Send us a text
Workplace stress is more than just a case of the “Sunday Scaries.” It’s become what the World Health Organization calls a global epidemic—a silent crisis shaping the way we live, work, and connect. From cubicles filled with fluorescent lights to the modern cloud-based remote office, stress has followed us everywhere.
In this episode of One Eye on Behavior, Kevin Howell takes a deep dive into the causes, history, and solutions surrounding workplace stress. We’ll explore how toxic company cultures, micromanagement, and endless workloads erode employee wellbeing—and why even underload (boring, unstimulating tasks) can be just as damaging as overload. You’ll hear about the blurred lines between work and home life, the rise of anxiety and burnout, and the ripple effects that stress has on both employees and organizations.
We also rewind history to show how researchers—from the early 20th century through the COVID-19 pandemic—began to measure and take seriously the connection between stress, mental health, and productivity. From Walter Cannon’s “fight or flight” to Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome to today’s remote work culture, the journey reveals just how long stress has been part of the workplace conversation.
But we don’t stop at history. Today’s workplace brings new challenges and new solutions:
- Burnout & Mental Health: How unchecked stress leads to depression, anxiety, and unhealthy coping.
- Organizational Fallout: Why stressed employees drive absenteeism, turnover, and lost productivity.
- Technology’s Paradox: How tools like AI, wearables, and VR can either fuel stress or help manage it.
- Future Outlook: The rise of hybrid work, empathetic leadership, and holistic wellbeing programs that address the root causes of stress.
Workplace stress costs employees their health and costs companies billions in lost productivity, turnover, and healthcare expenses. But with the right mix of awareness, leadership, and progressive policies, it doesn’t have to define the future of work.
If you’ve ever felt the knot in your stomach before Monday, struggled under toxic leadership, or wondered how to create healthier work boundaries, this episode is for you. Join us as we unpack the silent epidemic and search for real solutions—from cubicle to cloud.
#WorkplaceStress
#MentalHealthAtWork
#EmployeeWellbeing
#WorkplaceBurnout
#StressManagement
#WorkLifeBalance
#OneEyeOnBehavior