How to manage workplace stress – tips from Talk Works

Work-related stress statistics in the UK

• Working days lost in the UK due to ill health and injury

According to the HSE, the estimated amount of working days lost due to workplace ill health between 2022 – 2023 was 35.2 million days.

• Average time off work due to anxiety and stress

HSE research found the majority of the days lost were due to stress, anxiety and depression, with the average person affected taking 19.6 days off work.

• The most common type of stress in the UK is work-related stress

A study carried out by Statista in 2020 uncovered that the most common type of stress experienced by Brits was work stress, with 79% saying they frequently felt stressed by work.

Top causes of stress at work

Stress affects all people differently – what affects one person may not affect another. However there are known common causes of stress at work. 

The Health and Safety Executive website outlines that there are six main areas that lead to work-related stress. These are: 

• Demands
  Example: A worker may say they cannot cope with the demands and timelines being made of them by their job.

• Control
  Example: A worker may feel they do not have control of their responsibilities or performance.

• Support
  Example: A worker feels they lack support when they face challenges or feel unheard by management.

• Relationships
  Example: A worker is struggling to establish relationships with fellow colleagues, or worse is experiencing bullying or discrimination.

• Role
  Example: A worker doesn’t have clarity on their role, or does not understand how their role provides value to an organisation.

• Change
  Example: A worker could become worried by a business undergoing a restructure or policy changes that affect them.

Burnout survey questions

Most common signs and symptoms of stress at work

The best approach to managing stress in the workplace is by talking to your teams regularly to understand how they feel and learn how to identify the signs of stress at work, so you can take positive action before it escalates. 

Work-related stress symptoms can come in many forms including emotional and behavioural changes. These are the most common as recognised by the NHS.

Emotional changes: 

• feeling withdrawn 
• loss of drive and motivation
• decrease in self confidence
• intense emotional reactions – for example, being more tearful, sensitive or aggressive 

Thoughts and feeling changes: 

• minimising successes due to focus on challenges
• making problems feel much bigger than they are
• jumping to conclusions and worst-case scenarios
• holding blame and responsibility for negative outcomes 

Behavioural changes: 

• procrastinating or avoiding certain tasks
• working longer hours/ through holidays
• taking extra time off work

How to manage stress in the workplace

• Policy: Start from the top with robust and meaningful policies that cover stress and mental health. Policies should include what you as a business intend to do to acknowledge, identify, and support employees who are struggling.
  

• Manager support: Have clear organisational structures and appoint line managers to care for and lead their teams. If your line managers can’t meet with everyone in their team individually on a weekly basis, that’s a clue that their team is too big, and they likely don’t have enough time or resource to support their team meaningfully. 

• Training: Train your line managers in identifying the common signs and symptoms of stress, burnout, and mental health, so they can spot stress early and take positive action when needed. 

• Referral pathways: Have a professional and established mental health partner to support your organisation and employees who are struggling, with a clear referral pathway.
  

• Shared experiences: Encourage leaders in the business to share their experiences of stress. If managers are portrayed as superhumans, you’re unlikely to see disclosures of stress at work (even when they exist). People always appreciate leaders who are relatable and authentic.

• Education: Help to educate the people in your workforce on healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms and tools. This involves eating well, getting enough sleep, brain health and physical activity.

• Engagement surveys: Anonymously survey your people annually (at the very least) to gather feedback about how they’re feeling. Surveys will help you identify stress pain points in the organisation and manage any changes collaboratively.

• Flexible working: Introduce flexible working arrangements and trust your team to be autonomous so that colleagues who are feeling stretched, know that they can turn the volume down on work demands when they need to.

• Listen: Finally, take the time to truly listen carefully when colleagues report stress. Respond with compassion, respond with care, and respond with resources.

About Talk Works

Talk Works have one mission in mind, and that’s to improve mental health today, for a better future tomorrow.

The Talk Works team collaborates alongside HR teams, occupational health and line managers nationwide to help employees work well, feel well and engage well at work.

If you’d like to find out more about their incredible work, visit their website https://talk-works.org.uk/