World Wellbeing Week 2026, taking place from 24–30 June, is a valuable opportunity to focus on employee wellbeing and implement measures that support long-term improvement. Poor workplace health, of which stress is a significant contributor, now costs UK employers a staggering £85 billion annually.
This guide explores the causes and impacts of work-related stress and sets out practical steps employers can take to create healthier, safer, and more productive working environments.
What is World Wellbeing Week?
World Wellbeing Week (or ‘wellness week’), is a global annual event to promote health, happiness, and psychological safety in the workplace.
By encouraging a dedicated focus on wellbeing for one week, this initiative helps to ensure employers take practical steps that have a direct impact on how people experience work, day to day.
For HR teams and managers, World Wellbeing Week 2026 is an opportunity to lead conversations, reinforce expectations, and embed changes that support long-term organisational performance.
How does stress impact the workplace?
Work-related stress can have far-reaching consequences across an organisation, affecting individuals and business performance. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), around 964,000 workers were suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2024/25.
Increased absence and presenteeism
Millions of working days are lost due to work-related stress, with estimates ranging from 17 to 22 million days lost annually.
Stress also contributes to presenteeism, where employees are at work but not fully functioning. Research suggests that presenteeism can be two to three times more costly to employers than absence. In fact, presenteeism costs UK employers £24 billion each year.
The reason presenteeism has such a negative impact is because stress directly affects cognitive function, concentration, and judgement. High stress levels are associated with fatigue, reduced focus, and impaired decision-making, all of which undermine operational effectiveness and business outcomes.
Higher staff turnover
Stress-related ill health is strongly linked to lower job satisfaction and increased intention to leave, creating additional recruitment and training costs for employers.
High staff turnover affects continuity and team cohesion and places further pressure on remaining staff, potentially worsening the cycle of stress.
Worryingly, studies are showing growing levels of burnout, with over 60% of UK employees reporting symptoms such as exhaustion and disengagement.
Increased risk of workplace accidents
Stress is a significant physical safety risk. Fatigue, reduced concentration, and impaired judgement caused by stress can increase the likelihood of errors and accidents at work.
With 680,000 workplace injuries reported annually in Great Britain, human factors such as stress and distraction remain a key contributing risk.
In safety-critical environments, even small lapses in attention can have serious consequences.
World Wellbeing Week 2026: 7 steps to improve workplace wellbeing
To make a meaningful impact during World Wellbeing Week, organisations should focus on practical, preventative actions that address the root causes of stress.
The following steps align with the HSE Management Standards, a recognised framework for managing work-related stress.
1. Conduct a stress risk assessment
A structured stress risk assessment enables organisations to proactively identify and address psychosocial hazards such as excessive workload, lack of control, or insufficient support.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 2, places a duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees, including mental health. This is reinforced by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 3 which requires employers to carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments and implement appropriate control measures.
Our Stress Risk Assessment Service supports organisations to identify risks, analyse results, and implement practical measures to reduce stress.
2. Review workload and job demands
Excessive or unrealistic workloads are often the cause of workplace stress. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identifies “demands” (including workload, work patterns, and the work environment) as one of the six key areas that, if not properly managed, can lead to work-related stress and poor health outcomes.
Stress can occur when employees feel unable to cope with the demands placed on them. For example, where deadlines are unrealistic or there is insufficient time or resource to complete tasks.
High workload also has a direct impact on performance. HSE guidance on human factors highlights that excessive workload can lead to slower task performance and an increased likelihood of errors, such as slips and mistakes.
Employers should therefore assess whether demands are reasonable, deadlines are achievable, and staffing levels are appropriate.
3. Clarify roles and responsibilities
Unclear expectations can lead to confusion, duplication of work, and increased pressure. The HSE identifies “role” as one of the six key areas within its Management Standards, noting that employees should understand their role and responsibilities and not face conflicting demands.
Research in occupational psychology supports this, showing that role ambiguity is associated with higher stress, lower job satisfaction, and reduced performance, with meta-analyses confirming a consistent negative relationship with performance outcomes.
Clearly defined roles and responsibilities reduces uncertainty, supports more confident decision-making, and enables individuals to perform more effectively.
4. Improve the physical work environment
The physical working environment can directly affect comfort, concentration, and performance.
The HSE states that environmental factors, such as workstation set-up, lighting, and noise, can influence how people work and contribute to fatigue, discomfort, and reduced effectiveness.
For display screen equipment (DSE) users in particular, poor workstation design is a recognised risk. HSE guidance on DSE regulations states that workstations must be suitably designed and adjustable to reduce health risks such as musculoskeletal issues, eye strain, and fatigue.
Our virtual ergonomic assessment service provides expert-led workstation assessments for employees working in the office or at home. Our experienced DSE consultants offer practical, personalised recommendations to improve workstation set-up, reduce risk, and support long-term wellbeing and compliance.
5. Ensure access to appropriate tools and resources
A lack of suitable tools, equipment, or resources can create unnecessary frustration, inefficiency, and pressure.
