Work stress in United States

Health effects of high work stress

• Physical: sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, headaches or muscle tension, digestive issues
• Mental: heightened anxiety or depressive symptoms, burnout, difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Long-term risks: higher blood pressure/cardiovascular risk, weakened immune function

Effects on personal life

• Relationship strain: irritability, frequent conflicts, less quality time with loved ones
• Parenting and caregiving: reduced patience, less consistency for routines
• Social pullback: withdrawal from friends and activities, smaller support network

Coping tips

• Set clear work boundaries and discuss workload or deadlines with your supervisor
• Prioritize sleep, regular exercise, and short, restorative breaks during the day
• Seek support from trusted people or a mental health professional
• Consider utilizing October resources: digital group sessions, assessments, and stress-management content

• Reduced productivity due to absenteeism and presenteeism.
• Higher healthcare, disability, and insurance costs.
• Greater turnover and recruitment/training expenses.
• More workplace safety incidents, errors, and quality issues.
• Slower macroeconomic growth and weaker consumer demand.

Mitigation: addressing workplace stress through supportive policies and mental health resources (e.g., October) can mitigate these costs.

• Enforce fair work hours

  • Strengthen overtime protections; cap average weekly hours; require guaranteed rest periods.

• Expand mental health care access and parity

  • Broaden insurance coverage for mental health; enforce parity with physical health; fund employee assistance programs.

• Promote flexible work and the right to disconnect

  • Encourage flexible scheduling; support remote/hybrid options; establish a national or sector-wide right to disconnect after hours.

• Invest in prevention and early intervention

  • Run public health campaigns on stress prevention; fund workplace mental health literacy and routine screening; train managers in workload management and supportive leadership.

• Reduce job insecurity and strengthen safety nets

  • Improve unemployment benefits and retraining programs; reduce precarious or gig-based work where possible; support career transitions.

• Provide employer incentives and digital mental health tools

  • Offer tax credits or subsidies for workplace mental health programs; encourage adoption of digital platforms (e.g., October) for group sessions, assessments, and mental health content.

• Clarify roles and manage workload

  • Ensure job descriptions match tasks, set realistic deadlines, and monitor for overwhelm or inequitable distribution.

• Normalize breaks and boundaries

  • Encourage regular breaks, no after-hours emails by default, and easy access to mental health days when needed.

• Flexible schedules and predictability

  • Offer hybrid/remote options, core hours, and predictable scheduling to reduce last-minute pressure.

• Psychological safety and supportive leadership

  • Train managers to listen nonjudgmentally, solicit feedback, and respond supportively to stress concerns.

• Access to mental health resources

  • Provide robust EAP benefits, counseling options, and digital programs (e.g., October) for group sessions and assessments.

• Skill-building and practical tools

  • Offer short stress-management and mindfulness trainings, plus CBT-based techniques employees can apply daily.