DEMANDS
Workload comes first
In HSE survey data, the main cause people gave was workload: tight deadlines, too much work, or too much pressure and responsibility.
Check the pressureStress at work usually starts with how the work is set up.
The Health and Safety Executive names six areas of work design that, if not managed properly, are linked to poor health and more sickness absence. Here is what they are, and what the guidance suggests.
Updated
Check the pressureTHE SHORT ANSWER
Look at the job,
not only the person.
The HSE defines stress as the adverse reaction to excessive pressure or demands.
Its guidance looks for causes in how work is designed.
SUPPORT
Talk early
HSE advice to employees is to talk to someone, such as your manager, as soon as possible, so there is a chance to help before things get worse.
What helps
SIX AREAS
Six parts of the job
Demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. HSE calls them six key areas of work design that need managing properly.
See the numbersWHERE IS THE PRESSURE?
Which part of the job
is weighing most?
Pick the pressure that sounds most familiar to see which HSE area it falls under. The bar shows how prominently it featured among the causes workers reported in HSE's survey data.
General information from HSE guidance, not medical or legal advice. If stress is affecting your health, HSE suggests talking to your manager, a representative, HR or your GP.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
A common problem,
and a costly one.
Both figures come from HSE's 2025 statistics,
based on the Labour Force Survey for 2024/25.
964,000
Workers with work-related stress, depression or anxiety, 2024/25
HSE estimates 964,000 workers in Great Britain were suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, new or long-standing, in 2024/25.
WORKERS AFFECTED · HSE
52%
Share of all work-related ill health
Stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 52% of all work-related ill health in 2024/25 and 62% of working days lost to work-related ill health.
SHARE OF ILL HEALTH · HSE
HSE puts the working days lost at 22.1 million in 2024/25, an average of 22.9 days per case.
WHAT THE GUIDANCE SUGGESTS
Small steps,
started early.
HSE's guidance is written mainly for employers, but the ideas are useful for anyone who manages work, including their own.
Name the pressure
Use the six areas, demands, control, support, relationships, role and change, to pin down where the strain is coming from.
Talk to someone soon
HSE suggests your manager first. If the problem is your manager, a trade union or employee representative, HR or an employee assistance service.
Fix causes for the group
HSE says removing or reducing a stressor for a whole group is more effective than managing lots of individual cases.
Look at the whole job
The areas overlap. Where demand cannot drop much, HSE says more support and better relationships can still reduce the pressure.
WHAT EMPLOYERS MUST DO
A duty,
like any other risk.
HSE says employers have a legal duty to protect workers from stress at work by doing a risk assessment and acting on it, the same duty as for other health and safety risks. They should share the results of any risk assessment with employees.
HSE does not expect every employer to meet all the Management Standards. It describes them as targets to work towards through ongoing risk assessment and improvement, and its tools and workbook are free.
Questions
Questions people ask
What does HSE mean by stress?
HSE defines stress as 'the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them.' It says stress is not an illness, but it can make you ill.
What are the six Management Standards?
Demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. HSE calls them six key areas of work design that, if not properly managed, are associated with poor health, lower productivity and more sickness absence.
What are common signs of stress?
HSE lists feeling negative, indecisive, isolated or nervous and being unable to concentrate, along with changes such as eating more or less, smoking or drinking to cope and difficulty sleeping.
Who should I talk to if work is stressing me?
HSE suggests talking to your manager as soon as possible. If the pressure comes from your manager, it suggests a trade union or employee representative, HR, an employee assistance or counselling service, or your GP.
Does everyone react to the same pressures?
No. HSE says stress affects people differently, and factors such as skills and experience, age or disability can affect whether a worker can cope.
Sources
Where the facts come from
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