Why ‘Second-Hand Stress’ Should Be Treated as a Workplace Health and Safety Risk

With how far wellbeing in the workplace has come, in terms of our understanding of it and how openly it is discussed, it would be sensible to believe that we have a firm grasp on what triggers stress and anxiety at work and how to address them. However, whilst strong progress has been made, there is still more that needs to be done.

We’re critically aware that stress is the big, bad wolf in the workplace. In fact, work-related stress is now the biggest health and safety problem facing employers – nearly eight in ten union safety reps cite stress as a top business concern. It’s also the main cause of short-term absence, with two-thirds of HR professionals reporting stress-related absence in their organisation in the last year.

These figures by themselves are shocking. Yet, evidence shows they’re not telling the whole story. Beyond those who report stress directly, millions more are susceptible to a phenomenon called ‘second‑hand stress’, which sees employees start to struggle with their own mental health due to those around them exhibiting stress, depression, or anxiety. This goes undetected and untreated.

The impacts of stress can be compared to that of smoke. It does not stay put, it spreads, filling a room and affecting everyone who breathes it in. From our analysis we know as many as 2.3 million UK workers may be affected by second‑hand stress, and this a moderate estimate. According to our ‘Suffering in Silence’ research, this number could actually be up to 7.5 times higher than what is being reported.

Why second-hand stress exists

So how does second-hand stress spread within a workforce? First, to understand, we need to go back to basics: biology.

Humans are biologically wired for ‘emotional contagion’, a psychological process where we subconsciously mimic and ‘catch’ the emotions of those around us. This occurs through the rapid processing of facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language. So, when a colleague is visibly overwhelmed, the impact on those nearby is not just empathetic, it is physiological.

Further to this, exposure to stressed colleagues can trigger physiological responses in others too, such as elevated cortisol levels and increased heart rates.

Stress is not just a HR issue

For too long, mental health and health and safety have been treated as two separate concerns. This is rooted in how we have historically pictured health and safety, likely dangerous machinery, lifting heavy loads and working on top of buildings. Physical safety has long been integral to businesses, with stricter frameworks being implemented constantly to ensure the safety of employees in the workplace. The psychological needs of employees, however, is a far newer concept. And, by their very nature, psychosocial hazards are less visible and often overlooked, even though they can be just as damaging.

Historically, the solution has simply been to re-jig someone’s workload. Other times, it’s been suggested that stress can be managed with mindfulness apps or a daily dose of yoga. However, our data demands a shift in mindset. If 2.3 million people are suffering through the radiating pressure of their environment and the people around them, we are looking at a systemic health and safety hazard.

The safety implications of second-hand stress are significant. High levels of stress lead to cognitive impairment, including slower task response times, lower accuracy, and poor decision-making. In high-risk environments, these are the exact conditions that lead to physical accidents and injuries.

If this isn’t compelling enough, HR leaders have a legal imperative to protect their workers from second-hand stress. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have a statutory ‘duty of care’ to protect their workers from foreseeable risks to their mental and physical health. Just as a business must mitigate the risk of second-hand smoke or chemical exposure, second-hand stress must be treated as a risk that requires formal assessment and mitigation strategies.

The Manager ripple effect

If stress is contagious, then managers are often the primary super-spreaders.

This is because a manager’s behaviour is the single biggest influence on a team’s collective stress level. When a leader operates in a state of constant urgency, sending late-night emails or exhibiting visible anxiety, that pressure cascades down the hierarchy, creating a high-cortisol environment for everyone.

Tackling second-hand stress requires moving away from individual, reactive fixes, and towards team-based, structural proactive solutions.

For starters, a thorough stress risk assessment that looks at team dynamics and working conditions is necessary. The HSE Stress Indicator provides a clear and practical framework for doing this.

It also means investing in managers, and giving them the training and support they need to manage their own pressure, as well as the tools to support their teams effectively. Above all, it requires commitment from senior leaders, not just in policy documents, but in their day‑to‑day behaviour. There are several relevant NEBOSH health and safety courses to assist with this, including the HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work, and Working with Wellbeing courses.

From this, HR leaders should review workload distribution and foster a culture of open communication. This feeds directly into creating a psychologically safe environment, where employees feel safe to escalate concerns about workloads or pressure before they reach a crisis point. If an employee feels they will be penalised for admitting they are overwhelmed, the stress stays hidden and continues to contaminate the team.

Supporting the workforce

Managing second-hand stress is not just a moral obligation, it’s a strategic business decision. We know that chronic stress erodes productivity, job satisfaction, and a sense of purpose. It has ramifications that extend far beyond the office walls, impacting the home lives and long-term health of millions.

The scale of the problem is clear. The question now is whether HR leaders will treat this invisible hazard with the same rigour as any other visible workplace risk.

Find out more about RRC International’s health and safety training expertise, and how to protect and manage workers’ psychological health.