5 brutally honest truths every leader needs to know about managing stressed-out employees

*69% of employees say their mental health has stayed the same or worsened in the past year?

*81% of employees say they’ve struggled with nervousness, anxiousness, and stress recently

*60% of people who experience anxiousness or toss and turn at night say it affects their performance at work.

If you're a business owner or team leader, these stats likely come as no surprise (even if you've been denying it for awhile).

Maybe you’ve done the work to address similar challenges and it’s starting to pay off. If you have, kudos to you. If it's taking awhile, remember: real change takes time.??

On the flip side, the cost of complacency carries a hefty price tag.?

>> How much does it cost you to replace someone who quits?

>> What’s it worth when an employee is present, but mentally disengaged?

>> What results are you missing out on because of lower overall productivity?

>> What innovative solutions could be just around the corner if your team was more adaptable to change??

Building a culture of stress resilience and sustainable high performance isn’t just about deadlines or quarterly goals—it's about handling the real, human side of managing people who are stretched too thin.?

Here’s what every leader needs to know if you want your people to be engaged and excited to stay:

Your team isn’t just tired—they’re depleted. Fatigue is one thing. Depletion is another. When people are running on empty, pushing them harder only leads to burnout. Recognize the difference, and start supporting energy management over time management.

Beer Fridays and snacks in the break room won’t cut it. Sure, they’re nice to have. But stress management isn’t solved by throwing in a few perks or a half-day off here and there. It’s about creating a culture where rest, recovery, boundaries, flexible work options, and mental health resources are the norm—not the exception.

Your words matter more than you realize. A manager’s reassurance goes a long way, especially during high-stress times. Take a moment to check in with your team individually. Simple, genuine acknowledgement that “today was hard” or “you crushed that, thank you” reminds your people they’re valued.

Stress is contagious—manage your own first. As a leader, your stress levels set the tone for your team. When you’re constantly stressed-out, it signals to employees that they should be, too. Nobody’s going to stick around for that. By prioritizing your own regulation, you not only lead by example but create an atmosphere that yields calm, focus, resilience, and results.?

Regulation is the key to results. Coping keeps you stuck. Building resilience isn’t just about “pushing through.” It’s about gaining skills to navigate high-stress, high- stakes while protecting your mental and physical health. It’s about creating capacity to handle the hard stuff, bounce back from setbacks faster, and have space to innovate rather than being reactionary.

To future-proof your business requires next generation, immediately measurable tools to unlock the biology of sustainable high-performance.?

No matter if you're a team of 2 or 2000, you have no choice but to embrace the work that seamlessly embeds well-being as a natural extension of daily operations. When you do, it creates a culture where innovation and collaboration are the norm. Your team kicks a$$ under pressure and knows you've got their back through uncertainty and change.

DM me or email [email protected] to get started.?

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*Source: Calm (2024 Voice of the Workplace Report)