Your employees are stressed out and afraid to talk about it

Employees are more stressed out than ever before thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, and while employers have made prioritizing mental health and well-being a key part of their benefits strategy, many employees are still too afraid to discuss how they are feeling at work.

Indeed, 47% of employees fear negative consequences — being denied a raise or promotion — if they talk about their work stress, according to a new survey from Joblist. Women are more likely than men to have this fear. The survey also found that almost 1 in 3 employees report being very or extremely stressed by work and non-managers are twice as likely than managers to report high work-related stress.

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“Employees fear that speaking up about work stress will negatively impact how their employer views them,” says Kevin Harrington, CEO of Joblist. “They fear that it will cause them to be perceived as a complainer or underperformer and put them at a disadvantage for advancement opportunities.”

In a recent one-on-one interview, Harrington discussed the factors beyond COVID that are contributing to employee stress and how employers can provide support and foster an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their mental health.

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What is driving employee stress beyond COVID-19?

Large workloads and lack of job security are the top two factors adding to work-related stress. Given the competitiveness of today’s job market, it’s not surprising that people are taking on more work and are concerned about their positions within their companies.

Another interesting finding from our study is that 36% of employees felt that news events added to their stress at work. Though out of their control, it’s important that employers are at least cognizant of how external stressors affect employee morale and productivity and do their best to create a supportive workplace environment during difficult times.

What benefits can employers offer to help improve employee stress levels and mental health?

Employers can offer mental health days for those needing a day off to rest and recharge. They can also encourage employees to take their full allocation of PTO and build in structured work breaks after major milestones. Additional benefits like gym or health and wellness stipends may also be helpful in reducing stress.

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Beyond benefits, employers can build a culture of open communication that allows employees to vent when necessary. We found that almost 33% of employees found venting to be a very effective stress relief tool.

Finally, active workload monitoring by team leaders is critical. In our study, we found that large workloads are the top factor causing work-related stress. Managers should be aware of their team’s workload and be proactive about building in breaks, delegating and improving processes to help reduce workloads when possible.

How can employers create a work environment where employees feel free to speak up about their stress levels or other issues?

Employers should normalize having open discussions with their employees about work stress and how to manage it. We recommend that managers schedule regular one-on-one meetings with all their employees and use these meetings not to discuss work, but rather to talk through challenges, including workload, stress, mental health and anything else on the employee’s mind.

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These meetings are a critical tool in helping employers diagnose the sources of stress in their organization and work together with their employees to address them in a proactive and collaborative way.

Encouraging this type of open communication about stress at work helps build a stronger organization by making it a place where employees want to stay and advance.