If employees start acting differently, it can be a sign they are stressed. Managers should look out for signs of stress in teams and employees, listed below. Think about whether the stress could be linked to work pressure.
Acting early can reduce the impact of pressure and make it easier to reduce or remove the causes. If managers are worried that an employee is showing some of these signs, they should encourage them to see their GP. These signs can be symptoms of other conditions. If there is something wrong at work, and this has caused the problem, managers should take action.
Signs of stress in teams
There may be signs of stress in a team, like:
- arguments
- higher staff turnover
- more reports of stress
- more sickness absence
- decreased performance
- more complaints and grievances
Employers must assess the risks of work-related stress in their workplace and take action to protect employees.
Signs of stress in an employee
A change in the way someone acts can be a sign of stress, for example they may:
- take more time off
- arrive for work later
- be more twitchy or nervous
A change in the way someone thinks or feels can also be a sign of stress, for example:
- mood swings
- being withdrawn
- loss of motivation, commitment and confidence
- increased emotional reactions – being more tearful, sensitive or aggressive
Help for employees on stress at work
If you are stressed you may notice changes in the way you think or feel, for example:
- feeling negative
- being indecisive
- feeling isolated
- feeling nervous
- being unable to concentrate
You may act differently, for example:
- eat more or less than usual
- smoke, drink or take drugs 'to cope'
- have difficulty sleeping
If you are feeling signs of stress at work, it is important to talk to someone, for example your manager. If you talk to them as soon as possible, it will give them the chance to help and stop the situation getting worse.
If the pressure is due to what your line manager is doing, find out what policies are in place to deal with this. If there aren’t any, you could talk to your:
- trade union representative
- employee representative
- HR department
- employee assistance programme/counselling service if your company has these
- GP
Many employees are unwilling to talk about stress at work, because of the stigma stress has. But stress is not a weakness, and can happen to anyone.
What your employer must do
Your employer has a legal duty to assess the risks to your health from stress at work and share the results of any risk assessment with you. Your employer may follow HSE’s Management Standards approach, which help identify and manage the main causes of stress at work.
Help with stress caused by non-work issues
For help outside work, these organisations have useful websites or helplines you can phone for advice in confidence:
- Lifeline (www.lifelinehelpline.info)
- Samaritans (www.samaritans.org)
- Mind (www.mind.org.uk)
- Mental Health Foundation (www.mentalhealth.org.uk)
- Mental Health Support Services by Trust Area (www.nidirect.gov.uk)
- Money and Pensions Service (maps.org.uk)
Full guidance can be found:
- How to tackle work-related stress INDG430 – HSE (GB)
- Is my risk assessment suitable and sufficient (pdf format) – HSE (GB)
Find out more about
For more information please contact a mental well-being at work advisor.
About work-related stress
Find out more about:
- what work-related stress is
- why you should manage it in your organisation
- who has roles and responsibilities in doing that
- spotting signs and symptoms
HSE Management Standards
Find out more about:
- what the HSE Management Standards are
- how to effectively risk assess using them
- how to develop a culture of continuous improvement
HSENI and work-related stress
Find out more about:
- HSENI’s Mental Well-being at Work Advisory Service
- free resources for employers, line managers and employees
- Mental Well-being: Questions and Answers
Good Practice
Good practice guidance on:
- returning to work after sickness absence
- stress and mental health at work and home
- the Condition Management Programme (CMP)
- work-life balance
- workplace bullying and harassment
Events
HSENI run a number of different webinars on work-related stress. Details of these including dates and registration can be found on the events page:
Small businesses
The HSENI risk assessment tool, is designed for organisations with fifty or more staff. HSENI has provided additional advice for small businesses.