Stress is quietly draining the energy, focus, and productivity out of businesses across the UK. In 2023/24 alone, work-related stress, depression, or anxiety led to 16.4 million lost working days – almost half of all work-related ill health cases.
This isn’t a once-a-year conversation for Stress Awareness Month. It’s a daily reality that needs ongoing leadership.
Long-term stress doesn’t just wear people down, it impacts everything from performance and morale to retention and culture. And while there’s no golden remedy, there are real steps leaders can take to build a culture that protects mental health and helps people thrive.
Start with Listening
To reduce stress at work, the first thing leaders need to do is listen. Employees must feel safe talking about how they’re doing, without fear of judgement or consequences. But, currently, 30% of employees don’t feel they can talk to their manager about stress, and one in five have taken a sick day for stress but given a different reason.
At SD Worx, we use several ways to check in on how our people are doing. That includes regular manager 121 conversations, All Hands meetings to bring people together with dedicated leadership Q&A sessions (with anonymous submissions possible), Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), and a continuous feedback culture via engagement surveys. These aren’t just tick-box exercises, they’re how we keep a finger on the pulse of our business, and find out where we need to invest and make change to best support our workforce.
Make Mental Health Visible
One of our most important steps has been introducing our own Mental Health First Aiders. We have 15 trained colleagues in the UK who can spot early signs of poor mental health, offer support, and guide their peers to professional help. They’re not therapists, but they are trusted people, trained by MHFA England, who make it easier to start a conversation.
When employees know there’s someone they can talk to confidentially, it removes some of the stigma around speaking up. It also spreads the responsibility for wellbeing across the organisation, instead of placing it all on HR or individual managers.
Set the Tone from the Top
Leaders shape culture by what they say, and more importantly, by what they do. If senior leaders are constantly online, never take holiday, and treat overtime as normal, their teams will feel pressure to do the same.
That’s why at SD Worx we encourage our leaders to model healthy habits. That includes taking time off, disconnecting after hours, and being open about their own wellbeing. Even small changes like leaders adding notes to email signatures that say ‘My working hours might not be your working hours, please do not feel obliged to reply outside your preferred work schedule’ can help shape a wellbeing culture. Even though UK plans for a “right to disconnect” law didn’t go ahead, we still help employees set boundaries so they can properly switch off and recharge.
Make Wellbeing Part of the Day-to-Day
Supporting mental health at work can’t be a one-off campaign. It has to be part of how an organisation operates. That might look like giving people more flexibility when workloads are high or encouraging meeting-free time so they can focus.
At SD Worx, we take feedback seriously. When teams tell us what helps reduce pressure, we listen and act. These changes aren’t just nice-to-haves. They’re how you create a culture where people can actually do their best work without burning out.
Track Progress, and Adapt
If you’re not measuring wellbeing, you can’t improve it. That’s why we regularly collect feedback through annual surveys, in-person conversations, and our Colleague Forum. The goal is to understand what’s working and where we can do better.
No two people experience work the same way. That’s why listening has to be continuous, and actions need to evolve as teams grow and challenges change.
The Business Case Is Clear
Investing in employee mental health isn’t just good leadership, it’s good business. It’s estimated that poor mental health costs UK employers £51 billion every year, with presenteeism (showing up to work but underperforming due to stress or illness) being the biggest driver.
On the flip side, every £1 invested in wellbeing can return an average of £5. That’s not just a nice statistic – it’s a clear reason to act.
Leadership Makes a Difference
Stress Awareness Month is a useful moment to pause and reflect. But real change happens in what leaders do every other month of the year. So, ask yourself: are you setting the right example? Are your people empowered to speak up, slow down, and get the support they need?
The best workplaces don’t just expect people to be resilient. They create the conditions that make resilience possible. And that starts with leaders who are ready to listen, lead with empathy, and take meaningful action.
With a 13-year career in HR, Laura takes a people-centric approach in all that she does, balancing business needs with a strong focus on wellbeing, engagement, and culture. Her passion lies in creating and continuously improving workplaces where people can truly thrive, and being progressive with positive changes that may feel small but make a huge difference to colleagues.