Dec. 26, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA) Dakotas.

For Steve Vlk, the key to dealing with stress while building a successful organization is to find balance. As CEO of the Marsh McLennan Agency Dakotas offices, Vlk sees the effects of stress on himself, his leadership team and his colleagues.

Years ago, working with a high level of stress resulted in a serious health issue for Vlk. The incident was a wake-up call that helped him become aware of his triggers and more disciplined about carving out time daily to relieve stress.

As the CEO for MMA’s Sioux Falls and Fargo offices, Steve Vlk oversees a team of more than 180 employees for nearly 7,000 clients in business insurance, employee health and benefits, and private client services. Vlk’s greatest passion is developing the talent and culture of MMA because he believes what an organization does for its team reflects on what the organization does for its clients.

When he feels overwhelmed by a problem or needs to disengage from a situation, he often takes a walk around the office to connect with colleagues. “Talking to somebody, asking what their world is about, takes my mind completely out of the stressor,” he said.

Today, Vlk is disciplined about disengaging, striving to unplug when he’s away from work and choosing to live a more balanced life. And this commitment serves as an example to others in the organization.

In the 2022 Executive Stress Study, MMA collected input from business leaders about how stress affects them and their employees. The results were not surprising, but they paint a meaningful picture:

• One-third work more than 50 hours a week.
• 49 percent say stress impacts personal and family life.
• 40 percent say they have health issues as a result of stress.
• Ability to take time off and detach from work ranked lowest in satisfaction.
• Nine out of 10 are stressed about recruiting and retaining talent.
• 88 percent said workplace morale contributed to their stress level.

For Vlk, an important aspect of dealing with stress and other pressures is creating a culture that reflects the company’s values.

“I think about our culture more than I think about our business,” he said. “Eighty percent of our business is doing what we say we can do for others. If we do that right, we are energized to do our best for our clients.”

He adds that many conversations with the company’s leadership team are focused on retention and supporting employees. “If we grow our talent as passionately as we work to grow our business, we will be successful.”

Vlk strives to create a culture that is reflective of the organization’s values. He calls his leadership style “followership,” a concept based on the idea that leaders work side by side with their teams to accomplish goals in a way that is meaningful and fun.

He adds that followership is about being transparent, vulnerable and passionate about who you are and what you’re doing. It also requires being willing to make mistakes and learn from them and understanding people are human beings who have lives outside of work.

When team members come to him in times of stress, Vlk strives to help them find balance between work responsibilities and life priorities. He reminds them they aren’t alone and asks what he personally can take off their plate to help.

“I think the biggest thing is helping them understand that what we do is meaningful, but it is also something we will give them grace on. They feel pressures, and they are working toward perfectionism, but they’re human,” he said.

“At the end of the day it’s just listening and showing them you really care.”

Looking for resources to help you and your employees?

• MMA Executive Stress Study: Take the survey for yourself. Access MMA’s Dimensions of Well-Being playbooks and other solutions.
• Stress and your company culture: Read more about creating a people-oriented culture.
• “The Growth Collective” podcast: A Cure for the Common Company: Susan Morgan Bailey, MMA’s culture and well-being practice leader, talks with Dr. Richard Safeer about creating a culture of well-being.