Spotting stress at work: what employers need to know

Key takeaways:

• Research has found that a staggering 22.1million working days were lost due to stress between 2024 and 2025.
• According to Silvia Cordoba, Senior Mental Health and Wellbeing Coach at Vitality, "stress can be activated by a wide range of triggers".
• Find out how employers can spot stress and what support they can put in place to help employees to combat it.

Research has found that nine in ten (91%) UK adults say they have experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in 2025[1].

Additionally, the Health and Safety Executive found that 964,000 workers reported suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety between 2024 and 2025[2].

For employers, this work-related stress could translate into a huge cost; 22.1million working days were lost due to this during the same period[2].

Moreover, separate research from Vitality’s Britain’s Healthiest Workplace Report found that, in 2023, 15% of employees reported burnout, which is commonly defined as a result of chronic workplace stress[3].

The report also noted that, in 2023, an employee experiencing burnout is estimated to lose 119% more productive time compared to employees not at risk[3].

"Stress can be activated by a wide range of triggers and it comes from that need to react and adapt to whatever comes our way."

Silvia Cordoba, Senior Mental Health and Wellbeing Coach at Vitality 

While stress appears to be a widespread challenge – and one that could have costly implications for employers – research suggests that employers are missing the mark.

In fact, almost three in ten employees believe that their employer is not effectively managing workplace stress[4].

To ensure that employees are properly supported, and to reduce the impact of a stressed and burnt-out workforce, it’s crucial that employers have the right strategies in place.

But, to do this effectively, employers and HR must understand what stress is and how it can manifest.

What is stress and what can trigger it?

Stress is the body’s natural reaction when we feel under pressure or threatened[5]. When we are stressed, our body releases a hormone called ‘adrenaline’ which can motivate us to act quickly[5].

In small doses, stress can help us to stay motivated and focused on tasks, however, in larger bouts, it can have a negative impact on our physical and mental health. Ultimately, long or severe periods of stress can lead to burnout [5].

“Stress can be activated by a wide range of triggers, and it comes from that need to react and adapt to whatever comes our way,” says Silvia Cordoba, Senior Mental Health and Wellbeing Coach at Vitality. For many, work can play a part.

In fact, more than two-thirds of employed adults identified at least one aspect of work that contributes to their stress levels[6]. For 37%, work in general was the biggest cause of stress, with workload pressures (35%) following closely behind[6].

However, other external stress triggers also appear to be a factor; 38% of UK employees are stressed by financial strain and 32% are stressed by family or relationship issues[6].

How employers can spot stress

The signs that an employee is feeling stressed can vary from person-to-person, according to Silvia, therefore employers should look at this through an individual lens.

“The more obvious signs people may identify that a person is feeling stressed could include irritability, feeling overwhelmed or dips in performance or productivity,” Silvia explains.

“It’s important not to generalise as other signs such as increased forgetfulness, aches and pains, frequent bouts of illness or skin flare ups are valid too,” she adds. 

To help spot signs that a colleague is struggling, Silvia says open and supportive communication is essential and can help teams to better understand individual needs.

“Fostering healthy workplace habits, scheduling regular breaks, respecting work boundaries and having clear avenues of support will help employers to identify staff who may be behaving differently and need additional support,” Silvia continues.

How employers can support their employees to combat stress

As Silvia sees it, employers can provide and cultivate a working culture where addressing mental health needs and stress is a priority.

To help combat stress, training line managers on people skills and coaching them to set more realistic tasks and goals for employees can be a helpful starting point.

Offering flexible working that meets the needs of individuals, encouraging a healthy work-life balance and promoting regular breaks, can give employees more control over their time and space to recharge.

With research finding that 82% of people believe that regular physical exercise is crucial for mental health and wellbeing[7], employers should consider how they can create workplace cultures that help facilitate physical exercise during the working day.

Whether it’s a run club, team walk or even an on-the-move meeting, encouraging your employees to get active and, importantly, take a break from their screens, can help them to de-stress and also get a change of scenery.

The Vitality Programme can be a great way to motivate your staff to get out and get active – particularly for those working from home or working desk-based jobs.

When Vitality members get active, they can unlock great rewards, like discounts on hand-crafted drinks and cinema tickets, and cashback on healthy food.

Encouraging employees to get active not only has benefits for their mental and physical wellbeing but it can help to promote good work-life balance too.

Aside from exercise, providing access to internal and external resources, such as counselling and mental health support, for example through business health insurance plans, can also be useful.

Tools such as the Headspace app, which is available to Vitality members, can provide day-to-day mental wellbeing support. Employees can use the app anytime they need to access hundreds of meditations and mindfulness exercises.

Each plan year, Vitality health members have access to up to eight Talking Therapy sessions – such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and counselling – as well as guided digital mental health support, via the Wysa app.

VitalityHealth Claims Insights Report 2025: Talking Therapies

According to VitalityHealth’s latest Claims Insights Report, between 2019 and 2024, Talking Therapies claims rates increased by 167%, while claims rates for mental health treatment as an out-patient, in-patient or day-patient reduced[8].

Additional statistics from the report have found that 92% of Vitality members seeking Talking Therapy see a therapist within five days of their initial assessment[8].

Above all, Silvia says it’s crucial that employers build a positive and healthy environment,” where “employee opinions and needs are heard, and solutions are rolled out to address challenges.

“This will enable employers to successfully support staff and help contribute to reduce stress in the workplace,” she concludes.

[1] The Burnout Report, Mental Health UK, January 2026

[2]Work-related stress, depression or anxiety statistics in Great Britain, HSE, November 2025

[3] 10 Years of Britain’s Healthiest Workplace: the changing face of the UK at work, Vitality, 2025

[4] 3 in 10 workers feel their organisation is not effective at handling stress, Acas

[5] Dealing with stress, NHS

[6] More than two-thirds of employees are stressed by work, CIPD, September 2024

[7] Moving more is good for our mental health, Mental Health Foundation

[8] VitalityHealth Claims Insights Report 2025

Related: Why employers should encourage staff to take microbreaks at work