Do you often feel the mental tension building up before you even arrive at your workplace? The good news is bad news; there are millions out there who feel just the same.

Anxiety affects millions of people around the globe, cutting across diverse age, gender, and cultural demographics. As one of the most persistent mental health challenges in the modern world, it is most noticeable in the workplace, where high-pressure situations are often the norm.

If you’re prone to anxiety attacks and a generalized feeling of anxiousness, it’s no surprise that the long hours, difficult coworkers, and pressing deadlines can all contribute to the problem.

Luckily, there are ways to tackle anxiety and regain control of how you feel at your workplace. So, in the following paragraphs, we will explore the various factors contributing to workplace anxiety, its most common symptoms, and some practical tips for managing the situation before it gets out of control.

What is Workplace Anxiety: Definition and Statistics

Workplace anxiety refers to the feelings of nervousness, fear, and unease that can arise and persist in a work environment. These feelings can be triggered by your colleagues, tasks, or the general workplace atmosphere.

Typical symptoms include excessive worry, racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, and increased irritability. Meanwhile, physical symptoms can also occur, such as excessive sweating, shaking hands, and heart palpitations.

According to a survey by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, three-fourths of people who feel stressed out at work report that the tension carries over to their personal life.

Research also suggests that anxiety-related disorders are the second leading cause of workplace absenteeism, costing employers billions of dollars in lost productivity annually.

Given the facts above, we can easily assume that workplace anxiety is both a significant factor in one’s overall well-being and a fundamental problem that employers need to understand and address.

Top 10 Causes of Anxiety in the Workplace

There are various workplace anxiety causes and identifying your triggers can be the first step in handling them in the long term. So, let’s bring up the curtain and explore ten of the most frequent reasons for feeling uneasy while at work.

#1 Workload and Deadlines

The mounting workloads, suffocating deadlines, and towering expectations can build a sense of pressure and stress that can trigger anxiety. Individuals who struggle to manage their workload or feel flooded by the demands of their superiors or clients may be more susceptible to anxiety attacks.

In addition, the constant buzz of tasks that need to be accomplished can leave workers feeling overwhelmed, and unrealistic time frames can add to their workplace anxiety.

#2 Interpersonal Conflicts and Workplace Bullying

Conflict with coworkers or supervisors, workplace bullying, or feeling excluded can add to the social anxiety at work. A workplace lacking a positive, supportive culture can also increase employees’ feelings of constant and undefined dread.

Workers who feel they are not valued or heard may experience nervousness, leading to decreased productivity and a lack of motivation.

#3 Lack of Control

Experiencing a lack of agency in managing your workload or schedule can also give rise to a pervasive sense of debasement that may worsen your anxiety.

Surveys suggest that those who perceive themselves as having little influence over their workload or career path may become particularly susceptible to anxiety. In addition, feelings of helplessness may feed into the already scaling distress, leaving individuals feeling trapped in a closed circle.

#4 Job Insecurity

The mere thought of losing one’s job or the fear of instability in one’s career can induce an immediate negative reaction in a person. People who have undergone job loss or downsizing previously may be more prone to experiencing anxiety related to job security. The unpredictable nature of their occupation status can give rise to stress and anxiety, adversely impacting their and even their families’ mental well-being.

#5 Poor Work-life Balance

Trying to juggle work and personal responsibilities can be a lot to handle, and not having enough time for self-care can intensify workplace anxiety. In addition, people who sense their job has become all-consuming may be at greater risk of developing long-term mental health issues. These include but are not limited to generalized anxiety, depression, and even substance abuse.

#6 Poor Job Satisfaction

It’s common for people to experience anxiety when they feel that their work doesn’t hold personal significance or lacks alignment with their values.

The dissatisfaction can cause a downward spiral, where lack of motivation feeds into anxiety levels, and vice versa. In such cases, it’s essential to assess the reasons behind the dissatisfaction and explore alternatives to bring greater meaning to one’s work.

#7 Organizational Change

Staff can quickly develop anxiety when confronted with corporate transformations, such as organizational restructuring, downsizing, or alterations in top-level management. That’s especially valid for people who bear skepticism about their place in the hierarchy or the future trajectory of the business.

