Workplace stress is something many of us have faced. It is the physical and emotional response to significant stress faced in your working environment. This could be due to pressures, workloads, poor or absent communication, reduced autonomy and job control, interpersonal conflict and job insecurity. These compounding factors can impact on an individual’s ability to cope in their job.
Statistically, the numbers are telling a rather stark story. According to the Queensland Human Rights Commission, one in five Aussies has taken an absence from work due to stress, anxiety and/or depression. That equates to 21% of the working Australian population. With the same research finding that 9 in 10 Australians believe that mentally healthy working environments are important, organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of addressing workplace stress. So, let’s explore how to deal with stress in the workplace…
Key Takeaways about Workplace Stress Management Techniques
The state of stress in Australian workplaces
40% of Australian workers report daily stress
How to manage workplace stress
Simple breathing and physiological techniques, boundary-setting and prioritisation techniques lower stress fast.
Workplace stress examples
The most significant causes are workload, poor communication and lack of job control
The power of EAP to minimise workplace stress
EAP counselling reduces the risk of burnout and supports recovery
What is Workplace Stress?
Workplace stress is the physical and emotional response to job demands that exceed a person’s ability to cope. It is commonly caused by high workloads, poor communication, limited control, and job insecurity, and can impact mental health, performance, and wellbeing.
Understanding Workplace Stress and Its Causes
Workplace stress can stem from a number of factors. According to a Gallup survey, Australia is tied with New Zealand as the second most stressed country on Earth, reporting stress levels of 40%. But ultimately, we can define workplace stress as a response to:
- Excessive job demands.
- Long working hours.
- Limited autonomy and control.
- Poor support from leadership.
There are other challenges – such as role clarity, poor communication, and organisational culture and/or changes. All of these factors can potentially impact an individual physically, mentally and emotionally. Being an EAP, we often see employees presenting with issues relating to psychosocial risks – hazards that can impact an employee’s mental health. Such hazards can be detrimental to an organisation’s performance. As such, let’s explore the different causes of workplace stress.
Job Demands
Job demands refer to what is expected of you in your workplace. Excessive workloads, long hours, and compounding pressures to meet or exceed tight or unrealistic deadlines can significantly increase workplace stress.
Lack of Control
Lack of control is when you may have little to no control over your job. This could be micromanagement and/or over-the-top surveillance, leading to frustration, reduced confidence, overwhelm, and stress.
Poor Support
Poor support is when you’re inadequately supported in your job role. This may come from leadership or colleagues, such as high workloads with little input or help, increasing workplace stress.
Workplace Relationships
Conflict at work, bullying, harassment, or ongoing distrust within a team can lead to undue stress and adverse emotional outcomes, especially when concerns aren’t addressed early.
Lack of Role Clarity
Lack of role clarity is about feeling unsure about your position, tasks, responsibilities, and what is expected of you. Working hard without certainty can create ongoing stress.
Poor Communication
When communication between teams, colleagues, or managers is limited or unclear, people miss guidance and feedback. This may show up as unclear instructions, jargon, or a lack of acknowledgement.
Organisational Change
Change can be stressful when people feel uncertain about their role, observe redundancies, or receive inadequate communication. Clear updates and support can reduce this impact.
Low Recognition
Putting in significant effort and delivering high-quality work without recognition can feel discouraging and stressful, prompting people to question expectations and outcomes.
Poor Organisational Justice
When decisions feel biased, unfair, or poorly explained — or when someone feels excluded or disrespected without reason — trust can erode, leading to frustration and stress.
Workplace Stress Support Strategies
There are a number of ways you can prevent stress from taking hold – especially at work. First and foremost, a healthy mind can foster greater resilience. But this can be difficult when you’re faced with workplace stress. Here are numerous practical stress management techniques you can use.
Maintaining all the usual wellbeing strategies is a good place to start. Overall, we need to practice self-care and good habits to stay mentally healthy and resilient. These include:
- A good sleep routine.
- Frequent exercise.
