Workplace stress: feeling overwhelmed, struggling to see progress or a way out – many of us have been there at some point. It’s a rough place to be mentally and physically, often leaving a person feeling drained and dissatisfied.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, workplace burnout and resilience have become familiar talking points. Increased demands and pressure on staff during the pandemic exacerbated the issue, prompting closer examination and calls for acknowledgement and solutions from the UK Government. Although burnout had been identified and researched in health and social care well before the outbreak began, the early 2020s marked a pivotal period for this issue.
In 2021, following an inquiry, a report by the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee on ‘Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care’¹ highlighted the scale, causes and consequences of the issue. Low energy or exhaustion, increased mental distance from or negative feelings about work, and reduced professional effectiveness were all described as common effects of burnout and overwhelming workloads.² Together, these pose a significant risk to the effective functioning of health and care services.
Since then, the UK Government has pledged greater investment in the NHS workforce, and the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan³ was commissioned in 2023. The plan outlines a strategy for supporting and growing the NHS workforce, including improved staffing levels and workforce retention measures, stronger workforce planning, compassionate leadership, flexible working and better well-being support. Together, these measures aim to strengthen workplace resilience, helping the current and future NHS anticipate and respond to disruption or change while continuing to meet its intended outcomes.
The health and well-being findings from the NHS Staff Survey 2025 show variation across the country,⁴ but overall, staff continue to work under significant pressure, with burnout remaining a key concern. Although staff reported feeling supported by their line manager, there is falling confidence that the NHS is taking positive action on well-being.
Workplace resilience
Workplace resilience applies across individuals, teams and organisations. It encompasses their ability to adapt, recover and thrive in the face of challenges, stress or change. Resilience in the workplace isn’t just about coping when things get busy or difficult. It is a vital component of the modern working environment, supporting staff well-being and retention, as well as the effective performance of individuals and the organisation as a whole. Motivating and empowering employees to face challenges, while supporting them to manage stress, are key aspects of developing workplace resilience.
At an individual level, some people are more resilient than others. However, through awareness, training and a supportive work environment, most people can develop greater resilience over time. Resilient employees are often better equipped to manage stress, remain engaged and motivated after disruptions, and learn from setbacks.⁵,⁶ The benefits of workplace resilience can differ from person to person, but common advantages include improved job satisfaction, confidence and self-esteem. Alongside increased productivity, it can also support better communication and engagement.⁷
Resilience can also support innovation and adaptability. It may create opportunities for skills and expertise to emerge, for example, when it comes to leadership.⁷
How can you develop your personal resilience?
Inspired by 14 Ways to Strengthen Your Resilience in the Workplace (Aspire Atlas) and Personal Sustainability Principles (Leanne Spencer), here are several key things to consider, whether you’re just starting this journey or you’re already on your way (in no particular order!):
1. Self-awareness – get to know yourself better
Understanding your values, strengths, weaknesses and emotional triggers allows you to harness and manage them. Identifying and recognising these factors can help you reflect on your reactions to challenging situations and find ways to improve where needed. Being open to personal growth and development is also a key part of building resilience.
2. Build confidence and value your success
As part of your growth and development, you may need to take on new challenges that put you outside your comfort zone. Where appropriate and feasible, this can be a valuable opportunity to develop your capabilities and confidence. Although new situations can feel daunting and things may not always go to plan, learning from mistakes without dwelling on them is a skill that enhances resilience. It’s also important to acknowledge your achievements and capabilities. Value the effort, resilience and growth you’ve invested!
3. Positive mindset
This isn’t about being happy all the time, ignoring reality or pretending everything is ok. What this is about is taking stock of the things you can control, rather than focusing on what you cannot. Learn what is within your sphere of control or influence and direct your energy there. This is a key skill in managing stress and anxiety, and can give you a stronger sense of control, which contributes to resilience.
Accept that setbacks will happen. Use them as learning opportunities by reflecting on what has occurred and where you can adjust. Learn to frame them as stepping stones for improvement.