The executive personnel in charge have a crucial role in providing certainty and elucidation along the process. By expressing themselves openly and transparently, they can foster a feeling of calm and confidence among employees.

#8 Poor Communication

Insufficient communication, ambiguous prospects, or substandard feedback have never made a workplace environment any better. Employees who don’t have the necessary details to perform their duties or are not receiving satisfactory assistance from their colleagues or supervisors can (quite logically) feel uncomfortable and worried. In addition, poor intercommunication can create a feeling of seclusion, contributing to employee anxiety and strain.

#9 Physical Work Environment

Unpleasant work settings are proven to both originate and deepen workplace concerns. These can be loud clamor, no access to enough daylight, an uncomfortable seat, or any other profession-specific physical discomfort.

Workers who lack a secure or cozy workplace start to automatically correlate between discomfort and work. That’s ultimately a ground for developing some not-so-pleasant associations with the place of employment.

#10 Trauma

Witnessing an incident, acts of violence, or workplace bullying is more challenging for some people to take. Individuals who have faced such trauma might be more susceptible to work-related anxiety, even if they change their workplace or settle the conflict.

The reason is that the mere recollection of the traumatic event can incite feelings of panic and anxiety, leading to reduced efficiency and drive.

It’s worth noting that some individuals may be more prone to anxiety than others, regardless of their workplace environment. Factors such as genetics, family history, and personal life experiences can all contribute to an individual’s predisposition for anxiety.

How To Manage Anxiety At Work

Fortunately, there are several strategies individuals can use to manage anxiety in the workplace.

Here are some practical tips to help you manage how you feel:

1. Identify the cause. Try to specify what’s causing your anxiety and address it directly. If it’s a workload issue, talk to your supervisor about adapting your assignments. In the case of a colleague conflict, attempt to resolve the matter through communication or mediation.
2. Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or grounding techniques for anxiety. These techniques can help you relax your mind and body and relieve stress and tension.
3. Seek support from friends, family, or a mental health professional. Discussing your emotions with someone can help you process them and gain a different perspective.
4. Establish boundaries in your work schedule and make time for self-care. In addition, you can take regular breaks throughout the day to stretch, walk, or do something you enjoy.
5. Learn self-empathy and show kindness to yourself. Remember that uneasiness is a normal human response, and it is acceptable to experience anxiety occasionally.
6. Stay methodical – formulate a to-do list and prioritize tasks to remain systematic. This can aid you in handling your workload more efficiently and diminish the feelings of being overburdened.
7. Guarantee your sound sleep each night, as sleep deprivation can intensify anxiety and stress by altering the hormonal balance in your body.
8. Convert pessimistic self-talk into positive assertions to help decrease anxiety. You can root out negative thought patterns by doing daily exercises and tracking your progress.
9. Use humor to lighten the mood and reduce tension in the workplace. Laughing can help reduce stress and face challenges with a healthy dose of wit.

If you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed, consider taking a mental health day off to recharge and refocus. Taking time off can help you gain perspective and return to work feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

If workplace anxiety persists or worsens despite your best efforts, it may be time to consider whether your job is the right fit for you and whether it’s time to make a change. Remember – your mental health and well-being should always come first.

Anxiety at Work: When To Quit?

The first and most certain red flag would be the physical symptoms of workplace anxiety, such as recurrent headaches, stomach problems, or insomnia. If you have these, it may be time to revisit whether your job contributes to your health issues and leave it behind if it does.

If you dread going to work each day and can’t shake the feeling of anxiety, it may also be time to ask yourself whether your job is causing more harm than good. This is especially true if you have a well-known anxiety trigger you’ve tried to discuss and resolve before that still hasn’t changed.

Some other signs that the positives of quitting might outweigh the negatives include:

• Your values don’t align with the company’s values;
• You’re not growing or learning;
• The work environment is toxic:
• Your mental health is getting worse;
• You have a better job opportunity;
• You feel unable to voice concerns or provide feedback;
• You face unfair treatment or favoritism, etc.

Last but not least – you might just feel your gut telling you it’s time to go. Sometimes, intuition knows better than rational arguments – so trust it. Maybe it’s just time to move on and replace workplace anxiety with inspiration, motivation, and fulfillment.