- Self-care and work-life balance.
- A healthy diet.
Other forms of support are workplace support systems. While you can practice mindfulness and keep your mindset as healthy as possible, if stress persists, speak up!
- Talk to your manager.
- Speak with a colleague.
- Reach out to HR
- Speak with someone you trust, who you know will be non-judgemental
The next step is seeking professional support. This could be counselling services, such as speaking with an expert. Here are examples of experts you could talk to, including:
- Your GP.
- A counsellor, social worker or psychologist.
- Your workplace EAP program, where you can access free and confidential support from a qualified counsellor, without some of the waiting times of other mental health services.
How to Deal with Stress in the Workplace
While you’re working away on your stress management techniques, there are other practical approaches you can take to manage workplace stress. Albeit sometimes daunting, talking to your manager can be an effective strategy to get the support you need.
Try to be transparent about the specific causes of your stress; for example – deadlines that are feeling overwhelming. Try being as specific as possible, as this can sometimes support resolution. Remember – your manager won’t be across the detail that you are, so starting with a conversation that outlines your experience, will be helpful in getting you on the same page to get the outcome you need.
Rightly or wrongly, leaders may see you delivering excellent work and think everything is fine. As such, speaking up is a helpful thing to do. Additional techniques you could deploy include:
- Setting personal and professional boundaries (for example, not checking emails late at night) and saying no to prevent overcommitting.
- Taking regular short breaks – such as going for a walk.
- Prioritising tasks to make them more manageable. Top tip: keep a checklist. This can help you feel more in control of your workload.
- Be proactive in communicating if stress is becoming overbearing.
40%
40% of Australian workers report feeling stressed every day.
Source: Gallup survey
Australians have taken time off work due to stress, anxiety or depression.
Australians believe mentally healthy working environments are important.
Of workplace concerns supported by Converge are stress-related.
Australia ranks the second most stressed country globally (tied with New Zealand).
Stress Management Techniques for Employees & Teams
The most important step of any stress management technique is taking care of your mental health and wellbeing. Some stress management techniques for your wellbeing, provided by wellbeing expert and Converge’s Chief Clinical Officer, Cate Page, are:
- Grounding and stabilisation techniques: For example breathing and sensory mindfulness exercises. These techniques bring your focus to the present moment and help you manage intense emotion like anxiety, stress or panic.
- Regular exercise and a healthy diet – scientifically proven to support energy and regulate stress.
- Sleep is your best friend, so make sure you’re getting plenty. A good sleep routine allows our bodies to rest and recover. As a result, sleep can help us become more resilient to stress by enabling us to think clearly and act with energy and motivation.
- Social support and connection trigger feel-good hormones like oxytocin, and lower stress hormones such as cortisol. It can help to improve emotional regulation, decrease anxiety and improve mood whilst building resilience. So, reach out to a friend or family member and spend some meaningful time with them. For further information, look at the NHS report.
- Finally, reach out for professional help. If your workplace has a mental health and wellbeing program, such as an employee assistance program, their expert counsellors can help you develop tailored, effective workplace stress management techniques – free and confidentially.
Stress Anxiety Management Techniques That Work
Thought you were finished with Cate’s expert insights? Think again. We’ve provided some more information on these magical stress management techniques below:
Lifestyle and relaxation techniques:
- Breathe deeply when you feel overwhelmed by taking slow, deep breaths to calm your mind and body. Try the 5 sensory mediation or box breathing technique.
- Try progressive muscle relaxation by tensing your muscles and then releasing. Try this on various muscle groups across your body. This exercise helps alleviate physical tension brought on by stress and teaches your brain to recognise the difference between physical and psychological symptoms which can help with panic attacks.
- Be mindful and practice meditation. Take some time to focus on the present, and try to dismiss your past, current and future worries. You could try meditation apps or journaling – both of which are available in the Converge App!
- Do (or find) a hobby you enjoy outside of work – such as basketball, paddle, running, etc. These hobbies are full of exercise, but if running is less your speed, you could find a book club or join a class that supports social connection and wellbeing.
