It’s no secret that work-related stress and mental health issues are at a record high in the UK. According to the latest government statistics, almost a £1million workers are suffering from work-related stress, depression, anxiety and burnout. This has led to over 22 million working days being lost annually.
It’s thought that increased workplace intensity, excessive workloads, tight deadlines, financial worries, brought on by the cost-of-living crisis, a lack of managerial support, and poor organisational change are largely to blame. Left unmanaged, employers will quickly find that both performance and morale are badly impacted. So, what should employers do to turn the tide in their business, so they have more productive, engaged and happier workers?
Meaningful, impactful and preventative support
Building and maintaining a mentally healthy workplace is not a one-off activity, it’s an ongoing commitment to cultivate a supportive, open and resilient work culture which actively fosters open communication, encourages self-care, provides support whenever it is needed and has easily accessible tools and resources available, enabling employees to thrive.
Shift to proactive and preventative strategies
To build employee resilience and manage work-related stress, employers must shift from reactive responses to proactive, preventative strategies. Key actions should include:
- Undertake routine and regular evidence-based stress risk assessments/employee engagement surveys to pinpoint any organisational, environmental, or interpersonal causes of stress before they escalate.
- Empower your line managers to effectively manage tasks/workloads to ensure responsibilities are distributed fairly throughout team members so individual employees do not feel overburdened.
- Foster a positive, inclusive working environment/culture where open conversations are encouraged so employees feel safe discussing challenges without fear of stigma or come back.
- Signpost clearly what support is available and communicate regularly what benefits and services are on offer and demonstrate how/where they can be easily accessed.
- Recognise and celebrate achievements to boost morale and motivation by saying thank you, acknowledging, praising and validating hard work, so employees feel seen and valued.
- Investing in professional growth and development so employees feel in control of their career progression. By providing access to training programmes, coaching skill-building workshops and other learning opportunities, employees will feel more valued and motivated.
- Respect boundaries outside of working hours (overtime, answering calls/emails in evenings/weekends or when off work) and ensure employees have a better work/life balance.
- Promote flexible working, lunch breaks taken away from desks, time off and make sure employees are utilising all of their entitled holiday time.
- Train line managers on how to have open mental health conversations, manage conflict, and recognise the early signs of burnout.
- Revisit any employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) to ensure they are fit for purpose and offer a proactive, holistic mix of financial, legal, and mental health support including counselling and wellbeing resources
- Provide education, tools, and impartial guidance on topics like budgeting, debt management, and pensions, empowering staff to feel secure and in control of their money
Stronger, adaptable and better prepared
All of these points above can make a real difference to employee resilience by creating an environment where people feel equipped and supported to handle whatever comes their way. When organisations get this right, they don’t just survive tough times; they emerge stronger, more adaptable, and better prepared for the future. For help, advice and support to ensure that your approach to employee wellbeing and financial wellness is more successful, please email Debby today – debby@total-spectrum.com
