Most employees experience periods of pressure during their working lives.
However, when demands consistently exceed an individual's ability to cope, work-related stress can begin to affect attendance, performance, concentration, confidence and overall wellbeing.
Managers are often the first to notice the impact. An employee may become increasingly absent, struggle to meet deadlines, appear less engaged or find it more difficult to manage their usual workload.
In many cases, employers are under pressure to make decisions without complete clarity regarding the underlying cause, likely duration or most appropriate support.
Occupational health can help employers understand how stress and mental health difficulties are affecting workplace function and what support may be appropriate.
Work-related stress is commonly understood as the adverse reaction people may experience when workplace pressures or demands exceed their ability to cope.
Burnout is described by the World Health Organisation as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterised by exhaustion, increased mental distance from work and reduced professional efficacy.
Both stress and burnout can affect attendance, concentration, productivity, workplace relationships and an employee's ability to sustain their normal work demands.
For a more detailed discussion of burnout and workplace referrals, see our article Burnout and Occupational Health Referral: Why the System Fails First.
Many referrals begin because managers notice changes rather than because an employee has disclosed a health condition.
Employers may observe:
Understanding what is driving these changes is often more helpful than focusing solely on symptoms.
Employers may wish to seek occupational health advice where stress-related absence has become prolonged, return-to-work timescales remain unclear, workplace adjustments are being considered, performance concerns may be health-related, or there are concerns regarding future work capacity. Early referral can often help clarify the situation before difficulties become entrenched. Early referral can often help clarify the situation before difficulties become entrenched.
Occupational health assessment focuses on how symptoms are affecting an employee's ability to function at work.
An assessment may consider:
The aim is to provide practical workplace-focused advice rather than simply describe symptoms.
Most employees experiencing stress or burnout can be appropriately supported through occupational health assessment and workplace intervention.
Some cases involve more than stress or burnout alone.
Employers may be dealing with prolonged absence, uncertainty regarding diagnosis, conflicting medical advice or concerns regarding future work capacity.
In some situations, symptoms initially attributed to stress or burnout may overlap with anxiety, depression, trauma-related difficulties or neurodivergent traits.
Where these situations extend beyond typical stress-related difficulties, additional specialist psychiatric input may be required.
Sometimes symptoms initially attributed to stress or burnout do not fully explain the difficulties being experienced.
Where absence becomes prolonged, medical opinions differ, diagnosis remains uncertain or concerns arise regarding future work capacity, additional specialist assessment may be appropriate.
Workforce Wellbeing provides independent psychiatric assessment through our in-house Consultant Psychiatrist, who forms part of our clinical leadership team. This enables specialist psychiatric expertise to be accessed within a coordinated occupational health service rather than through a separate external referral pathway.
Learn more about our Independent Psychiatric Assessments service and Complex Mental Health Cases: Occupational Health and Psychiatric Support.
Stress and burnout may be particularly relevant for neurodivergent employees where workplace barriers remain unrecognised.
For example, difficulties associated with ADHD, autism, dyslexia or executive functioning difficulties may contribute to increased cognitive load, fatigue, frustration or anxiety within the workplace.
Understanding the interaction between mental health and neurodiversity can be important when considering workplace adjustments and longer-term support.
Workforce Wellbeing also provides specialist Neurodiversity Workplace Needs Assessments, including situations where mental health and neurodiversity overlap and workplace barriers require further exploration.
No. Stress describes the adverse reaction people may experience when pressures exceed an individual's ability to cope. It is not a medical diagnosis.
Burnout is not classified as a medical diagnosis in ICD-11. The World Health Organisation describes it as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
Stress is generally understood as a response to pressures or demands that exceed an individual's ability to cope. Burnout is described by the World Health Organisation as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
Yes. In some cases, prolonged stress may contribute to significant difficulties with concentration, sleep, confidence, wellbeing and workplace function, resulting in extended periods of absence from work.
Yes. Occupational health can advise on fitness for work, workplace adjustments, return-to-work planning and support strategies.
Yes. Stress may affect concentration, decision-making, productivity, confidence, attendance and workplace relationships.
Occupational health advice may be helpful where stress, burnout or mental health difficulties are affecting attendance, performance, workplace relationships or fitness for work.
