Stress at work can have a very detrimental impact on workplace productivity, team cohesion, and staff mental health. Work related stress can reduce company profitability, and impact on employee health and wellbeing. Understanding the causes of stress at work is a pivotal part of addressing them.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 16.4 million working days were lost in 2023/24 due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety, accounting for over half of all working days lost to ill health.
This is much more than an issue of productivity or profit, however. Employers have a duty of care to employees who are suffering work related stress. If they fail to support them, it may lead to legal action and compensation claims being lodged.
Whether you’re an employee who is feeling the strain, or an employer looking to create a healthier workplace – the vital first step is understanding what work related stress is, and what the causes are.
What Is Work Related Stress?
Work related stress happens when you feel overwhelmed by the pressures or demands of your job. It’s not always caused by a single event, it’s often a build-up of stressors over time. While some pressure is normal, stress becomes a problem when it starts affecting your health or your ability to do your job.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines it as:-
“The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work.”
In other words, if you feel mentally or physically drained because of your workload, treatment at work, or the work environment, that could be stress – and your employer has a legal responsibility to deal with it.
Stress is, unfortunately, a common workplace experience. Priory Group research found that in 2025, 74% of adults reported that in the last year they had experienced stress at work intense enough to leave them feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope.
10 Most Common Causes of Stress at Work
Workplace stress isn’t caused by one single factor. It’s often the result of overlapping pressures, poor organisational culture, and communication breakdowns.
1. Toxic Workplace Culture
A toxic environment marked by drama, dysfunction, gossip, or micromanagement can severely affect employee wellbeing. Even remote work doesn’t shield staff from poor leadership or disrespectful behaviour. A toxic culture erodes morale, increases turnover, and creates chronic stress.
2. Demanding Roles or Managers
High expectations are one thing, but constant overloading and unreasonable demands from management can push even engaged employees toward burnout. A lack of empathy, unrealistic deadlines, micromanagement, and failure to acknowledge stress all add to the pressure.
3. Bullying and Harassment
Workplace bullying affects nearly one in three employees in the UK, according to TUC research in 2015 which found Nearly a third (29%) of people have been bullied at work, and 72% of those cases involved a manager. Bullying in the workplace is a major source of long term stress and anxiety, especially when the behaviour comes from someone in a position of power.
4. Poor Communication
When instructions are vague, feedback is inconsistent, or communication between departments breaks down, confusion and stress follow. Employees who are left in the dark are more likely to feel insecure and anxious.
5. Difficult Relationships at Work
We don’t get to choose our colleagues. Conflict between co-workers, gossip, or interpersonal tension can make work feel like a daily struggle. Managers must be alert to these dynamics and intervene early.
6. Constant Change
Organisational change, whether it’s new software, new leadership, or office relocations, is one of the most consistent sources of workplace stress. If handled poorly, it can lead to fear, insecurity, and reduced morale.
7. Lack of Development or Progression
Jobs that offer no opportunity to learn, grow, or move forward can feel demoralising. Lack of recognition or blocked career paths undermines confidence and motivation, which leads to disengagement and stress.
8. Poor Working Conditions
The physical environment matters. Inadequate lighting, uncomfortable chairs, noise, or poor air quality can all contribute to physical and mental strain. These issues are often overlooked but have a serious impact over time.
9. Job Insecurity and Financial Concerns
Economic uncertainty and unstable contracts make many workers fear for their income. This financial stress doesn’t stop at the end of the working day. It affects sleep, relationships, and long-term mental health.
10. Poor Work-Life Balance
Remote working has blurred the lines between home and job. Many employees now feel pressured to always be available. Long hours and unrealistic expectations make it difficult to rest, recover, or maintain healthy boundaries.
Many workers feel they can’t speak up about these issues, especially if they’re worried about job loss or being labelled “difficult”. But stress is a recognised workplace hazard, not just a personal weakness.
Signs and Symptoms of Work Related Stress
We’ve looked at the common reasons for workplace stress. But how do you know what it looks and feels like? The simple truth is that you might not realise you’re stressed at first. But over time, the signs can build up.
Common symptoms include:-
Emotionally:
- Feeling anxious, irritable, or down
- Losing confidence
- Struggling to concentrate
- Feeling overwhelmed at work
Physically:
- Headaches or muscle tension
- Trouble sleeping
- Upset stomach or changes in appetite
Behaviourally:
- Snapping at people
- Calling in sick more often
- Struggling to keep up with tasks
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms and they’re linked to your work, it’s important to act early and reach out for support, both for your own health and to make sure you don’t end up involved in disciplinary action.