A standard 8-hour workday and a standard 40-hour workweek calculate about 160 hours a month and between 1600 and 2000 hours a year spent in your workplace. That’s about one-third of your adult life or nearly three full years of a 10-year period – if you never ever do overtime.

So, work is rarely just working, and it’s safe to say that the workplace environment is the second most vital provision for your well-being after your home.

In the light of all of the above, today we open the case of workplace bullying – a pervasive problem that affects millions of workers worldwide.

In the paragraphs below, we will discuss what workplace bullying is, the different types of bullying behavior, its effects on employees and organizations, its legal implications, and the strategies that employers can use to prevent and address it.

Introduction to Workplace Bullying: Definition and Statistics

Workplace bullying is a widespread concern that impacts millions of employees each year. It is defined as repeated and deliberate behavior intended to intimidate, humiliate, or harm an individual both personally and professionally.

Workplace bullying can take many forms and may involve physical, verbal, or psychological abuse. It can not only hinder one’s professional growth, but it can also impact the victim’s mental well-being and physical health.

Unfortunately, workplace bullying is more common than many people realize. A recent study by the Workplace Bullying Institute found that 30% of workers have experienced workplace bullying at some point in their careers. Furthermore, 52% of the bullied were non-management employees, and a skyrocketing 65% of bullies were the bosses themselves.

Considering the size and localization of the study, we might suggest that workplace bullying is an even more significant issue in developing countries and on a global scale.

Types of Workplace Bullying Behavior

According to the same study from the Workplace Bullying Institute, employers tend to rationalize and deny bullying. Sometimes, this can even happen among employees themselves.

Recognizing bullying behavior is the first step toward addressing and solving the issue. And though bullies can also be perfect gaslighters, it’s essential to identify inappropriate behavior and stand against it – no matter if you or your co-worker happen to be the victim.

So, what are the different types of bullying in the workplace?

• Humiliation and ridicule involve belittling or mocking an individual in front of others. This behavior can damage an individual’s self-esteem and create a hostile work environment.
• Micromanagement involves a supervisor or manager constantly monitoring and controlling an employee’s work. This can make employees feel like they are not trusted or valued, leading to decreased productivity and job satisfaction.
• Work interference occurs when a supervisor or manager disrupts an employee’s work by giving contradictory instructions, interrupting their work, or failing to provide necessary resources. This can make it difficult for employees to do their job effectively, thus leading to frustration and burnout.
• Retaliation emerges when an employee is punished or charged for reporting workplace bullying or other misconduct. This can create a culture of fear and discourage employees from reporting inappropriate behavior.
• Work overloads involve assigning an unreasonable amount of work or setting unrealistic expectations for an employee. The results often include signs of burnout, decreased productivity, and raised stress levels.
• Undermining work performance or reputation involves sabotaging an employee’s work or prestige as an expert. This behavior can damage an individual’s career and make it difficult for them to evolve in their specialization.
• Practical jokes or pranks are often considered witty or amusing by the bully. Except that they’re usually not. Workplace humiliation is nowadays not only practiced but broadcasted live on social media, thus deepening the self-esteem damage on the victim’s part.
• Institutional bullying is when an organization’s policies or procedures construct a hostile work atmosphere. This can include policies that discriminate against certain groups or fail to address workplace bullying.
• Discriminatory bullying involves bullying based on individual characteristics, such as race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. That’s illegal and can lead to legal action in most countries around the world.
• Verbal abuse concerns using language intended to hurt, threaten, or humiliate an individual. It usually comes after one or more of the abovementioned behaviors and is also considered valid grounds for taking legal action against the bully.
• Sexual harassment involves unwanted sexual advances or comments from a supervisor or co-worker. This type of behavior is legally banned and requires immediate action.

All in all, workplace bullying can take many forms, but it always feels the same – inappropriate, wrong, and hurtful.

Effects of Workplace Bullying on The Employee and the Organization

The harmful effects of workplace bullying are inevitable for both the individual employee and the organization as a whole.

Psychological Effects On The Victim

The psychological effects of workplace bullying on victims can be severe and long-lasting. Ongoing harassment, humiliation, and intimidation can lead to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. The victim may also develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have difficulty concentrating and completing tasks.

