Workplace stress is on the rise, with more than half (52%) of all work-related ill health cases being caused by stress, depression or anxiety, up from 40% in 2014. HSE’s 2025 statistics revealed that over 9640,000 workers have reported suffering from work-related stress, depression and anxiety
No one is immune to stress in or out of the workplace stress, but some research has shown that demographics report higher rates of stress than others. For example, the most recent HSE data also shows that women aged 25-35 reported significantly higher rates of self-reported stress in the workplace.
Read on to learn more about stress, including ways to spot early signs in employees and advice for managers supporting their team when dealing with stress in the workplace.
Signs of stress at work
All too often, the first employers hear of stress is when their people reach breaking point and take time off to rest and recover.
By this point, the impact of stress has already reached the wider team, and colleagues will require increased support to protect their mental health. This is why managers must learn to recognise the early signs of stress at work, both for themselves and their team. If employees demonstrate signs of stress at work, it may be a sign to intervene or offer wellbeing support with the help of Westfield Health solutions.
Signs of stress at work to watch out for can include:
- Changes in working hours: The ONS revealed that UK employees work an average of 4.5 hours of overtime each week, which can be a key indicator of stress in the workplace. Changes in working patterns, or longer work hours, may indicate that an employee feels excessive pressure at work, which is impacting their ability to switch off at the end of the workday.
- Social withdrawal: If managers notice changes in employee social behaviours, this may indicate stress or burnout. For example, noticing employees retreating from team chats, avoiding social events, avoiding working in the office or pulling back from team collaboration in meetings.
- Indecisiveness or loss of confidence in skills: Stress at work can often make employees feel overwhelmed by their workload, which can come across as indecisiveness or insecurity as they try to prioritise conflicting responsibilities.
Ways of supporting employees dealing with stress in the workplace
While stress is inevitable in life, it must be carefully managed to allow people to perform at their best and avoid burnout. So how can employers support their people in stressful times?
1) Encourage an open culture where stress and mental health can be discussed.
Recent years have seen a real push to remove the stigma around mental health, but how does your company culture reflect this? Stress levels and workload management should be a regular point of discussion in employee 1:1s and catch-ups, and businesses should perform a stress risk assessment to ensure they’re prepared to take action when stress strikes.
2) Develop policies around work-life balance and flexible working options.
While flexible working is limited in some sectors, prioritising work-life balance is key to avoiding burnout. Develop guidance to encourage your people to stick to their working hours, switch off after work and take time out when needed.
3) Support employees to become resilient using 1:1 coaching or group webinars.
Help employees help themselves by offering regular training on stress and mental health. Our wellbeing webinars can build resilience in your team and help your people cope in moments of high pressure. Training and webinars are a great way to complement your wider stress management policy by offering practical advice for individuals.
4) Offer training for senior leaders and managers so they can lead by example.
Your leaders set the precedent for your company culture, so ensure your management team are proactive about managing their stress levels. If managers take regular breaks, respect their work-life balance and openly discuss their mental health, employees will feel empowered to do the same.
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