Progress over perfection is a term you’ve probably heard across various walks of life. It encourages you to celebrate small successes along the way, rather than getting too caught up in the bigger picture, which can sometimes feel overwhelming. Remind yourself that small steps and wins add up.
4. Embrace change and adapt
Maintaining the status quo can be beneficial and is sometimes needed to support progress. However, being flexible and keeping an open mind about alternative options can support agility and development when change is required. Acknowledge that change will happen and that it can be challenging, while also recognising that clinging to old ways of working can limit valuable development and perpetuate stressful situations.
Developing a solution-focused mindset and approach can help reduce stress and anxiety, while encouraging action rather than stagnation. In times of uncertainty or fluctuation, these skills can support resilience.
5. Be realistic
Set achievable goals that break larger tasks into manageable steps. Very few things in life take only a few steps to complete when you think about it, and it’s not often that one person can complete all of those steps alone.
Know your objectives well, then prioritise the activities that align with them. Keep track of your progress and don’t be afraid to adjust plans when necessary. Take inspiration from your car GPS: when you make a wrong turn, reflect and recalculate a new course from where you are to where you need to be.
6. Build and invest in your Moai
Build my what? Your Moai.
These are the people in your support network: those you share goals with, who provide a sense of belonging and connection.
For hundreds of years, this concept has been embedded in Japanese culture and refers to a support group. It encompasses the social, financial and mental health aspects of its members, and is known to be an essential component in understanding the longevity of Okinawans.
In the workplace, building good relationships and supportive connections with colleagues and managers can help strengthen resilience and confidence. This is a two-way street: seek, welcome and accept support and advice from your Moai, but also offer the same in return where appropriate. Aim to foster trust and transparency, which can contribute to emotional safety and a supportive workplace culture.
7. Stress management – find what works for you
First, being able to recognise the early signs of stress is vital. This gives you insight into your triggers, your response to stress and how it affects you.
Second, know what works for you when managing stress. This will vary for everyone, but learning to identify your preferred stress management techniques can empower you to better manage triggers and stress levels.
8. Take care of yourself and your needs
Self-care is a term that appears across all kinds of media these days, but it’s not just a fad or trend. It’s about taking a mindful approach to your well-being through lifestyle choices, daily habits and self-compassion.
Quite often, self-care can be pushed to the bottom of the priority list when life gets busy. Nevertheless, there are some basics that can help improve physical, emotional, mental and social well-being:
- Getting adequate sleep
- Exercising regularly
- Eating a balanced diet
- Taking time to rest and recharge
- Looking after your overall health and addressing any health concerns with an appropriate healthcare professional
To sum up
Workplace resilience is not about avoiding stress altogether, but about recognising challenges, responding in a sustainable way and drawing on the support and strategies that help us keep moving forward. By investing in self-awareness, adaptability, supportive relationships and self-care, we can build resilience that benefits both our own well-being and the wider workplace.
Resources
Stress awareness and management
Self care resources:
References
- House of Commons (2021) Health and Social Care Committee: Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care. Second Report of Session 2021–22. Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care – Committees – UK Parliament
- BMJ (2021) Staff burnout: MPs demand “total overhaul” of NHS workforce planning. Staff burnout: MPs demand “total overhaul” of NHS workforce planning | The BMJ
- NHS England (2023) NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. NHS England » NHS Long Term Workforce Plan
- NHS Employers (2025) NHS Staff Survey 2025: health and wellbeing overview. NHS Staff Survey 2025: health and wellbeing overview | NHS Employers
- CIPD (2021) Employee resilience: an evidence review. Employee resilience: an evidence review: Evidence summary
- BHSF (2025) Building resilience: how HR can transform employee wellbeing. Building resilience: how HR can transform employee wellbeing | BHSF
- Indeed (2026) Resilience in the Workplace: How To Build It in 6 Steps. Resilience in the Workplace: How To Build It in 6 Steps | Indeed.com
About the Author: Emma Coates, RD
Workplace stress: feeling overwhelmed, struggling to see progress or a way out – many of us have been there at some point. It’s a rough place to be mentally and physically, often leaving a person feeling drained and dissatisfied.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, workplace burnout and resilience have become familiar talking points. Increased demands and pressure on staff during the pandemic exacerbated the issue, prompting closer examination and calls for acknowledgement and solutions from the UK Government. Although burnout had been identified and researched in health and social care well before the outbreak began, the early 2020s marked a pivotal period for this issue.
