More than a quarter of British workers say they have called in sick at least once because of stress, according to new research that illustrates how pressure at work is now a major factor in absence and declining performance.
The Workplace Silent Stress Survey, carried out by Astutis, a UK health and safety training provider, questioned more than 550 workers about how stress affects their working lives. Respondents reported a range of effects including mistakes on the job, conflict with colleagues and thoughts of quitting as stress intensifies across the labour market.
The findings add to official figures showing that work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounts for a large share of the days lost to ill health in Britain, emphasising the broader challenge employers face in managing mental wellbeing as part of workplace health strategies.
Stress Causing Absence, Errors and Conflict
The research showed that 27.8 percent of participants had called in sick at least once because of stress in the past year, reinforcing concerns about how psychological pressures are contributing to sickness absence.
It also found that 52.6 percent of workers admitted to making mistakes at work when they were stressed, while almost a third reported clashing with team members as a result of pressure. More than a quarter said they had missed deadlines.
The survey suggested that stress is not only a personal health issue but can be a significant business challenge, with knock-on effects for productivity, team performance and operational costs. Employers are being urged to tackle workplace stress before it manifests in poor performance or absence.
More than six in ten respondents reported they had considered leaving their job because of stress, indicating the potential impact on recruitment and retention. Employee turnover related to stress can lead to increased costs for organisations, including hiring expenses and loss of institutional knowledge, at a time when many sectors already face labour shortages and skills gaps.
Widespread Work-related Stress
The research complements official data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) showing stress, depression and anxiety account for tens of millions of working days lost each year due to work-related ill health. In the most recent reporting period, stress and related conditions were a leading cause of days lost, with workers typically taking more days off for ill health than for injury.
Separate analysis from the Trades Union Congress pointed to a rise in the number of workers reporting work-related stress, depression or anxiety, with nearly one million workers affected in the latest figures, suggesting that pressure at work remains a persistent and growing issue.
Data from the Office for National Statistics indicates the total number of working days lost due to sickness or injury in 2024 was nearly 149 million, with absence rates roughly equivalent to recent years, meaning the impact of sickness on productivity remains substantial.
Mental health conditions are now among the leading causes of both short- and long-term sickness absence in the UK, with other reports suggesting around a quarter of all absences are attributed to stress-related mental health issues.
Business Costs and the Economic Context
Employers face significant economic consequences from poor mental health and stress in the workforce. Estimates from mental health charities and research bodies suggest that poor mental wellbeing costs UK employers tens of billions of pounds each year through a combination of sickness absence, reduced productivity and turnover.
One analysis puts the annual cost to employers at around £42 billion to £45 billion, while other modelling suggests costs could be even higher when factors such as presenteeism and recruitment are included.
In broader economic terms, stress-related absence and sickness contribute to an estimated £5.2 billion in lost output for UK businesses annually, with indications that stress-linked sick leave has increased in recent years as pressure in the workplace grows.
The wider picture of sickness absence shows that minor illnesses remain the largest single category of reasons for absence, but mental health issues are taking on a larger share of prolonged absence, reinforcing the need for employers to consider stress reduction a core part of wellbeing programmes.
Employers Urged to Act
Commenting on the Astutis research, Brenig Moore, technical director and health and safety expert at Astutis, said stress quietly affects performance, wellbeing and personal lives, eroding standards and productivity if left unaddressed.
“Personal fatigue and mental health should be enough of a reason for employees to take stress more seriously, when it’s leading to employees sleeping less, eating more and less, smoking or drinking more and less,” he said. “However, the actions that employees take when they’re overworked can cost businesses a lot of money when it comes to simple mistakes and skipping work.
“Tackling stress isn’t just about protecting wellbeing, but also about protecting profitability, reputation and long-term sustainability.”
Strategies to reduce stress in the workplace vary by sector but often include better managerial training, realistic workloads, clearer role expectations, stronger support networks and open communication about psychological hazards. Experts often recommend that employers embed mental health awareness into core health and safety policies and provide early intervention and support before stress escalates into sickness absence or burnout.
Wider Cultural and Societal Pressures
Outside the workplace, broader social pressures contribute to stress levels among employees. National surveys indicate that a large proportion of UK adults experience regular stress in their daily lives, with some research suggesting that many feel stressed more days than they feel at ease in a typical month, reflecting how societal and personal factors intertwine with workplace demands.
The combined evidence from Astutis and official statistics points to the need for employers to rethink how stress is managed in the UK labour market, balancing productivity goals with genuine support for employee health. Without such efforts, organisations risk higher absence, reduced engagement, and rising costs associated with turnover and lost output.