But only 7 percent sought professional help to cope with their stress in the past year.

I cannot stress strongly enough the importance of keeping your workplace healthy and safe, both physically and mentally. It’s good for you, your employees and your business. Everyone wins.

Mackay’s Moral: Don’t let stress get the best of you, let it bring out your best.

Employee retention is a hot business topic today. No longer do people stay at the same company for 25 years and collect the gold watch like in years past.

In fact, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, the average worker will have 12 jobs from age 18 to 48. It's a shocking statistic. That alone should tell managers that all the time they put into hiring, training and promoting may just be preparation for the employee’s next job -- and chances are it will be somewhere else.

Employees have more bargaining power than ever before. Unemployment is relatively low, and social media makes a company’s employee retention information public knowledge.

Factor in that a recent Gallup Poll shows that only 31 percent of employees are engaged at work, 51 percent are disengaged and 17.5 percent are actively disengaged. Translation: Less than one-third of employees are excited about their jobs. Glassdoor, a website where employees and former employees anonymously review companies and their management, says that the average employee gives their company a C plus (3.1 out of 5) when asked whether they would recommend their company to a friend. In other words, companies need to do a better job retaining their valuable employees.

Then there is the collateral damage. Customers have an uncanny talent for picking up on dissatisfaction, and that can damage the bottom line. Can your company afford that?

Why do people leave companies in the first place? There are many reasons -- changes in benefits, bosses and job responsibilities, difficult co-workers, unethical practices, poor leadership, lack of challenges and many more.

I happen to believe that employees leave managers; they don’t leave companies.

Taking action when your employees are seriously dissatisfied with your organization’s policies or decisions is a test of your leadership. A face-to-face discussion about grievances can clear the air, but you’ve got to be careful to prevent it from turning into an explosive gripe session. A productive meeting needs careful planning, so consider these suggestions:

-- Prepare to hear some painful conversation. Be ready to listen without becoming defensive or arguing back.

-- Limit the size. A group of 10-15 employees is large enough so people don’t feel exposed and singled out, but still small enough so everyone can participate.

-- Assure privacy. Meet in a conference room where you won’t be overheard -- not the lunchroom or break area where other employees might wander in and out.

-- Ask for input. State the problem as you’ve heard it and ask for everyone’s opinions and feedback. Promise that you won’t punish anyone for speaking out, and stick to your word. Ask participants to prioritize a list of concerns so that the most important issues can be addressed first.

-- Respond honestly. Address each complaint. If you believe any issues are invalid, explain why, but be willing to listen to other points of view. Specify what you will do in response to the valid complaints.

-- Follow up promptly. If you can’t resolve a problem immediately, promise that you will respond in a short, specific time.

-- Thank the group. Express your sincere appreciation for their courage and honesty in bringing each issue to your attention. Re-emphasize your mutual goal of working together productively and efficiently so employees know you value their opinions.

That’s a good start, but keeping good employees is a long-term proposition.

Retention depends on more than bonuses and rewards. The best strategies engage employees on the job with equitable and generous compensation and benefits. Reliable, long-term retention depends on actions that managers should be practicing every day.

Coach employees on how to influence, motivate and persuade people. They’ll be able to accomplish more, which will lead to greater job satisfaction, if they can motivate others.

Help them develop their leadership skills. When employees see a path to advancement, they won’t have to look elsewhere for better opportunities. Providing opportunities for leadership shows they can have a future with your organization.

Give constant and immediate feedback. Tell employees what they’re doing right, and how they can improve. They’ll see that you’re paying attention and are committed to their success.

Encourage workers to suggest ideas and innovations, and take them seriously when they follow up. Show that you value their experience and skills.

Recognize their contributions. Praise employees for their efforts, share credit as widely as possible and give their achievements the attention they deserve.

Mackay’s Moral: Solving employee turnover is easier when they own a piece of the pie.

No matter what business you think you are in, you are in the people business. And the more people like you, the better and easier life becomes.

It’s that simple. Likability can get you where you want to go -- whether it’s a promotion at work, election to a political office or building a wonderful circle of friends -- it applies to nearly every facet of life.

Likability is crucial in the sales game because people buy from people they like. People like people who are genuine, pleasant, sincere, easy to talk with and friendly.

You can’t please everyone, as the saying goes, but you’ll do better on the job and in your life by being likable. Since most of us spend more than a third of our lives at work, it’s important to be likable, which will allow us to be more successful.

“Likability is a skill -- something we all universally can work on getting better at,” wrote Rohit Bhargava in his book, “Likeonomics: The Unexpected Truth Behind Earning Trust, Influencing Behavior and Inspiring Action.”

Bhargava focuses on five main principles for businesses to be liked, and he uses the acronym TRUST: Truth, Relevance, Unselfishness, Simplicity and Timing.

Don’t confuse likability with niceness. Nice people will try to make you feel better and protect your feelings, but likable people tell the truth. A perfect example is Steve Jobs, a well-known tough-love truth-teller. He was blunt and transparent, which instilled trust among those who worked with him. And the people closest to him were passionately devoted to him because they knew he would be straight with them.

That holds true for co-workers and customers alike. Your customers have easy access to plenty of information about you, your products and services, comparative pricing and your reputation. Trust is fundamental to being likable.

Simplicity is critical to developing likability. Using plain language helps your message to be understood. Big words might sound impressive, but if they leave your audience wondering if they know what you were talking about ... well, there’s not much to like about that.

When co-workers and friends enjoy your conversation and companionship, they’ll be more eager to help you achieve your professional and personal goals. You can boost your overall “likability” by focusing on these areas:

-- Listen to people. No one likes to be ignored. Pay attention when friends and co-workers are talking to show that you are interested in what they have to say. When you recognize and acknowledge other people’s feelings, you are letting them know that you care about them.

-- Give compliments. Tell people when you like something they’ve done. Honest praise and appreciation are music to everyone’s ears. Even a simple “Good morning” can do wonders.

-- Take an interest in your co-workers’ and customers’ lives. I always try to find out what drives people -- family, hobbies, vacations, goals and so on. You can’t talk business all the time. You might be amazed by the fascinating ways they spend their time.

-- Participate in work-related activities. Even though you’ve already spent 40 hours or more at work, make an appearance at after-work activities or weekend events when possible. Getting to know your co-workers away from the office often enhances relationships at work.

-- Use people’s names. We all like the sound of our own name. Use names often to show that you know and value the person you’re talking to.

-- Ask for help. Most people want to help, and if you ask politely, they’ll enjoy knowing that you respect their talents. By the same token, always help others when they ask you for assistance.

-- Admit your weaknesses and mistakes. Don’t be afraid to show some vulnerability. No one’s perfect, and pretending to be will usually alienate people. Honesty is not only the best policy, it’s likability insurance. People respect those who aren’t afraid to acknowledge their limitations.

-- Share your passions. Passion can be contagious. Friends and co-workers will respond to your goals if you express them sincerely and enthusiastically. You might discover that others have similar dreams.

-- Show a sense of humor. You don’t have to try to be a stand-up comedian, but be willing to laugh at yourself and your mistakes.

And if you need a little boost after you put all those strategies to the test, here’s one last idea that I’ve heard works wonders: Clean out the office refrigerator! You will immediately move up the likability scale!

Mackay’s Moral: Improve your likability, improve your life.