In 2021, following an inquiry, a report by the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee on ‘Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care’¹ highlighted the scale, causes and consequences of the issue. Low energy or exhaustion, increased mental distance from or negative feelings about work, and reduced professional effectiveness were all described as common effects of burnout and overwhelming workloads.² Together, these pose a significant risk to the effective functioning of health and care services.
Since then, the UK Government has pledged greater investment in the NHS workforce, and the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan³ was commissioned in 2023. The plan outlines a strategy for supporting and growing the NHS workforce, including improved staffing levels and workforce retention measures, stronger workforce planning, compassionate leadership, flexible working and better well-being support. Together, these measures aim to strengthen workplace resilience, helping the current and future NHS anticipate and respond to disruption or change while continuing to meet its intended outcomes.
The health and well-being findings from the NHS Staff Survey 2025 show variation across the country,⁴ but overall, staff continue to work under significant pressure, with burnout remaining a key concern. Although staff reported feeling supported by their line manager, there is falling confidence that the NHS is taking positive action on well-being.
Workplace resilience
Workplace resilience applies across individuals, teams and organisations. It encompasses their ability to adapt, recover and thrive in the face of challenges, stress or change. Resilience in the workplace isn’t just about coping when things get busy or difficult. It is a vital component of the modern working environment, supporting staff well-being and retention, as well as the effective performance of individuals and the organisation as a whole. Motivating and empowering employees to face challenges, while supporting them to manage stress, are key aspects of developing workplace resilience.
At an individual level, some people are more resilient than others. However, through awareness, training and a supportive work environment, most people can develop greater resilience over time. Resilient employees are often better equipped to manage stress, remain engaged and motivated after disruptions, and learn from setbacks.⁵,⁶ The benefits of workplace resilience can differ from person to person, but common advantages include improved job satisfaction, confidence and self-esteem. Alongside increased productivity, it can also support better communication and engagement.⁷
Resilience can also support innovation and adaptability. It may create opportunities for skills and expertise to emerge, for example, when it comes to leadership.⁷
How can you develop your personal resilience?
Inspired by 14 Ways to Strengthen Your Resilience in the Workplace (Aspire Atlas) and Personal Sustainability Principles (Leanne Spencer), here are several key things to consider, whether you’re just starting this journey or you’re already on your way (in no particular order!):
1. Self-awareness – get to know yourself better
Understanding your values, strengths, weaknesses and emotional triggers allows you to harness and manage them. Identifying and recognising these factors can help you reflect on your reactions to challenging situations and find ways to improve where needed. Being open to personal growth and development is also a key part of building resilience.
2. Build confidence and value your success
As part of your growth and development, you may need to take on new challenges that put you outside your comfort zone. Where appropriate and feasible, this can be a valuable opportunity to develop your capabilities and confidence. Although new situations can feel daunting and things may not always go to plan, learning from mistakes without dwelling on them is a skill that enhances resilience. It’s also important to acknowledge your achievements and capabilities. Value the effort, resilience and growth you’ve invested!
3. Positive mindset
This isn’t about being happy all the time, ignoring reality or pretending everything is ok. What this is about is taking stock of the things you can control, rather than focusing on what you cannot. Learn what is within your sphere of control or influence and direct your energy there. This is a key skill in managing stress and anxiety, and can give you a stronger sense of control, which contributes to resilience.
Accept that setbacks will happen. Use them as learning opportunities by reflecting on what has occurred and where you can adjust. Learn to frame them as stepping stones for improvement.
