One of the leading causes of stress among adults comes from their workplace. Due to increased stress levels, anxiety, and depression that occur thanks to a workplace environment, more people are now struggling with mental health. Moreover, workplace stress statistics show that workplace-induced stress further causes troubles with employees’ happiness, relationships, productivity, and tenure at both their company and outside in the real world.
The data we’ve uncovered can give you an in-depth insight into the challenges people face at work. Hopefully, you will find them both fascinating and alarming, which might encourage you to help someone handle their stress levels in a better way.
Key Stress in the Workplace Statistics (Editor’s Choice)
- 4 in 10 employees report their job as very or extremely stressful
- More than 6 in 10 Americans claim work is their primary cause of stress
- Up to 80% of work accidents happen due to sleepiness caused by stress or increased stress levels
- Almost 20% of people reported both verbal and physical bullying at the workplace because of increased stress
- A stressful working environment adversely impacts the quality of work, according to 91% of workers
- In the US, the age group that experiences the most stress in the workplace is people 25–35 years old
- Around 66.7% of millennials claim to skip lunch to get ahead at work
- Almost 60% of people have considered leaving or left a job due to negative office politics
Overall Workplace Stress Statistics
A working environment with a lot of stress does not harm only an employee but an employer as well. It can cause less productivity, happiness, employee turnover, and more.
1. 80% of Americans claim their stress comes from at least one factor at work.
(SHRM)
Stress is a common occurrence for American workers. In fact, 33% of them report regularly feeling stressed at work. The top five factors that cause stress at work are low salaries, lack of opportunity for growth and advancement, too heavy a workload, unrealistic job expectations, and long hours.
2. 41% of workers in medium- to high-paying jobs have reported a negative working environment.
(SHRM)
Moreover, people working low-paying jobs have reported that their jobs negatively affect their stress levels. A stunning 51% of employees have stated stress management at the workplace is hard to maintain due to the nature of their work.
3. 78% of working adults report having a positive relationship with their colleagues.
(SHRM)
Moreover, nearly three-quarters (72%) have a good relationship with their boss. However, the quality of these relationships has declined in the last three years.
4. 6 in 10 Americans state their work-related stress levels were higher during the 2020 pandemic.
(APA)
Americans have experienced increased job stress levels in 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Around 63% of American workers have reported that the current economy causes them stress on a more significant level.
5. Americans aged 25–35 experience more chronic stress than other age groups.
(Everyday Health)
That is a combination of impacted mental health, physical health problems, and a mixture of socio-economic and environmental factors.
6. More than 20% of employees spend around five hours a day thinking about their stressors.
(Colonial Life)
Stress and productivity do not go together, so stress has a negative impact on both employees’ productivity levels and mental health.
7. 40% of employees have reported their job was very or extremely stressful.
(AIS)
Although 80% have declared they feel stressed about their jobs, approximately half say they need help in learning how to manage stress and 42% think their coworkers need such help. Furthermore, 25% of them target occupational stress as their number one stressor.
8. 61% of Americans claim their work is their number one stressor.
(APA)
When talking about the main stressors in American people’s lives, the future of the nation, the economy, and money are among the highest-ranking stressors. On the other hand, the current political climate (57%) and violence and crime (51%) are considered less important factors.
Targeted Workplace Stress Statistics
Work-related burnout is a serious matter that we shouldn’t underestimate.
9. 91% of workers reveal that feeling high levels of stress negatively impacts the quality of their work.
(Deloitte)
Naturally, immense amounts of stress can negatively impact anyone’s workload and the quality of work. Furthermore, 83% claim that burnout they experience daily at stressful workplaces has a negative impact on their relationships.
10. 2 in 3 millennials claim to skip lunch to get ahead at work.
(BioSpace)
Millennials claim that their high-pressure jobs make them work harder and stay longer to get ahead. However, 60% of recently promoted millennials claim they can take lunch breaks, which means they can afford to take them.
11. Top five stress factors are the inability to advance, low salaries, long working hours, heavy workload, and unrealistic job expectations.
(SHRM)
The majority of working Americans have reported that many work-related factors influence their stress levels at work. Statistics on stress in the workplace show that it is most often caused by few to no opportunities for growth, low salaries, long working hours, and unrealistic job expectations.
12. 15% of people admitted they were looking for a new job because of stress.
(Colonial Life)
Employees are aware that the stress levels they experience at their office make their performance worse. In addition, 41% claim work stress makes them less productive, while 33% think it makes them less engaged.
13. 58% of people have thought about leaving or have left a job due to negative office politics.
(Randstad)
In addition, 86% would not continue to work or apply for a company that has a bad reputation with the general public or former employees, and 65% would probably leave if their employers were negatively portrayed on social media or in the news due to a crisis or employee stress. On top of that, they say they would even work for a smaller salary if that meant working for a great boss.
Workplace Stress and Its Impact on Health
Stress is a significant factor in people’s lives, both professional and personal. Thus, the stress in the workplace not only impacts the working environment but also harms the person’s physical and mental health.
14. 19% of people reported both verbal and physical bullying at the workplace.