How to Recognise Workplace Stress in Others
It’s important to understand that an employee suffering from workplace stress, and an underperforming employee can look very similar from an outside perspective.
If you are concerned about a colleague or employee having a change in their usual behaviour, be aware stress can manifest in many different ways.
Emotional and Behavioural Signs of Stress:
- Irritability, mood swings, or becoming unusually sensitive
- Withdrawal from colleagues or social interaction
- Loss of motivation or enthusiasm for work
- Tearfulness or emotional outbursts
- Avoidance behaviours, such as dodging meetings or calling in sick
Physical Signs of Stress:
- Tired or unwell appearance (e.g. looking pale or exhausted)
- Fidgeting, nail biting, or other visible signs of tension
- Headaches, stomach problems, or aches and pains
- Noticeable weight loss or gain
- Decline in personal hygiene or grooming
Work and Performance Indicators:
- Declining productivity or frequent mistakes
- Missed deadlines or failure to complete tasks
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Increased absenteeism or lateness
- Apathy, cynicism, or a sudden negative attitude toward work
If you notice someone showing signs of stress, it’s important to check in privately and offer support without judgement.
A simple conversation asking “are you OK?” can make a big difference, and early support often prevents the situation from becoming more serious.
Employer Responsibilities – What Does the Law Say?
Your employer has a legal duty to keep you safe at work, and that includes your mental health.
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 2(1), employers must ensure your health, safety and welfare so far as is reasonably practicable.
“It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees” https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37/section/2
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 3, goes further: employers must carry out risk assessments, which include psychological risks like stress.
If you raise concerns about stress and your employer ignores them, you may be protected under Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996. This protects employees who raise genuine health and safety concerns from being treated unfairly or dismissed.
Many employers are unaware of their obligations in this area. If you are suffering detrimental health effects due to avoidable work related stress, raising the situation with your employer gives them an opportunity to support you, and also offers legal protection if disciplinary action follows.
See Also: Employers Duty of Care & Stress
Risk Assessments for Stress
Employers should assess the risk of stress at work just like they would for physical hazards.
This involves:-
- Talking to staff about workload and pressures
- Identifying common causes of stress
- Taking reasonable steps to reduce risks
The HSE’s Stress Management Standards offer a framework that employers can follow. If your employer has five or more staff, this assessment must be in writing.
If no risk assessment has been done and an employee is struggling, this could form part of a grievance or a potential legal claim later.
See Also: Workplace risk assessments.
Understanding the Employer’s Duty of Care
Employers have a legal duty of care to protect your mental and physical wellbeing at work. This means they must take reasonable steps to prevent harm, including harm caused by stress.
If the employer:-
- Ignores repeated reports of excessive stress
- Fails to act on known risks
- Penalises you for raising concerns
…they may be breaching their duty of care. If the situation becomes intolerable and you feel forced to resign, you may have grounds to bring a constructive dismissal claim under the Employment Rights Act 1996. You’d need to show that your employer’s conduct amounted to a serious breach of your employment contract.
How to Report Stress at Work
If stress is seriously affecting you, or you’ve raised it and nothing has changed, you do have options:-
- Informally raise it with your manager or HR.
- Submit a written grievance if needed. Your employer should have a grievance policy explaining how to do this.
- Contact ACAS for advice. Their helpline (0300 123 1100) is free and confidential.
- Speak to your union if you’re a member. They can support you through the process.
- Seek legal advice if you’re being ignored or penalised for speaking up.
Under the Equality Act 2010, a long-term mental health condition (lasting 12 months or more) may be classed as a disability. If that applies, your employer is legally required to make reasonable adjustments.
Rights When You’re Signed Off With Stress
If your GP signs you off with stress, you are entitled to the same protections as with any other illness. You may be worried about losing your job, but the law says you:-
- Are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or occupational sick pay if the benefit is offered within your contract.
- Cannot be dismissed unfairly due to illness, especially if related to a disability (ERA 1996, Section 94).
- Have the right to reasonable adjustments if your condition meets the legal definition of a disability.
- Are entitled to your employer carrying out a return to work interview and exploring a phased return or changes to help you settle back in.
- Stress leave should never be treated as misconduct. If you are threatened with disciplinary action or dismissal, you may have grounds to challenge it legally.
