5 tips to improve your wellbeing 

Feeling under pressure in your job? You’re not alone. According to the 2025 Hays Working Well Report, more than half (54%) of professionals across all levels of seniority say they often feel stressed at work.  

While stress is inevitable during our working lives, too much of it can have a significant detrimental impact on your physical, emotional and mental health. Read on to discover the main causes of workplace stress, and practical ways for you to manage it.  

Disconnecting from work is a challenge for many 

Being able to step away from work and focus on our personal lives is a crucial part of maintaining positive wellbeing. However, our research of over 3,600 professionals across the UK highlights the difficulties many employees have when trying to disconnect from their working day.  

Four in 10 employees say they struggle to switch off after work. On average, women find this more challenging than men (42% compared to 37%). There are also differences when we break down the data by age groups – 32% of the under 30s demographic find it hard to switch off from work compared to 43% of those aged between 30-49 and 39% of those aged 50 and above.  

These challenges continue when it comes to taking holidays. Almost a third (31%) of professionals told us they feel unable to disconnect from work when on annual leave.  

Professionals under pressure from high workloads 

The contributors to workplace stress are varied and nuanced. According to our research, the top work-related issue causing negative wellbeing amongst employees is high workload (46%), and more than nine out of 10 professionals (91%) say they work outside of their contracted hours to some degree.  

Other factors that are having a detrimental impact on employee wellbeing include inadequate compensation and benefits (39%) and a lack of recognition and appreciation (36%).  

How can you improve your wellbeing? 

Negative wellbeing caused by stress has far-reaching impacts, from lower morale through to increased absenteeism. But what can you do to nip stress in the bud? Here are our top tips to help improve your wellbeing: 

1. Set clear digital boundaries 

Switching off from work can be a daily struggle. To help mitigate this, be strict with yourself to build that gap between work and your personal life – log off from work apps on your phone, turn off work notifications and resist the urge to check in outside of your contracted hours where possible. If you’re a people manager, it’s important to set an example and practice what you preach to help your team to feel empowered to not keep tuning in after the working day is done.  

2. Don’t be scared to say ‘no’ 

It’s not always easy to do, but sometimes saying ‘no’ is the best way to protect your time – and therefore your wellbeing – when you don’t have capacity to take on more tasks. If an urgent request lands on your desk, speak to your manager to reallocate your workload and agree priorities so that you don’t become overwhelmed during busy periods.  

3. Use your annual leave 

This may sound obvious, but are you actually making use of all your allocated annual leave days? Your annual leave is there to give you a chance to take a break from your day-to-day job, so make sure you use it. Even booking off a long weekend can help you reset if you’re experiencing a stressful period. And when you are having a well-earned break away from work, allow yourself the chance to truly disconnect by refraining from checking emails or messages from work.  

4. Speak to someone 

If you’re struggling, speaking to someone can help you to gain perspective and come up with an action plan to reduce your stress levels. This could be your manager, a trusted colleague, a friend or a family member. Your organisation may also provide an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which offers confidential support to help you manage your wellbeing.  

5. Consider searching for a new role 

If you still feel overwhelmed in your current place of work, it may be time to find a new job that is better suited to your needs. Our research shows that 39% of employees have left a role because their wellbeing was not adequately supported, and a further 34% have considered doing so. Check out the latest roles we have available or reach out to one of our expert recruitment consultants to discuss your next career step. 

To feel empowered, productive and purposeful at work, maintaining positive wellbeing is key. Taking active steps to manage your stress levels and to truly disconnect from work will help you protect your wellbeing and thrive in your career.  

Learn more about wellbeing in the workplace by downloading the 2025 Hays Working Well Report.