10 CAUSES OF WORKPLACE STRESS THAT LEADERS NEED TO NOTICE

Every job carries risks that can impact employees' mental health, such as high skill demands, prolonged stress, heavy workloads, tight schedules, and unsupportive or unfair work environments. Workplace stress can result in decreased productivity, increased turnover rates, and labor shortages, ultimately hindering business growth and adding to societal burdens. 

Economic forecasts predict that reduced productivity due to depression and anxiety could cost the global economy $1 trillion annually. To mitigate these substantial economic losses, leaders are working to minimize risks and support employees in maintaining better mental health. 

Understanding the causes of workplace stress helps the HR managers and leaders implement timely measures to improve the physical and mental well-being of employees. This creates a healthy and productive work environment, ensuring sustainable development and long-term success for the business. 

Join CarePlus in exploring unexpected causes of work-related stress in the following article. 

1. 10 Causes of Workplace Stress that Leaders Need to Know 

According to "The Workplace Health Report: 2024" by Champion Health, here are the top 10 causes of stress in the work environment: 

1.1/ Workload (65%) 

Heavy workload is the leading cause of workplace stress, accounting for 65%. The saying "Pressure makes diamonds" is true, as stress can motivate employees to improve their performance. However, prolonged pressure can lead to feelings of overload and burnout. 

1.2/ Lack of Control (33%) 

This situation arises when employees lack autonomy, are not heard when they provide input, and do not have enough control over their work. This affects their morale and work performance. 

1.3/ Lack of Support (31%) 

When employees do not receive adequate support from their superiors or colleagues, lack necessary materials, information, or guidance to complete their tasks effectively, they are prone to anxiety and stress. 

1.4/ Senior Staff Members (30%) 

Managers who are frequently critical, overly demanding, imposing, unsupportive, or even bullying become significant sources of stress for employees. 

1.5/ Peers (25%) 

Conflicts, disagreements, and lack of cooperation among individuals can create a stressful and uncomfortable work environment. 

1.6/ Insufficient Training (17%) 

When employees do not receive sufficient guidance, training, or opportunities to develop the necessary skills for their jobs, they tend to become stressed due to a lack of confidence, fear of making mistakes, and seeing their career growth limited. 

 1.7/ Job Security (16%) 

Global economic downturns, company restructuring, changes in welfare policies, or mass layoffs are among the causes of insecurity, making employees constantly worried about losing their jobs. 

1.8/ Commuting (13%) 

Issues such as prolonged traffic jams, increasing commuting time, noise pollution, pressure to be at work on time, etc., though accounting for a smaller percentage, also contribute to stress. 

1.9/ Working from Home (5%) 

While remote work offers flexibility and convenience, it can also cause stress for employees due to difficulties in communication and collaboration, pressure to manage time and productivity, etc. 

1.10/ Bullying (5%) 

Workplace bullying undermines confidence, affects the psychological and physical health of employees, reduces team cohesion, and lowers overall productivity. 

Additionally, 21% of other causes include inadequate working conditions, poor relationships between colleagues, difficulty balancing work and life, and inappropriate company culture. 

Just like a scale; to balance the risks, many businesses worldwide are increasing protective factors such as building a culture of work-life balance, arranging flexible work hours and workloads, providing employees with supportive information, and organizing physical and mental health care activities. These approaches have been proven to bring about more positive outcomes compared to focusing solely on eliminating or preventing risks. 

2. How to Support Employees in Reducing Stress and Improving Mental Health 

To improve the mental health of employees experiencing workplace stress, the HR managers can implement the following solutions: 

2.1. Help employees understand their health status through regular health screening programs. 

When employees are aware of their health status, they can focus more on their work, improve productivity, and contribute more to the company. According to experts at CarePlus, every business should plan to organize annual health check-ups for employees. This is a benefit and a necessary activity to help employees detect early signs of illness, if any, and to provide the company with an overall picture of the health of its workforce to implement appropriate support measures. 

The CarePlus health screening program includes comprehensive health checks such as general internal medicine, dental, eye, ENT, chest X-rays, ECG, abdominal ultrasound, thyroid ultrasound, and lab tests (blood count, blood sugar, lipids, liver and kidney function, hepatitis B and C). Female employees also receive additional specialized services such as gynecological exams, breast ultrasound, and cervical cancer screening. 

According to internal statistics, over 98% of corporate clients have given positive feedback and would like to maintain long-term health check-ups at CarePlus due to: 

 - A team of 200 experienced and dedicated full-time doctors. 

- Professional and time-efficient examination processes. 

- Accurate test results and imaging diagnoses thanks to advanced equipment and modern laboratories. 

- Effective and quick health check-up organization management through the Health Check Dashboard. 

- Convenient and secure medical record access on the CarePlus Vietnam app. 

- 3 conveniently located branches in District 1, District 7, and Tan Binh District. 

- Direct billing with all local and global insurance companies. 

Proud to be an experienced healthcare provider, organizing annual health check-ups for over 1,000 corporations each year, CarePlus continually strives to enhance service quality and customer experience. 

2.2. Supporting Employees in Reducing Stress through Health Talks 

To improve the health of those who are suffering from work-related stress, managers can organize or collaborate to host workshops and talk shows on physical and mental health topics. These events provide an opportunity to share knowledge about stress management, relaxation methods, immunity-boosting tips, and more. They also allow employees to communicate, share experiences, and strengthen team bonds, thereby re-energizing, reducing stress, and creating a friendly and positive work environment. 

As a healthcare provider committed to bringing practical value to the community, CarePlus frequently collaborates with reputable partners such as The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, AIA, Citigym, and OCB Bank to organize health talk shows.

These events aim to update their employees and clients with the latest medical information and early disease prevention methods. 

Understanding the increasing need for mental health care in the workplace, CarePlus is always pleased to partner with corporations to provide optimal health care solutions for their workforce, both physically and mentally. This support ensures employees remain stable and helps businesses navigate the challenges of the current global economic downturn. 

If you need further information on the corporate healthcare program, please get in touch with Business Representative phong.le@careplusvn.com or free hotline 18006116.