A Therapist's Reflection: Work Stress

Jasmine Cortazzi
Oct 10
5 min read

Following on from Mental Health Day on the 10^th October, I wanted to share my reflection on one of life's biggest stresses.

Woman in a suit sits at a desk with a yellow laptop, looking stressed and pinching her nose bridge. Pencils and crumpled paper surround her.

Work can benefit us in so many ways, giving structure to our day, enabling us to meet new people, become part of a team, and to build a career. There is good research to show that when offenders are released from prison and have a job to go to, this can cut reoffending rates by a third or even half^[1]because that person has a source of income, a daily routine, and becomes part of society. Even though work is a beneficial to people overall, 1 in 4 British workers reported feeling high levels of stress at work which was eroding their ability to cope^[2]. Just under 80% of employees rate their stress as moderate or severe with women, and younger workers (16- to 24-year-olds) reporting the highest levels of stress^[3].

What causes work stress?

The following factors can create work stress according to ACAS^[4].

High workload.
Lack of resources- people leaving and not being replaced.
Role conflict.
Poor working conditions.
Not implementing reasonable adjustments for autism, ADHD, or a disability.
Low pay.
Change without consultation, communication and implemented carelessly.
Being criticised, not being trusted, or being undervalued.
Bullying, or being deliberately excluded.
A toxic environment.
Struggling to balance work demands and family life.
Isolation.
Lack of career progression.
Recent research^[5] has indicated that certain jobs attract more stress, especially those working in the public sector, for example the police, social workers, teachers, health care professionals, and those in management/ administrative jobs, for instance HR Managers and civil servants. However, those working in the law, hospitality, media and mental health also report high rates of burnout^[6].

What can I do as an employee if a co-worker who is stressed at work?

Make time to listen

Being able to listen attentively is key to help alleviate stress. Deep listening can help someone to feel more understood, and by extension feel more heard and seen. This is because it fosters bonding because having listened carefully, there is an opportunity to acknowledge how someone feels. Building better relationships through listening is a great antidote to stress. When people are struggling at work, they can often feel very alone and isolated so can appreciate the chance to speak to a trusted colleague.

Ask, ‘What do you need?’ or ‘What could help?’

These are great questions because they help someone reflect on what could potentially move them forward or lift their spirits.

Acts of kindness

Taking the time to be extra kind to a work colleague can boost morale at a time of challenge. For example, making someone a cup of tea, surprising a colleague with their favourite bar of chocolate, or making/giving someone a thoughtful/humorous card. Do this without expecting anything in return. The smallest kind act can benefit both the giver and the recipient, generating a feel-good factor.

What can I do as an employer to alleviate work stress?

Build a truly positive culture at work.

This starts with a good induction. Carefully consider the induction experience you want a new member of staff to have. Have you thought about induction from the employee’s perspective? Remember that a new staff member needs to feel a sense of belonging. Are you enabling a sense of belonging? Could you be overloading a new person with hours of videos and tests to pass?

When creating change, always consult and communicate the reasons for the change and how this will help employees. Anticipate and think through in advance how people could be negatively impacted and have strategies to address difficulty.

Avoid an ‘us’ and ‘them’ situation by having informal check ins, opportunities for socialising, and if possible, an ‘open door’ culture. Know your people and what they add to your organisation. Build good working relationships by being helpful and acting on employee concerns.

Give regular feedback.

Thank people and acknowledge their service. Celebrate individual and team success. Encourage people to demonstrate values which build trust, teamwork, and community. For example, create opportunities for colleagues to work together on meaningful projects. Allow opportunities for colleagues to fund raise for charity or to engage in service to the wider community.

Man in a striped shirt looks stressed, holding his head at a cluttered desk with papers, folders, and a computer. Office setting, potted plant behind.

Deal with any issues quickly and directly. For example, make it clear that back biting is not acceptable in the workplace. Speak to people who are creating a toxic environment, for example by bullying others or undermining colleagues. Make it clear the kind of culture you are endeavouring to build as a company. Give feedback on any gaps between performance and expectation, using clear examples and suggesting next steps. Offer work-based coaching and training for qualifications related to work and promotion. Invest in an EAP service to give free and confidential counselling support to those who need it.

Avoid long, tedious meetings.

Value people’s time and energy- especially at times when there is staff shortage or people are working extra hard. Acknowledge this. Start meetings with reviewing what is going well and sharing a success story.

Finally, we all have a responsibility at work to be the change we wish to see. Taking care of your own mental health is key in this endeavour. How you feel about your work can massively add to or detract from your mental health. Consider this final question…

How might you feel if your workplace fosters good mental health?

You would feel valued as a human being independently of work. Your manager would encourage time for family, friends and other interests.
You would feel seen and heard at work.
Your manager would notice if you were working too hard.
You would feel energised by your work and productive.
You would sleep well.
You would trust that work issues could be addressed and resolved.
You could speak honesty and expect others to be honest with you.
High quality counselling would be provided for free.
You would feel open to learning and developing new skills.
You would have capacity to work in a team and to give to others in the community.