How to Recognise Stress in Yourself and Your Team

November sees both National Stress Awareness Day in the UK (November 7th) and International Stress Awareness Week (November 2nd-8th).

So, it may be a good time to consider how stress might be affecting you, your team, and how it can be better managed.

Stress affects everyone, but when it goes unnoticed or ignored, it can quietly erode well-being, productivity and morale.

As a manager or team member, learning to recognise the signs of stress early can make all the difference.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to identify the early warning signs of stress — both in yourself and others — and how to initiate supportive, open conversations that foster a healthier, safer workplace environment.

Why Recognising Stress Matters

Stress is a normal part of working life.

It is not something that can be avoided completely. It’s important to note that we cannot eliminate all forms of stress from our personal or working lives.

But…

Prolonged or excessive stress can lead to burnout, anxiety, and even physical illness.

In a busy workplace, the signs of stress can often be mistaken for poor performance or lack of motivation; when in reality, someone may be struggling quietly.

Recognising and addressing stress early can:

• Reduce absence and staff turnover
• Improve focus, confidence and productivity
• Build trust and resilience across your team

Stress is intrinsically linked to your general health, and not recognising stress and taking some form of action will often lead to physical health issues.

So it’s important that you know what to look for, both in yourself and your team members.

How to Spot Stress in Yourself

Even the most experienced professionals can miss their own stress signals. Try to check in with yourself regularly.

Common Signs Of Stress Can Include:

Physical Signs:

• Frequent headaches or muscle tension
• Trouble sleeping or feeling constantly tired
• Upset stomach or appetite changes

Emotional Signs

• Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or easily irritated
• Losing interest in things you normally enjoy
• Feeling tearful, low, or detached

Behavioural Signs

• Difficulty concentrating
• Relying on caffeine, alcohol, or snacks to “get through the day”
• Avoiding colleagues or meetings

If any of these sound familiar, it may be time to pause, reflect, and talk to someone you trust — whether that’s a colleague, manager or mental health first aider.

It’s important to note that stress manifests in different ways for different people. It can be easily missed or misdiagnosed.

The effects can be diverse and build up slowly. It can seem barely perceptible in the early days and slowly grow if left unrecognised.

Only by talking and communicating can we truly understand how someone is feeling, and the act of verbalising something will often help us to understand how we feel, as well as getting a valuable second opinion.

How to Recognise Stress in Your Team

Managers play a key role in identifying when a colleague might be struggling. Some signs are subtle, while others are more noticeable.

Look out for:

• Increased absenteeism or lateness
• Drop in performance or missed deadlines
• Changes in mood or communication style
• Withdrawal from teamwork or social activities
• Overworking or refusing to take breaks
• Physical signs like tiredness, poor posture, or restlessness

Remember: everyone experiences stress differently.

What’s normal behaviour for one person may signal distress for another, so it’s important to know your team and notice changes over time.

It’s also important to approach conversations in a sympathetic manner and use empathy.

We’ve all been in stressful working environments, which were often enhanced by the fact that the ‘people in charge’ did not recognise or acknowledge the signs of stress within their team.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in business who see empathy as a weakness, which can foster an unproductive and resentful working environment.

We believe this should not be the case: Working as a team should be just that… Knowing that people have your back and the collective skills you all possess make your business stronger.

How to Start a Supportive Conversation

If you’re worried about a colleague (or even yourself), starting the conversation is the first step. Here’s how:

Be discreet and genuine

Choose a quiet, private space. Be open and show genuine concern:

“I’ve noticed you’ve seemed a bit quieter lately — is everything okay?”

There are times and places to discuss private matters, and they are not in the meeting room or during group calls.

Take the staff member to one side and have a private conversation.

Listen. You aren’t expected to fix things then and there

Give the person space to talk. Avoid jumping straight to solutions; instead, listen and reassure them that their feelings are valid.

Offer support and help to plan the next steps

Encourage them to take breaks, seek support, or talk to a trained mental health first aider.

If you’re a manager, signpost them to available resources or adjustments.

Consider training options

There is no shame in recognising that your team may lack the right people with dedicated skills to talk to team members about subjects like stress.

This is something that we may be able to assist with.

Improving Workplace Culture & Morale

Recognising stress shouldn’t only happen in a crisis. A healthy workplace culture makes it easier for everyone to talk openly and seek help early.

Here’s how you can contribute:

• Encourage breaks and balance: Lead by example by taking regular breaks and switching off after work.
• Promote mental health training: Ensure team members know who the mental health first aiders are and what support is available.
• Normalise open conversations: Make wellbeing check-ins part of regular one-to-ones.
• Celebrate small wins: Acknowledge effort and progress to boost morale and connection.

Stress Awareness Checklist

We’ve created a free Stress Awareness Checklist for managers and employees.

Use it to help spot early signs of stress and guide supportive conversations in your workplace.

It’s a quick-reference guide to:

• Spot the Signs in Yourself: tiredness, irritability, loss of focus, sleep issues
• Spot the Signs in Others: mood changes, withdrawal, errors, absenteeism
• What You Can Do: check in, listen, support, signpost

Remember: early conversations save burnout later.

You’re not expected to find all the answers. That will take time.

But you can start the conversation, recognise the situation and put processes in place to make the working environment less stressful and a place where people can be open.

Support from Safe and Sound Training:

At Safe and Sound Training, we offer a range of workplace courses, including First Aid Training and Mental Health First Aid, at venues across the UK as well as online learning through our sister company eLearn Here Direct.

Many of our courses help individuals and teams build the confidence to recognise stress, respond appropriately, and create safer, more supportive workplaces.

View our full range of courses: www.safeandsound.uk.net/courses/
Get in touch: office@safeandsoundtraining.co.uk

TLDR:

Recognising stress is not a weakness — it’s a strength.

It’s important to look for ways to support your team, as well as being kind to yourself and recognising that you too may be stressed.

We don’t always recognise the signs within ourselves, which is why talking is so important.

We can share ways to improve our mental health, methods to share workloads and provide assistance that may be a real difference-maker to a person in distress.

By learning to spot the signs early, supporting one another, and creating a culture of care, you can make your workplace truly safe and sound.