In a bid to tackle rising stress and burnout, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is urging employers to adopt everyday wellbeing practices such as lunchtime walks and switching off from email outside working hours.
The HR membership body, which represents 160,000 professionals across the UK, has published updated guidance warning employers of the toll workplace stress is taking on the workforce — and, in turn, productivity. Its new Managing Stress at Work guide follows data showing UK employees took an average of 9.4 sick days last year, up from 5.8 in 2022. Mental ill health was the leading cause of long-term absence.
The guidance comes as 75 percent of UK organisations report stress-related absences, and more than half say they are struggling with employee presenteeism, when staff turn up to work despite being unwell.
Small changes, big impact
Among the suggestions is encouraging teams to step outside together for a walk during lunch breaks. The CIPD also recommends line managers lead by example by using their annual leave, taking regular breaks and refraining from emailing staff during non-working hours.
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Other advice includes promoting self-care habits such as mindfulness and yoga, scheduling regular check-ins with remote workers, and placing wellbeing on the agenda at every team meeting.
The CIPD defines burnout as “a state of emotional, physical or mental exhaustion that is caused by experiencing prolonged stress”, and describes poor management as one of its key drivers. The guide urges managers to show “genuine care, compassion and kindness” and listen attentively to staff concerns.
David D’Souza, director of profession at the CIPD, said the cost of inaction was too high to ignore. “The UK economy loses billions each year to stress-related absence and presenteeism, but when employees feel valued and supported, they perform better, stay longer, and often need less time off to manage health needs.”
A change in priorities
The guidance arrives at a time when wellbeing is increasingly on the corporate agenda. According to joint research by the CIPD and insurer Simplyhealth, 57 percent of organisations now have a formal wellbeing strategy in place, compared with just 44 percent five years ago. Such strategies, the CIPD notes, can improve performance and reduce absence — yet practical implementation still varies widely between sectors and employers.
But the organisation’s growing focus on wellbeing has attracted criticism from some quarters. Tanya de Grunwald, founder of the Good + Fair Employers Club and host of the This Isn’t Working employment podcast, said the CIPD had “drifted away from its core purpose of serving its members” and claimed “standards have collapsed across HR” in recent years.
The CIPD has also faced criticism for its vocal support of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which some opponents claim come at the expense of business performance.
Presenteeism: A cultural problem?
The guidance makes clear that presenteeism is not just an individual problem but also a cultural one. Employers are advised to examine their expectations of availability and responsiveness, particularly in hybrid and remote settings where staff may feel pressure to stay visible online.
In a practical step, the CIPD suggests leaders use email footers that clarify flexible working patterns — for instance, explaining that a message sent outside office hours does not require an immediate response.
The trade body has previously warned of “e-presenteeism” as a growing issue in hybrid teams, where employees often feel unable to disconnect, even while on leave or outside contracted hours.
Low-cost, high-trust approaches
Experts say that addressing stress and burnout does not necessarily require major investment. Instead, much depends on the everyday behaviour and communication style of managers.
Regular one-to-ones, open conversations about workload, and an emphasis on outcomes over hours worked can all contribute to a healthier culture, the CIPD says. So too can visible senior leaders who demonstrate balanced working habits.
Line managers are encouraged to spot early signs of burnout, such as irritability, withdrawal or decreased performance, and respond with support rather than blame. Recognising that stress triggers vary from person to person is key to this approach.
While the guidance offers practical steps for teams, it also makes clear that senior leadership must commit to change if wellbeing is to be taken seriously, and if the rise in absence is to be reversed.
The message is simple: prevention is cheaper than cure. And sometimes, it starts with a walk.
William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
