A 2023 study found that the most common cause of stress is work-related stress with 79% of respondents saying they frequently felt it. Not only does it impact team wellbeing, but an estimated 13.7 million working days are lost each year in the UK because of work-related stress, anxiety and depression, costing £28.3 billion yearly.

If left unaddressed, workplace stress can compromise productivity, hinder efficiency and snowball into more serious wellbeing issues. This is before we even factor in the stressful economic and social climate that businesses and teams find themselves operating exacerbating any existing workplace stress. 

In World Wellbeing Week, six industry experts have shared their key considerations for HR teams to proactively prevent stress from becoming unmanageable and to protect employee mental health. 

Pay transparency and fair pay
The burden of financial stress can impact all areas of our lives, especially work. Concerns around pay, perceived unfairness or a lack of transparency can increase financial anxiety in all areas of life, particularly in a cost-of-living crisis, and reduce how valued employees feel in their position. 

As Rameez Kaleem, founder of reward consultancy 3R Strategy, explains: “Ultimately if people feel financially insecure or unfairly paid this will drastically impact their wellbeing and productivity.’’

‘’They want to know that their livelihoods are not subject to bias or the ‘gut feeling’ of their line manager, but instead pay structures are grounded in fairness and consistency. Absences of information about pay causes people to make their own perceptions, which can be very difficult to unpick.’’

If someone wants to negotiate their salary, transparency gives them a solid understanding of the pay structure and pay progression. Thus they will feel more confident in approaching this discussion, which can be a stressful one. 

Being able to negotiate effectively is particularly important for women, black and minority ethnic workers who are often less comfortable negotiating compared to their white male colleagues.

Understand different employees experiences of the workplace
When protecting employee mental health and minimising stress, anti-racism needs to be central to the organisational framework. In a 2021 Green Park study analysing the FTSE 100, the proportion of white men in ‘top 40’ roles was found to be increasing, and women and ethnic minorities were being sidelined. 

While attempts to improve boardroom diversity should remain a priority, if leadership teams are largely white, then those at the top need to ensure that they are being active allies for minority employees’ emotional wellbeing. 

“More frequently we are seeing black employees struggling with severe mental health issues in the workplace due to a lack of a sense of belonging. There is limited support and understanding from management about the differing expectations placed on them in comparison to white colleagues,’’ says Judith Germain, Principal Consultant of the Maverick Paradox. 

She advises that ‘’anti-racism needs to lie at the heart of organisational culture. It is important for white managers to make a conscious effort to understand how the experience of ethnic minority employees will differ from white employees in order to offer appropriate support for their specific stress triggers.’’

Managers must be active allies to create a safe culture of belonging where ethnic minority employees can comfortably voice their unique concerns. 

Physical conditions will diminish capacity to handle workplace stress
We know there is an intrinsic link between emotional pain, trauma, and stress, and if not managed, the emotions can start to manifest as physical symptoms. Vice versa; illness or physical conditions can have a very detrimental impact on your mental wellbeing. Stressful in their own right, they also drastically diminish your capacity to handle workplace pressure. The mental impact of things like the menopause, miscarriage, fertility issues and other conditions is often underestimated in the workplace.

 Transformational coach and founder of Full Circle Gillian McMichael believes HR plays a vital role in understanding and accounting for the stressful impact of these conditions on our work. “A proactive attitude to defining moments and physical conditions is key,” she says. “Our lives are completely interconnected so one area will have a domino-effect on the others.” 

Workplace emotional support should be available for those in need, including access to counselling services or paid leave, but this should be flexible as everyone experiences these physical conditions differently, reminds Gillian. “Giving that employee space to feel heard and understood, whilst relieving some of their workplace stress, will go a long way to helping them feel supported,” she says. 

Build a culture of openness and appreciation
Stressful situations at work often arise when we least expect them. While these interruptions can’t be eliminated, their negative impact can be reduced when people feel that their efforts are recognised and appreciated, as well as have their manager’s support when struggling.

 That’s why leaders and HR managers should foster a culture of openness and sharing, says Lewis Maleh, founder and CEO of Bentley Lewis, an award-winning boutique executive recruitment firm.

“Recognising when particular periods have been very stressful for an employee or team and giving them a platform to talk about it helps teams feel supported and valued. Considerate leadership contributes to a positive work environment,” he says.

There are a number of ways to show support and appreciation at work. The key is to get to know your team and find the right approach that will meet the needs of each employee individually. “Leaders should pause and ask: have you taken your break, have you booked your holidays yet? As we know, stress is an inseparable part of the job, and with way too many people burning out these past years, it’s essential to protect employees’ energy so that they can come back the next day and keep up their good work, ” Lewis concludes.

Recognising the interconnectedness of society and business functions
For Teresa Boughey, DEI specialist and CEO of Jungle HR, no HR action is siloed. Everything has far ranging impacts. This means HR teams should always be considering the stress impact of every policy on their teams, even when it might not seem a ‘wellbeing issue’.  

“For many employees, the climate crisis is very real. They want to feel like their employer is contributing constructively to society and these actions align with their personal values. Therefore, every sustainability policy should have their employee wellbeing impact assessed too, both positively and negatively. Similarly, every employee wellbeing policy should have their sustainability impact identified too.” 

For Teresa, the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a clear example of the interconnectedness of our society and provide a useful lens to view business operations. The UN recognises that each goal needs to be achieved ‘hand-in-hand’ if we really want to make an impact. 

“SDG Number 3 is good health and well-being, both mental and physical health. To establish this in the workplace, HR also needs to be looking at areas like reducing inequalities, affordable and clean energy, and quality education. Without these employees wellbeing will suffer,” she says. 

Taking proactive steps to prevent stress escalating and becoming unmanageable is easier than addressing the aftermath in employees when it is too late. Creating a wellbeing framework that reduces stress across various areas of an organisation will help maximise wellbeing, boost productivity and maximise employee satisfaction.

Leaders must set self-protecting boundaries
When we feel overwhelmed by workplace expectations, our stress levels can rise and snowball into more serious issues. Saying’ no’ at work and asserting boundaries is not easy when it feels like there are demands coming from all angles.

However, Lesley Cooper, Founder of employee wellbeing consultancy WorkingWell, is passionate about the necessity of these boundaries for everyone in the workplace. 

‘’It’s not easy to balance the responsibility of our own work as leaders with supporting employees practically and emotionally. Because leaders often care deeply, it can make it challenging to set and reinforce boundaries to protect ourselves. Overworking should never be glorified,’’ she says.

Lesley advises; ‘’While being available for employees is important, scheduling time for uninterrupted focus is also crucial. When leaders do this they set an example that encourages self-protecting boundaries to be upheld by everyone in an organisation. You are then in a much stronger position to support employees when they need you as you have a full energy tank.’’