The HSE identifies work equipment and resources as key factors influencing performance, noting that poorly designed or unavailable resources can increase the likelihood of human error and reduce efficiency.
Research also highlights the link between resources and workplace stress. The Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model, a widely recognised framework in occupational psychology, shows that job resources play an important role in supporting work engagement and preventing burnout.
Ensuring that employees have access to the right systems, equipment, and support enables smoother workflows, reduces avoidable stress, and supports more consistent, productive working.
6. Train managers to recognise and respond to stress
Line managers play a critical role in identifying early signs of stress and providing appropriate support. The HSE states that managers are often the first to notice changes in behaviour and are usually the first point of contact when an employee is experiencing stress.
Early intervention is key. HSE guidance emphasises that the sooner a problem is addressed, the less impact it is likely to have, and provides tools to help managers have practical conversations that can prevent issues from escalating.
Training provides managers with the skills to recognise behavioural changes, respond appropriately, and hold constructive, supportive conversations to prevent issues from developing into more serious problems affecting wellbeing, absence, and performance.
Our IOSH-approved Stress Awareness Course for Managers helps managers understand their responsibilities, recognise the signs of stress, and take practical steps to manage it effectively within their teams.
7. Improve communication and encourage open conversations
Open, transparent communication helps build trust and ensures employees feel heard and supported. The HSE identifies “relationships” and “support” as key areas within its Management Standards, underscoring the importance of positive working relationships, open dialogue, and accessible support in preventing work-related stress.
Evidence from the CIPD shows that effective employee voice (where people can raise concerns and contribute to decisions) is linked to improved trust, job satisfaction, and organisational performance.
Encouraging regular check-ins and creating environments where employees feel comfortable speaking up can help identify issues early. ACAS research has found that managing workplace issues early through open communication can reduce conflict, improve working relationships, and limit negative impacts on wellbeing and productivity.
Surface-level initiatives vs long-term solutions
Many organisations focus on visible activities during World Wellbeing Week, but these do not always address the underlying factors that affect employee wellbeing, health, and performance.
The most effective approaches combine engagement with practical, preventative action.
| Approach | Example activities | Impact on the organisation |
| Surface-level initiatives | Wellbeing boxes, free fruit, yoga sessions, wellbeing speakers, wellbeing posters to raise awareness | Can boost morale and engagement in the short term, but do not address the root causes of stress or reduce ongoing risk |
| Root-cause solutions | Stress risk assessments, workload and job demand reviews, clarifying roles and responsibilities, manager training, improving communication and employee voice, optimising the physical work environment, ensuring access to appropriate tools and resources | Identifies and controls underlying risks, supports compliance with health and safety duties, improves day-to-day working conditions, and delivers sustained improvements in wellbeing, performance, and organisational resilience |
Activities such as wellbeing boxes, posters, or guest speakers can support awareness and engagement, but lasting improvement comes from addressing the underlying factors that affect employee wellbeing and embedding these changes into everyday working practices.
World Wellbeing Week 2026 activities
World Wellbeing Week is a valuable opportunity to raise awareness, but the real impact comes from sustained, practical action.
Here are some World Wellbeing Week ideas:
Run a stress risk assessment
Use a structured assessment to gather insight on workload, support, and working conditions. Focus on identifying patterns across teams (such as high workload, lack of clarity, or poor communication) so that priority risk areas can be clearly defined and addressed.
Hold structured team check-ins
Encourage managers to hold focused conversations with their teams to review workloads, clarify priorities, and identify any immediate pressure points. These discussions should be practical and action-oriented, helping to rebalance work where needed.
Review job roles and expectations
Take time to assess whether roles are clearly defined and aligned with current responsibilities. Identify any gaps, overlaps, or conflicting demands that may be causing confusion or unnecessary pressure and agree clear expectations moving forward.
Carry out workstation or environment reviews
Review workspaces to identify quick, practical improvements (like adjusting seating, screen positioning, lighting, or layout). Even small changes can reduce discomfort, improve concentration, and support more effective working.
Deliver short manager briefings or training sessions
Provide managers with focused guidance on recognising signs of stress, having constructive conversations, and taking appropriate action. This can be delivered as short briefings or refresher sessions to reinforce expectations and build confidence.
Communicate clear support routes
Ensure employees know how to access support by clearly signposting available options (such as HR contacts, employee assistance programmes (EAPs), or internal reporting processes). Make this information visible and easy to access.
Workplace Stress Risk Assessment Service
If you are planning for World Wellbeing Week 2026 or want to take a structured, proactive approach to managing workplace stress, a targeted stress risk assessment provides the insight needed to take effective action.
Our experienced consultants deliver tailored stress risk assessments that identify key risks and set clear priorities, supported by practical recommendations. This helps improve working conditions, strengthen organisational performance, and support compliance with health and safety legislation.
To discuss how we can support your organisation, please contact our friendly team on 0203 011 4242 or info@praxis42.com
Adam Clarke
Managing Director (Consulting)
