If a member of your team has become quieter in meetings or if someone who normally handles deadlines well is now struggling or if a colleague is increasingly frustrated by requests these signs should not be ignored. During a week, such changes can be overlooked easily especially when the work is still being completed. A change in a person’s usual behaviour deserves attention. The Health and Safety Executive advises that employers check for signs of stress in individuals and teams because responding early can lessen pressure and solve the underlying causes. Signs of stress that appear help reduce the overall level of stress and prevent larger problems.
Key takeaways:
What is work-related stress?
Work‑related stress appears when the pressures and demands on an employee go beyond what the employee can handle. HSE points out situations where employees do not have time, skills or support to meet expectations, such as working to tight deadlines without enough training or resources. The way an employee feels, and the employee’s circumstances also shape how the employee reacts to pressure so the same workload will not affect every employee the same way. As an employer, it is important to understand these pressures by looking at what employees are being asked to do and whether the expectations for employees are realistic.
Consider an employee who has to cover a colleague’s responsibilities while still doing their own work. Before agreeing to this arrangement, it is important to discuss which tasks are most important for the employee what extra support is available, for the employee. When the employee’s workload will be reviewed. Ask how the extra responsibilities fit into the employee’s working hours than just asking if the employee’s deadlines are still being met. These conversations should give the employee space for an answer. As an employer of asking whether the employee is “managing” ask which responsibilities are taking the most time for the employee, where the employee needs help and what would make the employee’s workload more manageable. This gives a starting point for agreeing practical changes together.
Recognising the early signs of stress at work
You may see shifts in mood, self‑confidence and behaviour. An employee who feels stress can become withdrawn start to doubt self‑confidence or react emotionally than normal. HSE says that a drop in motivation mood swings arriving late or taking time off can also be warning signs. These shifts deserve notice even though they do not prove that stress is the reason because the same signs can show up in health problems.
Compare the changes with how employee behaved. For example, an employee who used to share ideas may now not speak up in meetings or a self‑sufficient employee may start asking for reassurance about routine work. In both cases it is wiser not to presume that employee has lost interest or self‑confidence without talking to employee
Set up a talk and state your concern using a clear neutral detail. You could say, “You told me you were feeling pressured week and as your colleague I would like to know how things are going for you now.” Acas advises handling conversations about work‑related stress, with care and to give employees a chance to share how employee feels and what help the employee needs.
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
The NHS lists trouble focusing forgetting things being worried and feeling too much to handle as signs of stress; some people also find it harder to make decisions even ones they usually don’t have trouble with. Example: one of your workers tells you that they are having trouble staying focused while dealing with urgent tasks. Use the talk to find out how tasks are being given out if the important things are clear and how often new work comes in and stops what they are already doing. You need to ask them to explain a day so you can see where the problems happen instead of just looking at the last missed deadline or mistake.
Once you understand what your worker is going through, decide what help they need. ACAS says things like helping workers organize their work giving training or having someone to guide them and looking at their job duties when needed. Write down the plan. Set up a meeting later to see if the changes are working.
Physical symptoms and changes in daily habits
Stress also hurts health and everyday routines. The NHS says that stress can bring headaches, muscle tension, stomach trouble, changes in appetite and sleeping much or too little. Employees might bring up these worries in a chat instead of saying they feel stressed. Managers should not jump to conclusions from these talks. The HSE says that stress symptoms can appear with illnesses and urges employees to talk to their GP if there are health worries.
Seeing stress in the workplace also means watching the team. The HSE says that more arguments, complaints, sickness leave, staff leaving, and lower performance can show stress in a workforce. Look at these patterns with recent changes to staffing, schedules, duties or work arrangements. If many employees raise worries after a shift schedule, ask about breaks, workload and handovers. Use that conversation to learn the problem before choosing changes that might help.
Understanding what is causing the pressure
The HSE identifies six areas of work design that are linked to work‑related stress. These areas are demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. They cover problems such as much work, not enough say in how work is done not enough help bad relationships, unclear duties and changes that are not explained well. Use these areas to guide talks with employees. Ask whether deadlines are realistic who an employee asked for help and whether an employee knows what is expected. If an employee says their workload is overwhelming give the employee space to explain which duties are hard and where priorities clash.
Here is how as a manager, you should react to worries. Acas says to set up a chat in private when a manager sees a sign of work‑related stress. Keep the talk caring. Tell the employee that the talk stays private and explain what information might need to be shared. Start by saying what the employee has said or what you have seen. Then ask a question about how work is going. Do not rush to fix the problem before hearing the employee. As Acas recommends agree on a plan of action. Write down who does what set deadlines and decide on a date to check progress. Also make changes such, as helping with priorities giving extra breaks offering training or moving the employee to different tasks.
Where a stress risk assessment fits
Employers have a legal duty to take actions to protect employees and have a legal duty to assess work-related stress risks. HSE also states that employer with five or more workers must record their risk assessment in writing. It is essential to keep this process connected to daily working conditions by recording concerns, agreeing actions and reviewing whether changes have helped. Where workload is the issue, for example, specify which responsibilities will change, who will oversee the arrangements and when progress will be discussed.
You must involve occupational health as it provides professional advice to support decisions about employees experiencing physical or mental health difficulties, workplace adjustments and returning after sickness absence. A referral is worth discussing when further guidance about an employee’s health and work is needed.
At Healthscreen UK, we provide occupational health referral services to support employers managing workplace health concerns. Speak to our team to discuss a referral for your employee while continuing to address and identify workplace pressures.
FAQs
Q. What are the early signs of stress at work?
Early signs of stress at work are changes in a person’s behaviour; they may become withdrawn, feel irritable or lose confidence, and they may also find it harder to focus or to make decisions. These signs can differ from person to person and they do not always mean that a person is experiencing stress. A supportive conversation can be a first step.
Q. What are the common causes of work-related stress?
Work-related stress is often linked to factors such as excessive workloads, limited support, unclear responsibilities or difficult relationships at work. Organisational changes and lack of control over how work is carried out also contribute. HSE recommends considering these areas when assessing stress risk in the workplace.
Q. What should an employer do if an employee is experiencing stress?
An employer must arrange a conversation and give the employee time to explain what they are experiencing. The employer should discuss any work-related pressures agree on steps and set a date to review whether the changes are helping. Depending on the situation support might include reviewing priorities adjusting responsibilities or seeking health advice.
Q. Is a stress risk assessment a legal requirement?
Yes, as an employer, you have a legal duty to assess the risk of work-related stress and act on the findings. HSE states that employers with five or more workers must record their risk assessment in writing. The assessment should identify workplace risks and the steps needed to manage them.
Q. How does occupational health help with work-related stress?
An occupational health provider will advise how an employee’s health affects their work and what support or workplace adjustments might help. An employer might also seek advice when an employee is returning after sickness absence. As an employer you must continue to assess and address workplace stress risks, alongside any health referral.
