How to reduce employee stress in the workplace and reap the benefits
How to reduce employee stress in the workplace and reap the benefits
Some close their eyes, take a deep breath, and count to 10. Others reach into their office drawer and squeeze a tension-relieving toy. Virtually no one, however, is unaffected at some point in their lives by workplace stress.
About 69% of U.S. employees said in a 2025 survey by the American Psychological Association that , which is the highest number that the recurring survey has seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. The workplace is also in the U.S.:
- Future of the nation (76%)
- Economy (75%)
- Work (69%)
And this is a challenge for people leaders and HR teams. In 2025, the American Association for Physician Leadership estimated that each highly stressed employee results in . examines how leading organizations can recognize this as an opportunity and set the standard for how to best manage workplace stress.
What is workplace stress?
One person鈥檚 stress response is another person鈥檚 idea of an exciting day on the job. Workplace stress is therefore less defined by a particular situation as it is by our reaction to that situation.
You may find a fast-paced office job with lots of paperwork dull, but another person may get completely overwhelmed by the idea of being stuck inside while being forced to ponder spreadsheets. As an example, studies show that some active duty police officers when forced to do excessive paperwork.
However, even though each person鈥檚 triggers are unique to them, there are a few commonalities that create workplace stress:
- A feeling of having too much to do and too little time to do it.
- Poor communication between employees and employers, although poor communication among coworkers can be equally problematic.
- Not taking enough breaks, whether that means regular annual vacations or enough time each day to eat a healthy lunch, can contribute to a very stressed-out employee.
The good news is that each of these larger problem areas can be mitigated.
Tips for reducing workplace stress
Improve communication
In a 2019 study from Dynamic Signal, four-fifths of U.S. workers said they were stressed . Organizational leaders can sometimes forget that employees don鈥檛 know exactly what they are thinking, or are even aware of the many different variables that they deal with every day. A leader may make a decision that she thinks would be obvious to anyone who understood the circumstances behind it.
The problem is that these decisions can sometimes come as shocks to the workforce, especially if the organizational communication is one-sided. While no one can explain every choice they make or indeed tell their employees absolutely everything they鈥檙e handling, companies can improve the lines of communication.
To improve communication within the team, let your colleagues know what style of communication works best for you so they have a better chance of expressing their thoughts.
- Do you respond to email, or do you prefer in-person meetings?
- Do you like instant messaging apps, or would you prefer a scheduled weekly briefing?
Whatever form of communication works best for you, be clear about it, and set reasonable boundaries. Team members will benefit from having clear guidelines, and feel less stressed out about giving (and receiving) important information.
Make mental health a workplace priority as part of a holistic approach
Mental health and physical health are closely tied together. Physical health symptoms can quickly manifest into mental health needs, and vice versa. Companies can make it a part of their culture to talk about how to combat or reduce chronic stress, fatigue, anxiety, or depression. Normalizing these conversations can help to reduce . Managers can play key roles in doing this, which is why in today鈥檚 workplaces.
By raising awareness of mental health through regular communications and offering for workers to easily seek personalized, , companies can nip problematic stress in the bud, thereby retaining valuable employees, decreasing absenteeism, and ultimately bolstering productivity.
Take steps to help employees cut healthcare costs
should help drive down healthcare costs for employers and employees .
Aside from offering that type of solution, there are other steps employers can take to help employees save on healthcare costs, such as:
- Offering tax-advantaged accounts such as health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible-spending accounts (FSAs). An employer contribution to employee HSAs can help support healthcare costs and drive participation.
- Implementing wellness programs that incentivize healthy behavior.
- Providing and encouraging the use of lower-cost care such as virtual visits and telehealth options.
Encourage reasonable breaks and vacations
Taking breaks to recharge their batteries is Unfortunately, U.S. employees are leaving a lot of vacation unused:
- 62% of Americans , according to a 2024 survey by
- 23% of U.S. employees in the past year, per a survey by FlexJobs conducted in 2025.
For team leaders, it鈥檚 important to set an example. Leaders should discuss vacations they have taken or plan to take. They shouldn鈥檛 be afraid to discuss how they go home for dinner on a regular basis and stop checking their messages overnight. Everyone will benefit from taking regular breaks and being able to destress and return to work refreshed.
How enhanced EAPs help organizations reduce employee stress
Workplace stress is rarely just an 鈥渋ndividual resilience鈥 problem. It鈥檚 what happens when people hit a real challenge and don鈥檛 have a clear, confidential path to the right support. Enhanced EAPs help employers reduce employee stress by making it dramatically easier for people to get care that fits their needs, then measuring what improves.
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