October Health – 2025 Report
Work stress in United Kingdom 
The leading cause of work stress in the United Kingdom is workload pressure, including tight deadlines, too much responsibility, and a lack of managerial support. This is consistently identified in health and safety statistics, such as those provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
- Work stress Prevalence
- 20.77%
- Affected people
- 11,423,500
Impact on the people of United Kingdom
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Physical Health Effects
- Increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- Weakened immune system, leading to more frequent illnesses.
- Insomnia or poor sleep quality.
- Headaches, migraines, and muscle tension.
- Higher likelihood of developing chronic conditions like diabetes.
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Mental Health Effects
- Increased anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed.
- Greater risk of depression and burnout.
- Difficulty concentrating or reduced cognitive performance.
- Emotional exhaustion and irritability.
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Impact on Personal Life
- Strained relationships due to irritability or lack of time/energy.
- Reduced participation in social and leisure activities.
- Poor life-work balance, leading to less satisfaction and fulfillment.
- Conflict between personal and professional priorities.
Promoting access to mental health resources like October or group support sessions can help employees cope with work-related stress.
Impact on the United Kingdom Economy
- Reduced Productivity: Employees experiencing high work stress often underperform, leading to a decline in output and efficiency. This impacts overall economic productivity.
- Increased Absenteeism: Work stress results in more sick days and absenteeism, disrupting workflows and increasing costs for businesses.
- Higher Healthcare Costs: Stress-related illnesses (e.g., anxiety, depression, cardiovascular diseases) strain both public and private healthcare systems.
- Employee Turnover: Increased work-related stress leads to higher staff turnover rates, costing businesses significant resources for hiring and training replacements.
- Economic Losses: The UK Health and Safety Executive estimates billions in lost revenue annually due to work-related stress, depression, and anxiety.
- Impact on Innovation: Chronic stress stifles creativity and problem-solving abilities, reducing innovation in the market.
To address this, companies can integrate tools like October's mental health group sessions and content to reduce stress and improve workplace well-being.
What can government do to assist?
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Promote Work-Life Balance: Encourage policies such as flexible working hours, remote working options, and limiting overtime to prevent burnout.
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Encourage Mental Health Dialogue: Foster a stigma-free environment around mental health by creating campaigns and involving leaders in discussions.
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Improve Workplace Policies: Enforce fair wages, reasonable workloads, and clear job expectations to reduce stress from role ambiguity and financial concerns.
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Provide Access to Mental Health Support: Offer access to counselling, Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), and tools like group therapy platforms (e.g., October) tailored for workplace mental health support.
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Train Managers in Mental Health: Ensure leaders are trained to recognise stress and provide support to their teams by directing them to resources or implementing changes.
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Legislation for Health and Safety: Enforce policies that require companies to ensure a safe and stress-free workplace for all employees.
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Promote Healthy Workplace Culture: Advocate for regular breaks, encourage open communication, and create spaces for relaxation and unwinding during work hours.
What can businesses do to assist their employees?
Strategies for Reducing Workplace Stress
1. **Encourage a Healthy Work-Life Balance**
- Promote flexible working hours or remote work options.
- Discourage overtime and working during personal time.
2. **Support Open Communication**
- Foster an environment where employees feel safe discussing stress or challenges.
- Provide regular check-ins with managers to address concerns.
3. **Provide Mental Health Resources**
- Implement programmes like October's October to provide digital group sessions and mental health support.
- Offer access to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs).
4. **Set Clear Expectations**
- Define roles and responsibilities clearly.
- Avoid assigning unrealistic workload or deadlines.
5. **Promote Physical and Mental Wellness**
- Offer wellness programmes, gym memberships, or mindfulness workshops.
- Encourage taking breaks and using annual leave.
6. **Recognise and Reward Employees**
- Acknowledge hard work and achievements.
- Celebrate team wins to foster positivity in the workplace.