First published on Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Last updated on Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Ireland has one of the highest rates of workplace stress in the European Union, with approximately 18% of workers affected annually. And as an employer, you have a duty of care to protect your employees’ wellbeing. Here’s our guide to spotting the signs of stress early, and what to do about them.
Common signs of stress
The signs of stress are simpler to spot than you think. Stress is likely to cause changes in behaviour, like:
Increased lateness or absence
Drops in performance or productivity
Changes in mood and behaviour
Working longer hours and skipping breaks
You don’t need to work closely with someone to spot changes in behaviour. Absence management software and clocking in and out software will support you in identifying patterns of lateness, absence, and overwork.
“I’ve noticed you seem down lately. Is everything ok?”
Any of these red flags sound familiar? The next step to tackling stress in the workplace is to have a conversation. Make it private, one-to-one, and supportive. Let your employee know you’ve noticed a change, and ask open-ended and supportive questions. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to show concern and acknowledge stress to make things seem brighter. And don’t forget, if you implement any changes, check in after a week or so and see what’s working.
It doesn’t come easy to everyone, so if you need support with that conversation, take a look at BrightSafe e-learning courses on managing and spotting stress for employers and employees.
“Let’s take a break”
Set a good example and show your teams that they should take time to recharge. And take a look at workloads, tasks, and deadlines as a whole. If there’s always a lunchtime rush, one night where everyone stays late, or where deadlines consistently go over, it might be time to review shifts and rotas.
Make sure your employees are taking their breaks with clocking in and out software that reminds them to take some time to recharge. If they don’t take the minimum amount of breaks, you’ll be in breach of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.
“There’s someone else you can talk to”
Think about creating a supportive atmosphere. Workplace culture can make all the difference, so encourage colleagues to look out for each other, with a buddy system, regular 1:1s, or other check ins.
As a small business owner, you don’t have to do it all alone. You can refer your employees to someone else for professional wellbeing support. An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) can be a confidential source of help, with professional counsellors available 24 hours a day.
How BrightHR can support with workplace stress
It’s your duty of care under the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act to support employee welfare. BrightHR will give you the tools you need to identify and manage stress:
Absence management software to record reasons, monitor attendance, and spot patterns in sickness
Blip clocking in software to identify lateness and make sure your teams are taking their breaks
Shift & rota software to manage workload and treat staff fairly
Round the clock wellbeing support from Ireland's leading Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
E-learning courses on spotting the signs of stress, and preventing stress in the workplace
Round the clock HR and employment law advice if you need support on how to approach an employee you think might be suffering from stress
