Half of British employees admitted that they regularly experience anxiety at work due to workloads, time pressures, and balancing professional and personal lives, according to new research by Corndel.

The training provider surveyed 250 HR decision-makers and 1,000 employees for its Corndel 2025 workplace report. It found that 64% of those aged 18-34 experience anxiety at least once a week, compared to 32% of those aged over 55. When asked what they attributed their stress to, they cited heavy workloads and time pressures (54%), balancing work and personal life (36%), and insufficient support or resources to perform tasks effectively (26%).

One in five HR leaders also admitted that they also experience workplace anxiety daily, with one in two feeling it weekly. A total of 88% are confident about their leadership and management training effectiveness, and nine in 10 that have implemented work-life balance policies and leadership training to reduce workplace anxiety reported positive results. Interventions that had an impact include leadership training (97%) and goal setting (96%).

Only 43% of employees reported receiving resilience training in the past year, with 34% describing it as minimal. Despite 84% identifying mental health support as critical to their satisfaction and performance, 55% said they had not received any training.

Amanda Blackmore, director of HR and people at Corndel, said: “Workplace anxiety is a concern not just for employees but also for the leaders supporting them. Balancing employee wellbeing with workplace demands is a constant pressure. Many leaders find themselves managing the stress of their teams while also dealing with their own workload pressures and anxieties.

“We’ve seen that investing in leadership development not only helps leaders better support their teams but also strengthens their own resilience, leading to improved retention, morale, and productivity. In a climate where workplace anxiety is increasingly impacting people and performance, organisations that take proactive steps to embed leadership training with aligned wellbeing initiatives will have the competitive edge.”

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