Progress over perfection is a term you’ve probably heard across various walks of life. It encourages you to celebrate small successes along the way, rather than getting too caught up in the bigger picture, which can sometimes feel overwhelming. Remind yourself that small steps and wins add up.
4. Embrace change and adapt
Maintaining the status quo can be beneficial and is sometimes needed to support progress. However, being flexible and keeping an open mind about alternative options can support agility and development when change is required. Acknowledge that change will happen and that it can be challenging, while also recognising that clinging to old ways of working can limit valuable development and perpetuate stressful situations.
Developing a solution-focused mindset and approach can help reduce stress and anxiety, while encouraging action rather than stagnation. In times of uncertainty or fluctuation, these skills can support resilience.
5. Be realistic
Set achievable goals that break larger tasks into manageable steps. Very few things in life take only a few steps to complete when you think about it, and it’s not often that one person can complete all of those steps alone.
Know your objectives well, then prioritise the activities that align with them. Keep track of your progress and don’t be afraid to adjust plans when necessary. Take inspiration from your car GPS: when you make a wrong turn, reflect and recalculate a new course from where you are to where you need to be.
6. Build and invest in your Moai
Build my what? Your Moai.
These are the people in your support network: those you share goals with, who provide a sense of belonging and connection.
For hundreds of years, this concept has been embedded in Japanese culture and refers to a support group. It encompasses the social, financial and mental health aspects of its members, and is known to be an essential component in understanding the longevity of Okinawans.
In the workplace, building good relationships and supportive connections with colleagues and managers can help strengthen resilience and confidence. This is a two-way street: seek, welcome and accept support and advice from your Moai, but also offer the same in return where appropriate. Aim to foster trust and transparency, which can contribute to emotional safety and a supportive workplace culture.
7. Stress management – find what works for you
First, being able to recognise the early signs of stress is vital. This gives you insight into your triggers, your response to stress and how it affects you.
Second, know what works for you when managing stress. This will vary for everyone, but learning to identify your preferred stress management techniques can empower you to better manage triggers and stress levels.
8. Take care of yourself and your needs
Self-care is a term that appears across all kinds of media these days, but it’s not just a fad or trend. It’s about taking a mindful approach to your well-being through lifestyle choices, daily habits and self-compassion.
Quite often, self-care can be pushed to the bottom of the priority list when life gets busy. Nevertheless, there are some basics that can help improve physical, emotional, mental and social well-being:
- Getting adequate sleep
- Exercising regularly
- Eating a balanced diet
- Taking time to rest and recharge
- Looking after your overall health and addressing any health concerns with an appropriate healthcare professional
To sum up
Workplace resilience is not about avoiding stress altogether, but about recognising challenges, responding in a sustainable way and drawing on the support and strategies that help us keep moving forward. By investing in self-awareness, adaptability, supportive relationships and self-care, we can build resilience that benefits both our own well-being and the wider workplace.
Resources
Stress awareness and management
Self care resources:
References
- House of Commons (2021) Health and Social Care Committee: Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care. Second Report of Session 2021–22. Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care – Committees – UK Parliament
- BMJ (2021) Staff burnout: MPs demand “total overhaul” of NHS workforce planning. Staff burnout: MPs demand “total overhaul” of NHS workforce planning | The BMJ
- NHS England (2023) NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. NHS England » NHS Long Term Workforce Plan
- NHS Employers (2025) NHS Staff Survey 2025: health and wellbeing overview. NHS Staff Survey 2025: health and wellbeing overview | NHS Employers
- CIPD (2021) Employee resilience: an evidence review. Employee resilience: an evidence review: Evidence summary
- BHSF (2025) Building resilience: how HR can transform employee wellbeing. Building resilience: how HR can transform employee wellbeing | BHSF
- Indeed (2026) Resilience in the Workplace: How To Build It in 6 Steps. Resilience in the Workplace: How To Build It in 6 Steps | Indeed.com
About the Author: Emma Coates, RD
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