Anxiety attacks, characterized by sudden intense fear or discomfort, can also occur due to workplace bullying.

These psychological effects can significantly impact the victim’s personal and professional life, making it challenging to function in daily life and maintain healthy relationships.

Physical Effects On The Victim

The physical results of workplace bullying on victims are equally concerning. Sleep disturbances, such as insomnia and nightmares, are common among victims of workplace bullying, as the constant stress and anxiety make it difficult to relax even when out of the toxic environment.

Headaches, digestive problems, and high blood pressure are also expected physical symptoms of workplace bullying. In severe cases, victims may develop heart disease, a condition that is associated with long-term exposure to stress.

Effects On The Workplace Culture

Workplace bullying doesn’t just affect the victim; it also has a significant impact on the workplace culture as a whole.

Employees who witness or are aware of workplace bullying may experience decreased morale and a sense of unease, reducing their motivation to work. In addition, the high turnover rates associated with workplace bullying can also disrupt the organizational culture and decrease productivity.

Additionally, workplace bullying can lead to increased absenteeism and use of sick leave, further disrupting the workplace and increasing the cost of healthcare for the organization.

Effects On The Organization’s Productivity

When employees are bullied, their stimulus and job satisfaction decrease, thus lowering efficiency and productivity. Furthermore, employees who are teased and ridiculed may become distracted and disengaged from their work, leading to a well-measurable drop in the quality.

This, in turn, can negatively affect the organization’s reputation, leading to reduced customer satisfaction and fewer profits.

Bullying In The Workplace: Laws and Legal Implications

Employers are legally responsible for providing their employees with a safe and healthy work environment. Or else said – failure to address workplace bullying can result in legal consequences for the organization.

In some countries, there are laws that prohibit workplace bullying and harassment, and employers who do not comply with these laws could face legal action.

In addition, employers who fail to address workplace bullying may also face legal claims for compensation from employees who have been bullied. Such claims could be based on the grounds of negligence or breach of duty of care.

What Can Employers Do: Prevention and Intervention Strategies

Employers can take several measures to prevent and address workplace bullying, including:

• Establish a clear and comprehensive anti-bullying policy that outlines what constitutes bullying and the consequences of such behavior.
• Train employees and managers on the essence of workplace bullying and how to prevent it.
• Encourage employees to report bullying incidents and provide them with a confidential reporting system.
• Investigate all reported incidents of bullying in a timely and fair manner.
• Implement appropriate disciplinary actions against employees who engage in bullying behavior.
• Provide support and counseling to victims of bullying, be it within or out of the organization.
• Foster a positive work culture that values respect, teamwork, and open communication.
• Monitor the workplace for signs of bullying and take proactive measures to prevent it.

These measures are more standard than exotic in developed countries. Still, there’s a lot to be done in many parts of the world where bullying is still not taken seriously enough and is still not penalized accordingly.

Conclusion

Workplace bullying is a serious problem that can have severe psychological, physical, and financial consequences for both employees and organizations.

To avoid culturing such behaviors, employers can develop a positive work culture that promotes respect, collaboration, and productivity by taking proactive measures to prevent and address conflicts in or between their teams.

To do so, it is crucial for organizations to recognize the adverse effects of workplace toxicity and accept their role as not merely a place to work but also a place to live – and live well.

Improving mental health in the workplace is essential for the overall well-being, and the reason why is pretty simple – a regular 8-hour workday makes up exactly one-third of the day in general.

However, suppose you get the recommended eight hours of sleep at night. That means your workplace is the stage of at least half of your waking time, as that’s if you manage to maintain a good work-life balance.

According to the World Mental Health Report by WHO from 2022, almost 1 billion people worldwide have a mental health condition. In the first year of the pandemic, disorders like anxiety and depression increased by 25%. And guess what? The home office didn’t make things much better.

So, this is where the question of what managers should do when their employees struggle with their mental health stays. And – of course – what employees themselves can do to make things easier in the workplace.

Below, we will go down the path of why you should improve mental health in the office and how you can do it.

