A crisis in the making?

It is understandable that in an era of irregular work life patterns and increasing demand, fuelled largely by economic uncertainty, stress has snowballed as an issue affecting millions of employees in the UK. Recent studies shed light on the alarming prevalence of work-related stress and its far-reaching consequences on both individuals and organisations.

According to a survey conducted by HR software provider Ciphr, more than two-thirds (70%) of UK employees identify at least one aspect of their work that contributes to their stress levels. Work ranks as the third biggest cause of stress for UK employees, trailing only behind lack of sleep and financial worries.

The average worker in the UK feels stressed for about 11 days a month—that’s more than a third of their working life. Even more concerning, one in nine employees report feeling stressed every single day.

The top work-related stressors identified by employees include work in general for 37% of respondents, workload pressures (35%), long or inflexible working hours (23%), bosses (21%), workplace culture (20%), colleagues (19%), commuting (19%) and job security concerns (17%).

Interestingly, despite the rise in remote and hybrid working since the pandemic, commuting remains a significant source of stress for a fifth of workers.

The study also reveals gender disparities in the impact of stress in the workplace with notable differences in how it affects men and women. While 39% of women were more likely to feel stressed by work in general, 35% of men felt the same. Women also reported higher stress levels related to workload (38% vs 31%). Meanwhile, men were slightly more affected by working hours than women (25% vs 22%) and commuting (21% vs 18%).

Overall, women appear to be more frequently affected by stress both in and outside of work. They are less likely to say they never feel stressed in a typical month (7% vs 12% for men) and more likely to report feeling stressed every single day (13% vs 8%).

While these results were gathered from a range of industries, some seem to be more prone to workplace stress than others. Hospitality topped the chart with 15.6 days of stress per month, while social care had an average of 13.1 days. Teaching and education, charity and voluntary work and property and construction all came in at 12.3 average days of stress in the month. In contrast, engineering and manufacturing employees report the lowest average stress levels at 7.3 days per month.

The impact of stress on mental health

The consequences of workplace stress extend beyond the office, affecting employees’ overall well-being and mental health, not to mention how this can impact and manifest in physical health.

A separate study by Claims.co.uk analysed Health and Safety Executive data, revealing that certain professions are particularly vulnerable to work-related mental health issues.

Unsurprisingly high stress professions such as policing, social work and nursing had the highest rates of work-related mental health issues, underscoring the need for targeted mental health support in high-stress professions.

The cost of workplace stress

The impact of stress extends beyond individual employees, affecting businesses and the economy as a whole. Stressed and unwell employees are more likely to take sick days, be less productive, and potentially leave their jobs, leading to increased turnover costs for employers.

Claire Williams, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr, emphasises the importance of employer action: "If 11% of your workforce – likely more – is stressed daily, then it is going to have a big impact on their home lives and their work lives. So, employers need to be mindful of the role they can play in helping to relieve an individual’s stress and anxiety."

Williams suggests several strategies for organisations to support their employees:

• Address concerns about workloads and working hours
• Cultivate a workplace culture that prioritises employee well-being
• Normalise discussions about stress and its causes
• Train managers to recognise signs of mental distress
• Ensure employees are aware of available support through health insurance plans and employee assistance programmes

With all signs pointing to an escalation of stress at work in the UK, it’s clear that concerted effect and a multi-faceted approach involving employers, employees, and policymakers is needed to tackle this issue while prioritising mental health and supportive work environments.