How to report stress in the workplace – Introduction
Workplace stress is becoming an increasingly critical issue that can severely impact employee wellbeing and engagement if left unaddressed. This guide will provide an actionable framework for identifying signs of excessive stress at work and how to report stress in the workplace. Stress often manifests in subtle ways that can be difficult to spot. Many employees may not even realise when their stress has reached concerning levels that require intervention. This guide will walk through the warning signs of problematic stress, how to start a conversation with management, policies for reporting, and creating cultural change that encourages openness.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. While the article offers guidance on recognising and managing stress in the workplace, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional or mental health expert for personalised advice and treatment. Each individual’s experience with stress is unique, and this article does not substitute for professional support or intervention. Wellbeing in Your Office is not responsible for any actions taken based on the content provided. Employers and employees are encouraged to seek appropriate resources, including HR services, counselling, and wellness programs, for comprehensive assistance in managing workplace stress.
Physical Signs of Stress
Feeling stressed? Your body may be trying to tell you something. Stress can manifest physically in a variety of ways that can negatively impact your health and wellbeing. Being able to recognise the physical signs of stress is an important first step in managing it.
Creating a Comprehensive Company Wellbeing Strategy
Some of the most common physical symptoms of stress include:
Headaches
Stress headaches are very common. When you feel stressed, your brain releases hormones that cause your muscles to tense up. This tension can lead to pain and throbbing in your head. Stress headaches tend to be concentrated in the temples, neck, and forehead.
Fatigue
Feeling constantly tired or lacking energy is a major indicator of high stress levels. Stress hormones in your body put it in a constant state of arousal, which wears you down over time. Fatigue reduces your productivity and focus at work.
Insomnia
Stress and worry can make it very difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. Your mind may race with stressful thoughts when you try to sleep. Insufficient sleep exacerbates feelings of fatigue during the day.
Upset stomach
Stress negatively impacts your digestive system. You may experience stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation. Over time, prolonged stress can cause or worsen gastrointestinal issues.
Increased heart rate
Your heart may beat faster when you feel acutely stressed. Chronic stress taxes your heart and circulatory system, increasing your blood pressure and resting heart rate. This raises your risk for heart disease.
Being aware of these common physical symptoms can help you identify when your stress levels are too high. Don’t ignore what your body is telling you. Take steps to manage your stress before it leads to more serious health consequences.
Supporting Mental Health at Work
How to report stress in the workplace – Emotional Signs of Stress
Feeling stressed at work can manifest in a variety of emotional symptoms. Some common emotional signs of workplace stress include:
- Anxiety – Excessive feelings of worry, dread, or nervousness related to work demands. This can include panic attacks, restlessness, insomnia, and difficulty concentrating.
- Irritability – Feeling impatient, having a short temper, getting annoyed easily, and lashing out at co-workers over minor issues. Irritability reduces collaboration and harms work relationships.
- Sadness – Persistent feelings of unhappiness, diminished enjoyment of normal activities, crying spells, and withdrawal from others. This can indicate job burnout or depression.
- Lack of motivation – Feeling unenthusiastic about work, procrastinating on projects, neglecting responsibilities, and developing an “I don’t care” attitude. This impedes productivity and performance.
- Diminished interest – Loss of interest in previously enjoyable hobbies, social activities, passions, and relationships outside of work. Preoccupation with job stress displaces other aspects of life.
- Low morale – Feeling disillusioned, resentful, hopeless, helpless, and defeated when it comes to one’s job. This erodes job satisfaction and commitment to the organisation.
Unmanaged emotional stress takes a toll both at work and in one’s personal life. Recognising the signs can help sufferers realise when it’s time to speak up and get help.
Mental Health Awareness Week 2025
How to report stress in the workplace – Cognitive Signs of Stress
Stress can negatively impact cognitive functions like memory, concentration, and judgment. Here are some of the common cognitive signs of stress:
- Memory problems – Stress makes it difficult to retain new information. You may notice forgetfulness or confusion when stressed. Important details can slip your mind more frequently.
- Inability to concentrate – Focusing and concentrating becomes a struggle with high stress levels. You may notice your mind wandering or that you’re easily distracted when you’re stressed out. It’s common to feel like you’re in a mental fog.
- Poor judgment – Making sound decisions and judgements can suffer under stress. You may act impulsively or recklessly. Or you might struggle with analysis paralysis, overthinking decisions instead of using good judgement.
- Racing thoughts – Stress often goes hand in hand with rapid, swirling thoughts. Your mind may feel restless and jumbled when stressed. This can make it hard to think clearly or focus.
- Consistent worrying – Excessive worrying about minor things is a hallmark of stress. You may fixate on worst case scenarios when you’re under too much pressure.