Cognitive and behavioural techniques:
- Reconfigure your surroundings, avoid stressful news on your phone and TV, and make sure your space is set up to feel safe and comfortable so that stimulation is reduced and calmness encouraged..
- Make clear demarcations between what are “must-finish tasks” and “nice to haves”. Identifying what is important and what needs to be addressed quickly will help you prioritise your workload. Try to postpone less critical tasks or those that can be delivered at a later date.
- Work on your assertion so that you can say ‘no’ to tasks where appropriate. . You have the power to set boundaries and manage your responsibilities. Politely say: “I’m sorry, but I can’t work on that task at the moment, but X could help”.
- Break up your large projects into small, manageable goals. This will make the finish line seem less distant. Akin to New Year’s Resolutions, setting small goals you tick off along the way can make the end goal seem less stressful.
How to Recover from Work Stress with EAP Counselling
According to our data, 24% of workplace concerns were stress-related. That’s a large portion of the 2.1 million employees and their family members that we support. More broadly, chronic, high levels of stress can potentially lead to symptoms of burnout. Therefore, using professional services such as EAP can help you address your stress and reduce your risk of burnout.
Through your employer-funded EAP counselling program, you can speak with experts who have the tools to support you with your stress management. They can provide stress management techniques, cognitive and behavioural strategies, and acknowledge, validate and support problem resolution to achieve important outcomes that improve your wellbeing.
Need confidential support today?
If Converge is your workplace wellbeing provider, book an appointment — it’s free, confidential, and available 24/7. Here are the services we provide to help you and your employees with their stress management.
Don’t partner with Converge? Reach out to see how our EAP solutions can support your business
Workplace Stress FAQs
What Are The Early Signs Of Workplace Stress I Should Look Out For?
Early signs of workplace stress often show up physically, mentally, and behaviourally. You might notice fatigue, tension, trouble sleeping, or constant worry. At work, look for difficulty concentrating, feeling overwhelmed by deadlines, withdrawing from colleagues, irritability, or suddenly losing motivation. These symptoms can be triggered by job demands, poor communication, little control or autonomy, or a lack of support.
How Can Managers Provide Support For Stress In The Workplace?
Managers can play a critical role in reducing stress. They can help to support psychologically safe environments by checking in regularly, offering clear communication, reviewing workloads, and promoting realistic deadlines. Practical actions include providing additional resources, delegating tasks, encouraging breaks, and supporting flexible working arrangements where possible with roles. Managers can also make employees aware of available support channels, such as HR, peer support, and confidential EAP counselling.
What Stress Management Techniques Are Most Effective During A Busy Workday?
Simple, repeatable techniques work best. Short breathing exercises, mindfulness, stretching, or a brief walk can immediately reduce tension. Setting boundaries (like limiting after-hours emails), prioritising tasks, breaking big projects into smaller steps, and practising progressive muscle relaxation can also help you stay in control. Even a few minutes of pausing, moving, and resetting can boost mental clarity throughout a busy workday.
Can Workplace Counselling Really Help Reduce Stress And Anxiety?
Yes — counselling is one of the most effective ways to reduce workplace stress and anxiety. Speaking with a trained professional allows you to process challenges, learn coping strategies, and develop personalised stress management techniques. EAP counsellors can provide cognitive and behavioural strategies, breathing and relaxation tools, and guidance on workload conversations with managers. Converge data shows that 24% of workplace concerns are stress-related, and EAP support helps reduce anxiety, build resilience, and prevent symptoms of burnout.
How Long Does It Usually Take To Recover From Work-related Stress?
Recovery time varies depending on the level of stress and how early support is accessed. With proactive strategies — such as better sleep, regular exercise, boundary-setting, team support, and professional counselling — many people begin feeling improvements within weeks. However, long-term or unmanaged stress can lead to symptoms of burnout, which typically takes longer to recover from. Seeking help early, especially from an EAP, is one of the most effective ways to speed up recovery.
