Explore how to support employees who experience anxiety in the workplace.
Jump to:
- What is anxiety?
- What causes workplace anxiety?
- What does anxiety in the workplace look like?
- What are an employer’s legal obligations for anxiety?
- How to support employees with anxiety
What is anxiety?
We will all feel anxious sometimes throughout our lives – it’s common and natural to experience this feeling when we’re faced with stressful events.
However, for some people, anxiety is a constant. It is something they experience most of the time and it can affect their everyday life. At this point, it will likely be considered a mental health condition as it impacts their ability to fully enjoy and live life.
From the Youth Voice Census 2024, we know that mental health, and especially anxiety, continues to be one of the biggest challenges young people face. But why does it matter when it comes to work?
Having anxiety, whether it’s a short-lived feeling or a consistent issue, can contribute to stress, affect wellbeing, and negatively impact work performance. It’s a common occurrence too – when we asked young people about their wellbeing in the workplace, 34% of young people agreed that they struggled.
Before we dive into how you can support employees with anxiety, let’s look at what some of the causes are and what anxiety looks like.
What causes workplace anxiety?
There could be many reasons why someone is feeling anxiety at work and understanding them can help you approach the issue. This is not an exhaustive list, but some causes could include:
- Unmanageable workloads
- Stress
- Tensions or conflicts with colleagues
- Unclear expectations about work
- A lack of control over work or in the working environment
- Personal issues outside of work
What does anxiety in the workplace look like?
There are ways we can manage anxiety day to day, but you must look out for those who are starting to struggle. While people experience different levels and effects of anxiety, there are some key signs you can look out for to spot if someone may be struggling with anxiety. These include:
- Increasing absences or lateness
- Changes in behaviour or interactions
- Changes in interests, especially in things they used to enjoy
- Changes in performance, including both poor and high levels
- Appearing tired, withdrawn or unfocused
- Struggling to make decisions, or do things that require them such as organising and problem-solving
- Changes in habits, such as appetite, drinking or smoking
It is important to note that:
- It can be harder to spot the signs that someone is struggling with anxiety if they work from home
- Everyone experiences things differently and there may be other reasons for the above signs, so you should not make assumptions about what may exactly be happening and, instead, check in with the individual
- Not everyone will show obvious signs which is why consistent, open communication is so important, even for those who work from home
What are an employer’s legal obligations for anxiety?
All employers have a duty of care to their employees, which means they have to do all that they reasonably can to support their employees’ wellbeing, health and safety.
In particular, though, employers must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure employees with disabilities or physical or mental health conditions are not substantially disadvantaged when doing their jobs. Anxiety is considered a mental health condition if it has a long-term effect on your normal day-to-day activity.
Whether short-term or long-term, reasonable adjustments for anxiety might look like flexible working arrangements, reviewed working hours, access to a private and quiet space, a reduced workload, or working from home arrangements. It will look different from employee to employee.
How to support employees with anxiety
Create a culture of open communication
Many people who experience anxiety can find it hard to speak out when they need help. Sometimes this is due to a fear of being misunderstood or facing prejudice, thinking that it will not be taken seriously, or even because of their own judgment of how they’re feeling.
We know, however, that without sharing or addressing the problem, the situation isn’t likely to improve. Clearly showing that there is a space to openly talk to a trusted individual is key. This will not only help people with anxiety open up about how they are feeling and what support they need, but it can allow you to proactively help employees before their anxiety becomes overwhelming, rather than after.
Consider an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
An Employee Assistance Programme is a workplace benefit designed to support employee wellbeing. It provides advice, support, and assistance with any issues that might be impacting their wellbeing or work performance. It allows those employees to discuss their concerns, get support and guidance, and address any challenges they may be facing in a productive manner.
Ensure there is a trained mental health first aider
Employers should ensure that at least one staff member is a trained mental health first aider. Through training, they can learn to change the conversation about mental health at work, reducing stigma and creating a more open culture. They can also sign post appropriate services and help employees advocate for themselves.
Train your line managers
While HR as a function will likely play a big role in supporting employees with anxiety, line managers are one of your most important connections to your employees. They have a key role in working relationships, in day to day activities, and in the employees direct environment. Therefore, line managers should be approachable and know how to have mental health conversations with employees.
Some areas for development could include:
- Training on spotting the signs that someone is experiencing or struggling with anxiety
- Conducting regular check ins and providing the space to raise concerns
- Fostering an open, collaborative culture
- Creating a policy for escalating and acting on concerns
- Communicating effectively, including actively listening and being respectful
If an employee doesn’t feel comfortable talking to their line manager, they should be able to talk to someone else and know who that could be e.g. the HR manager.
Don’t make assumptions
Work with your employees and include them in the conversation when exploring potential solutions.
People experience things differently, so you can’t assume you know exactly how they feel and what they want. Even if you also experience anxiety, you may relate to what they are going through but it doesn’t mean the situation is exactly the same. They may have some idea of what support they need or what can lessen their anxiety, but this won’t always be the case.
Having a discussion about what can be done can help you both identify some small, suitable changes to try.
Keep communication consistent
While knowing that support is there or having an open conversation can lift a weight off someone’s shoulders, it’s important to remember that change won’t happen overnight. You shouldn’t expect to see a complete switch in someone’s mood or behaviour immediately.
On the flip side, if you can see a boost in someone’s behaviour and wellbeing, it can be easy to forget that they ever showed signs of struggling with anxiety.
Regular and consistent conversations are key to ensuring your employees are managing their anxiety, whether it’s in line with an action plan, in 121’s, or as wellbeing check-ins.
Create a strong mental health policy
Creating a mental health policy can help make your processes and procedures clearer, outlining how employees can raise concerns and how managers can support them. It will also ensure that the updated information is consistently referred to by managers and is included in any training, such as your induction.
Your mental health policy should cover:
- A definition of mental health, examples (including anxiety), and how it affects people
- What support is available and where it can be found
- How to raise concerns
- Who is trained in mental health within the organisation
- Information about time off work and the return to work process
- Confidentiality
As a policy is broad and should cover all employees, creating action plans could be a key part of your mental health procedures as a suitable way of planning and documenting how you plan to support an employee on an individual basis. It can be beneficial for those who struggle with anxiety frequently or during key periods e.g. during busy periods at work.
In an action plan, you should cover:
- The symptoms the employee experiences
- Any warning signs that indicate they are starting to struggle with managing their anxiety
- Any triggers/causes in the workplace
- The potential impact it has on them and their work
- What support they feel they need
- The next steps to be taken
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