Being aware of these cognitive symptoms can help you recognise when work stress is negatively impacting your mental clarity and performance. Catching it early allows you to take steps to manage stress before it leads to more serious issues. Reporting workplace stress is key to getting the support needed to cope effectively.
How to Lower Stress: Discover Effective Techniques
How to report stress in the workplace: Workplace Stressors
Workplaces can have many different stressors that contribute to employee stress levels. Some of the most common workplace stressors include:
- Heavy workload – When employees are consistently given more work than they can reasonably handle, it can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed and rushed. Trying to work at an unsustainable pace for long periods leads to burnout.
- Job insecurity – If employees don’t feel stable in their job role and worry about being laid off, it introduces a major stressor. Financial and career uncertainty from job insecurity creates anxiety.
- Lack of work-life balance – Without proper boundaries between work and personal life, employees feel unable to relax and unwind. The pressures of work spill over into evenings and weekends, leading to burnout.
- Conflicts – Interpersonal problems with coworkers, managers, or customers is another workplace stressor. Unresolved conflict creates tension and negative emotions.
- Lack of communication and support – When employees feel unable to openly communicate with their manager and colleagues, they can feel isolated. Without proper communication channels and support systems, stress goes unmanaged.
- Long hours – Consistent overtime and extended work hours disrupt work-life balance and causes exhaustion.
- Noise – Loud, disruptive noises make it difficult to focus and contribute to mental fatigue.
- Routine tasks – Mundane, repetitive job duties can lead to boredom and feeling unengaged.
By recognising the unique workplace stressors present, employees and managers can work to minimise unnecessary stress. Promoting open communication, reasonable workloads, collaboration, and work-life balance helps create a healthier, more productive environment.
What is Stress: Causes, Effects, and Management
How to report stress in the workplace: Effects of Unmanaged Stress
Unmanaged stress in the workplace can have significant negative effects on employees. If the causes of stress go unaddressed, it can take a major toll both mentally and physically over time. Some of the most common effects of unmanaged workplace stress include:
Burnout
Prolonged and excessive stress frequently leads to burnout. Employees experiencing burnout often feel drained, overwhelmed, and unable to meet constant demands. This can make it very difficult to handle their normal workload. Burnout typically causes exhaustion, lack of motivation, frustration, cynicism, and reduced efficiency.
The effects of burnout extend beyond just feeling worn down. It can also impact relationships, causing people to isolate themselves or become irritable with co-workers. Burnout often results in higher turnover as burnt out employees seek less stressful positions.
Poor Performance
Stressed employees are more likely to have poor job performance. Their preoccupation with stressors makes it difficult to focus on tasks. Decision making abilities also suffer when under excessive stress.
Performance issues that arise from unchecked stress may include lack of concentration, difficulty learning new skills, strained relationships with co-workers, missed deadlines, lack of creativity, and more errors or careless mistakes.
Increased Errors
High stress levels divide employee’s attention between stressors and work responsibilities. This lack of full focus frequently translates into an increase in errors and mistakes. Stressed employees tend to have lower attention to detail.
Stress-induced work errors may involve anything from data entry mistakes to improper equipment use. The potential consequences increase in high risk fields like healthcare and transportation.
Absenteeism
Unmanaged stress commonly leads to higher absenteeism rates. Mentally exhausted employees are more likely to miss work due to health complaints or by claiming to be sick when not ill. Absenteeism can result in workplace disruptions. It also places an additional burden on employees who must fill in for absent co-workers.
Ignoring signs of stress can have a real impact on employees and the workplace as a whole. Intervening early and addressing issues can help reduce these negative effects.
Why Should You Report Stress?
Reporting stress in the workplace can provide several benefits for employees. Some key advantages include:
Prevent Burnout
Unmanaged stress is a leading cause of burnout at work. Chronic stress depletes people’s energy and motivation, leading to fatigue, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. Reporting stress signals to employers that changes may be needed to avoid employee burnout. Catching and addressing stress early can reignite passion and purpose.
Get Support
Voicing concerns about stress opens up support opportunities. Managers, HR, and co-workers can provide solutions like workload adjustments, wellness benefits, or mental health services. Simply talking through stresses with a supportive ear can also alleviate burdens. Speaking up transforms stress from an isolating experience into a shared one.
Improve Work Environment
Reports of stress expose problematic patterns. If multiple people report similar stress triggers, it signals an unhealthy work environment. This can give management insight to improve aspects like unreasonable workloads, inefficient processes, lack of autonomy, or unclear expectations.
Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing
How to Report Stress
Reporting stress in the workplace can feel daunting, but there are several potential avenues for speaking up. Consider which option fits your needs and comfort level best:
Talk to Your Manager
Your direct supervisor is often the first point of contact for raising concerns, and a good manager should make themselves available to listen. Frame the conversation as seeking solutions rather than just complaining. Provide specific examples of stressors you’re facing and how they affect your work. Suggest potential ways your manager could help reduce the stress, like adjusting responsibilities or hours. Approach the conversation diplomatically, without placing blame or making demands.
