Quick summary: A major survey has revealed that over 43% of employees discuss work-related anxiety with their partners while less than 5% confide in their managers, exposing a severe deficit in workplace psychological safety. This silence carries a steep emotional and operational toll, with over 63% of workers considering quitting and over 72% suffering from sleep deprivation due to unaddressed structural pressures. These findings present a critical imperative for public policy and organizational leadership to actively train management in building trust, as fostering open dialogue is essential to preserve employee mental well being, reduce absenteeism, and protect business productivity.
New research has exposed a significant gap in psychological safety at work, with employees far more likely to discuss stress with family and friends than with their bosses.
The Workplace Silent Stress Survey 2025, which polled 553 UK employees, found that 43.6% discuss anxieties with their partner and 12.8% open up to friends. Within the workplace, 20.3% confide in a colleague on the same team, while only 4.7% speak to their manager and just 1.3% engage with leadership.
While partners and friends can offer emotional support, they lack the authority to address root causes such as workloads or organisational processes — areas where management is best placed to act.
The toll of unaddressed stress
Employees are paying a steep price for suffering in silence. Survey participants reported the following impacts at work
- 63.2% have considered leaving their job due to stress
- 52.6% have made mistakes at work
- 32.9% clashed with team members
- 27.8% called in sick
- 27.5% missed deadlines
The effects extend beyond office hours. 72.7% of respondents are sleeping less due to work-related stress, 31.1% report conflicts at home, and many noted changes to alcohol intake and eating habits.
Why employees stay silent
The survey identified several barriers preventing employees from speaking to managers. More than half of respondents fear being viewed less favourably or seen as unfit for their role if they raise concerns. Specific findings include
- 45.3% do not believe anything will change
- 31.3% consider stress simply part of their job
- 26.6% fear being judged for disclosing the impact of stress on their work
- 25.5% do not feel listened to
Experts note that this lack of psychological safety can exacerbate problems, as issues go unaddressed until they escalate.
Building a safer workplace culture
Training leaders to recognise signs of stress and build trust is increasingly seen as essential. Organisations that prioritise psychological safety stand to benefit in retention, productivity, and team resilience — and may reduce the hidden costs that silent stress imposes on both individuals and businesses.