Talk Openly About Mental Health and Get To Know Health Benefits And Resources

Neglecting the topic of mental health issues can impact people in your company in a significant way. So, instead of ignoring the elephant in the room, you better revise your company’s culture and be open to discussion when it comes to the emotional well-being of everyone.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a business owner, a C-level manager, or a regular employee; you should shine the light on yourself first. Ask yourself how you feel and what feelings are going through you right now. Recognizing anxiety about deadlines, uneasiness about events, interpersonal issues, or worsened working environment will be the first step toward addressing those issues.

Mental health and the workplace go hand in hand for the success and contentment of the entire team. So, addressing the problems themselves should be open, transparent, and emotionally intelligent. You can consider creating a meeting that’s focused on mental health, speaking out, and canceling the stigma on the subject. Educate yourself and understand how each mental health issue impacts a person.

Once you do that, you should understand your company’s benefits and time off for such situations. Many people won’t talk to HR about what they are experiencing, so it’s good for you to present them with the options.

A good model is to ask your employees once a week how they are feeling on a scale from 1 to 10 and what drives that number. If some give a low score, you should check in with them and offer support. Stress can be caused by work and non-work factors, so keep the conversation going.

Create a Sense of Belonging and Know the Challenges for People of Color

Creating a sense of belonging is crucial for mental health in the workplace. A study conducted by Qualtrics found that people who have a good sense of belonging in a workplace have better well-being than those who don’t.

To achieve this, you must foster open communication, accessible technology, and inclusive language, empower employees to make decisions, and voice them.

It’s documented that employees of color face issues when it comes to accessing mental health care because of racism. Also, cultural and language barriers for people of color can be problematic.

There are also stigmas around the Asian American community because of the stereotype that Asian Americans are hard-working and strive for perfection. Therefore, this burdens the community to perfect the image the world has painted for them.

Black adults also report a lot of emotional distress and feel like everything they have to achieve is with extra effort. Reports state that 1 in 3 black adults receive mental health care, whatever their needs are.

As a manager, you should listen to and respect cultural differences when someone from a different background shares their experience. Then, show up for your employees and participate in ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) to continue learning. You won’t understand what everyone is going through completely, and that’s okay. Just be there for them.

Make Sure that People Take Vacations and Have a Workplace Mental Health Day

So, how to improve mental health in the workplace? First and foremost, by chasing away burnout.

Burnout is a modern-day disease. It consumes people of all ages, and it spreads out like wildfire. To manage that, managers have to catch the signs in employees, like alienation from tasks, reduced performance, and exhaustion.

Sometimes depression and burnout can have similar physical symptoms, but they are not the same by all means. People with depression experience fatigue, hopelessness, disinterest in activities, and suicidal thoughts.

If it’s burnout, it usually gets better if you take days off or step away from your current job. Depression doesn’t go away when circumstances change.

To prevent burnout, you should encourage time off, check the workload of your employees, set realistic goals, and provide good resources for the work tasks.

Focusing on mental health is not only good for the employees’ work-life balance but also for the business. Focus not only on the delivery and performance results but also on their quality which stems from the good well-being of the employees.

Workplaces can organize a workplace mental health day where mental health is discussed, and sources are handed out.

Prevent Loneliness and Alienation

Loneliness is a normal emotional state that everyone goes through, especially in new settings. However, if these feelings persist, a concern arises. Loneliness is not a mental health issue, but it is linked to such. It can contribute to conditions like addictions, anxiety, and depression.

In fact, research shows that loneliness impacts mortality just like smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

The consequences of loneliness include a shorter lifespan, a risk of depression, reduced immunity, and risks of cardiovascular diseases.

People who are more prone to loneliness are employees that work virtually, extroverts, and introverts who can feel bad in solitary environments.

Loneliness also comes from personality differences, especially when misunderstandings appear in the workplace. When such misunderstandings are not resolved, they can grow into more significant issues.

Sometimes the lack of social support might cause employees to stifle their creativity, productivity, and decision-making. Such issues can lead to weak team performance, emotional and physical stress, low productivity, and withdrawal from the team.

This is why mental health in the workplace should be put on a pedestal for all parties to consider. You can start with a simple well-being survey strategy and advance further with emotional well-being sessions, team building, and monitoring the best practices for an intelligent work-life balance.

Because a good professional is always first a happy and content human being.