Talk to HR
Your human resources department exists in part to handle employee concerns. HR can objectively facilitate a discussion between you and your manager or investigate and resolve issues causing you stress. They can also point you toward helpful company resources, like employee assistance programs. You may file a formal complaint with HR if you feel unjustly treated. Keep records of relevant incidents in case you need evidence.
Use an Anonymous Reporting Channel
If you feel uncomfortable talking directly to your manager or HR, explore anonymous reporting options your company may provide. Many organisations have anonymous tip lines or online forms where employees can voice concerns without identifying themselves. Just be aware anonymity limits the company’s ability to follow up with you directly. Only share necessary details related to the stressors.
Talk to a Doctor
Your doctor can vouch for the effects of stress on your health. They may recommend changes in your work duties and schedule to accommodate your needs. To support their assessment, track stress symptoms and specific job conditions contributing to them. With your consent, your doctor can write a letter to your employer explaining the required changes. This should prompt your workplace to find solutions. The key is addressing the issue professionally before it escalates further. Prioritise your wellbeing but also demonstrate you want to collaborate to resolve the situation.
How to report stress in the workplace – After Reporting Stress
After reporting stress to your manager or HR representative, the next steps will depend on the policies and procedures of your specific workplace. However, you can generally expect a response focused on addressing the causes of stress and finding reasonable accommodations.
Your employer has a duty of care to provide a psychologically safe workspace. Once aware of an employee’s stress levels, they should take proactive steps to reduce anxiety and prevent further harm. This may involve:
- Workload adjustments to alleviate pressure and bring duties back to a manageable level. Your tasks and deadlines may be re-prioritised or delegated to others.
- Changes to your working pattern, such as flexible hours, remote work options or a phased return from leave. The aim is to accommodate your needs while enabling you to remain productive.
- Practical support like ergonomic equipment, noise-reducing headphones or access to a quiet room. Small adjustments to your environment can make a big difference to comfort.
- More regular check-ins with your manager to discuss wellbeing. This provides an open channel for you to share difficulties before reaching breaking point.
- Access to counselling, therapy or stress management services. Your employer may offer an employee assistance program or resources to develop your resilience.
- Temporary reassignment or sick leave if the stress becomes severe. Time off can distance you from triggers and allow full recovery before returning.
The priority is avoiding an escalation of symptoms by intervening early. With the company’s help, you can regain coping skills while continuing to succeed in your role. So don’t delay in reporting any issues – support is available if you reach out.
How to report stress in the workplace: Creating a Culture of Support
A workplace culture that normalises conversations about stress and provides support resources can encourage employees to speak up when they feel overwhelmed. Leaders should aim to create an environment where stress is destigmatised and asking for help is encouraged.
Some ways to build a culture of support around mental health:
- Encourage open communication about stress levels during one-on-one meetings between managers and employees. Make it clear that the door is open to discuss workload, competing priorities, and stress coping strategies.
- Implement mental health days or flexible work arrangements so employees can take time to recharge without needing to disclose private health matters.
- Invest in stress management training and encourage participation. Teach resilience strategies, time management, mindfulness, and work-life balance skills.
- Promote employee assistance programs, counseling services, or wellness benefits focused on mental health and stress reduction. Ensure employees know these resources are available if needed.
- Model healthy stress coping behaviors among leadership. When managers openly discuss stress, seek support, and prioritise self-care, it gives employees permission to do the same.
- Create spaces for employees to give peer support to one another. Foster social connections through employee resource groups, mentoring programs, or low-pressure social events.
- Survey employees regularly about mental health and make improvements based on feedback. Demonstrate that employee wellbeing is a priority.
Taking a proactive approach to destigmatise stress creates a safe and caring culture where speaking up about feeling overwhelmed is normalised, not shamed. With the right support system in place, employees will feel empowered to report stress early before it becomes severe.
How to report stress in the workplace: Conclusion
In conclusion, creating a workplace where reporting stress is encouraged and supported is crucial for employee wellbeing and organisational success. By recognising the signs of stress early and advocating for solutions, employees can prevent burnout, improve their work environment, and enhance overall wellbeing. A culture that prioritises mental health not only benefits individuals but also strengthens team dynamics and company morale. As we continue to navigate the complexities of modern work life, proactive measures to address stress ensure that every employee feels valued, supported, and able to thrive in their professional roles.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for general knowledge and educational purposes only. It should not be construed as professional health, legal, or business advice. Readers should always consult with appropriate health professionals, human resource experts, or legal advisors for specific concerns related to physical, mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of publication, Wellbeing In Your Office cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes, updates, or revisions of the aforementioned content.