(Stress.org)
Unfortunately, dealing with work stress goes hand in hand with bullying, both verbal and physical. Furthermore, 35% of employees think their job affects their emotional or physical health, while 42% claim job pressure affects their relationships.
15. 66% of people have reported having difficulty sleeping due to stress related to work.
(Inc)
Stressful situations in the workplace lead to people taking their stress home, resulting in a less peaceful home life. Sleep deprivation has a negative impact on the critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities you need for success at work.
16. 44% of people reported having trouble with their eyes.
(CWM)
Whether you’re a stressed office worker, teacher, writer, or your position requires any contact with computers, you will probably report having some work-related health problems. Some of the most common stress-related symptoms are neck pain (60.2%), hand pain (38%), and sleep problems (34%).
17. 31% of male and female workers handle stress at work by consuming more caffeine.
(ADDA)
There are several ways employees handle causes of stress in the workplace. In fact, 27% of them smoke, 23% take prescription or over-the-counter medication, and 20% consume more alcoholic beverages.
18. 65% of employees claim workplace stress has caused difficulties.
(AIS)
Moreover, more than 10% say stress can have major effects. Another 42% report verbal abuse as a common occurrence, while 29% of workers have yelled at their colleagues due to stress in the workplace. Some of the most stressful jobs even lead to physical violence (10%) and damage to machinery equipment (14%).
19. 62% of people end their working day with neck problems.
(AIS)
In addition, more than half often spend 12 hours at work and the same number frequently skip lunch due to the stress of job-related duties. Nearly one in five respondents (19%) quit a previous position because of stress in the workplace, while almost one in four have been driven to tears because of it.
Stress in the Workplace Statistics Regarding Violence and Accidents
20. 60–80% of accidents at work happen due to increased stress levels or sleepiness caused by stress.
(EKU)
According to the American Institute of Health, stress affects approximately 50% of American employees. While 48% of them can’t sleep well at night because of stress, 42% have changed their job for the same reason.
In addition, the stress in the workplace stats confirm that 52% of employees have called in sick because they were unable to cope with pressure at work, while many developed some psychological symptoms of stress like nervousness (45%), irritability/anger (50%), waiting to cry (35%), and lack of energy (45%).
Moreover, physical symptoms of work-related stress include headache (44%), fatigue (51%), upset stomach (34%), muscle tension (30), and appetite changes (23%).
21. 42% of employees have reported yelling or verbal assaults at work.
(AIS)
Current statistics about stress in the workplace report that verbal assaults and yelling are common occurrences. In fact, around 42% of people working in offices or job sites have reported that. On top of that, 29% of people have admitted to yelling at coworkers due to increased stress.
22. 14% of people admit they have felt the need to strike a coworker but haven’t.
(AIS)
The latest statistics on workplace stress show that people have felt the need to strike a coworker or supervisor. That was due to the stress they felt while performing their job. In addition, 2% of workers have actually struck someone at work.
23. About 25% of people felt the need to shout or scream due to stress in the work environment.
(AIS)
As numerous studies show, stress in the work environment evokes different feelings in people. Around 10% of workers state they’re afraid of a coworker and their potential violent outbursts due to increased stress.
25. 40% of people say they need help in managing stress.
(AIS)
Around 80% of people feel stressed at work, with nearly half of them reporting that they would like to learn how to cope with high-stress levels. On the other hand, 42% of people have stated that they would like their coworkers to learn how to manage stress.
People Also Ask
How is workplace stress measured?
Naturally, stress levels are challenging to measure, but the most commonly used tool for measuring them is the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). It is a widely used psychological instrument for measuring the perception of stress. It measures the degree to which situations in one’s life are evaluated as stressful, meaning it can be applied to workplace situations and further help determine workplace stress levels.
What percentage of the population is stressed?
According to recent data, around 33% of adult Americans feel extreme stress, while 77% experience stress that affects their everyday life. Moreover, 73% of workers claim stress affects their mental health, while 48% have trouble sleeping due to stress. People who experience particularly high rates of stress are women, ethnic minorities, single parents, and people responsible for their family’s health care decisions.
What are the 3 signs that you are stressed about your work?
There are plenty of signs that can help you determine whether you’re stressed about work. Some of the most common indicators are insomnia leading to tiredness, irritability or outbursts of anger, and low productivity accompanied by feelings of low achievement. Other signs might include consuming too much caffeine or alcohol, low mood, regular absence, a higher sickness rate, and being accident-prone, cynical, or defensive.
What do I tell my doctor to get stress leave?
If you want to solve your problem, it’s best to be completely honest about your symptoms with your doctor. You should note that it is crucial to be upfront and open about your feelings and work-related stress. Remember not to leave out any details, and listen to your doctor’s advice. Give an example of a work-related stress incident and explain why you’re feeling that way.
Can I quit my job due to stress?
Naturally, you can quit your job for any reason, one of them being stress. Stress has a detrimental effect on health, so if you feel it is starting to affect your health, it might be time to quit or even ask for fewer responsibilities. If a simple break from work doesn’t help you manage your stress levels, then you’d better seriously think about what you should do, workplace stress statistics show.
