Work stress is a common and costly reality. Seventy-nine percent of U.S. workers say stress affects their mental health. The financial toll on the economy reaches approximately $187 billion annually.
Key Takeaways
- 55% of U.S. workers reported they are experiencing stress at work at least some of the time
- 61% of U.S. employees reported high stress levels in the past year (2017)
- 79% of U.S. workers said they experience stress that affects their mental health
- In the U.S., 1 in 6 workers reported burnout (2022 survey result)
- Absenteeism increased by 27% when employees experienced high job strain (meta-analysis result)
- Workers exposed to high job strain had a 1.5x higher risk of coronary heart disease (meta-analysis)
- 23% of workers reported working while emotionally distressed as a reason they felt unwell at work (2022 survey result)
- 45% of employees indicated that their stress was caused by lack of control over work (survey result)
- 30% of workers reported work-related stress as a workplace safety concern (Europe survey result)
- In 2019, depressive disorders affected 264 million people worldwide (WHO)
- In 2019, anxiety disorders affected 301 million people worldwide (WHO)
- Stress and psychosocial risks cost U.S. employers between $221 billion and $187 billion annually (American Institute of Stress, cited ranges)
- The American Psychological Association reports that job stress costs the U.S. economy $187 billion annually (APA)
- Job stress interventions can yield $2.30 return for every $1 invested (RAND)
- A randomized controlled trial found CBT reduced depression symptoms by 50% compared to control (meta-trial range)
Work stress is widespread and costly, driving mental health issues, missed work, and major productivity losses.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence5 stats
01
55% of U.S. workers reported they are experiencing stress at work at least some of the time
02
61% of U.S. employees reported high stress levels in the past year (2017)
03
79% of U.S. workers said they experience stress that affects their mental health
04
23.5% of U.S. adults had symptoms of anxiety and 22.4% had symptoms of depression (2019 survey data)
05
28% of U.S. workers reported “not enough time to do the work” as a cause of stress (2015)
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
For the prevalence of workplace stress, about 55% of U.S. workers report being stressed at least some of the time and the impact is widespread as 79% say it affects their mental health, highlighting that stress is not only common but also mentally consequential.
02 · Category
Business Impact6 stats
01
In the U.S., 1 in 6 workers reported burnout (2022 survey result)
02
Absenteeism increased by 27% when employees experienced high job strain (meta-analysis result)
03
Workers exposed to high job strain had a 1.5x higher risk of coronary heart disease (meta-analysis)
04
In a 2016 meta-analysis, job strain was associated with increased risk of incident coronary heart disease (pooled relative risk range)
05
One U.S. study reported a 4% reduction in productivity costs per employee per year due to well-managed work stress interventions (study)
06
17% of employees worldwide reported that they would quit their job due to stress (survey result)
Interpretation
Business Impact Interpretation
From a Business Impact perspective, stress at work is showing up in the bottom line and health outcomes, with burnout affecting 1 in 6 U.S. workers and high job strain linked to 27% higher absenteeism plus a 1.5 times higher risk of coronary heart disease.
03 · Category
Drivers5 stats
01
23% of workers reported working while emotionally distressed as a reason they felt unwell at work (2022 survey result)
02
45% of employees indicated that their stress was caused by lack of control over work (survey result)
03
30% of workers reported work-related stress as a workplace safety concern (Europe survey result)
04
56% of employees said they are overloaded with work (Microsoft Work Trend Index survey result)
05
28% of employees reported “too many hours” as a reason for stress (survey result)
Interpretation
Drivers Interpretation
Across the Drivers category, heavy job pressure stands out with 56% of employees saying they are overloaded with work and 28% citing too many hours, showing that workload and lack of workable time are key forces behind workplace stress.
04 · Category
Health Impact2 stats
01
In 2019, depressive disorders affected 264 million people worldwide (WHO)
02
In 2019, anxiety disorders affected 301 million people worldwide (WHO)
Interpretation
Health Impact Interpretation
From a Health Impact perspective, the workplace environment may matter because in 2019 depressive disorders affected 264 million people worldwide and anxiety disorders affected 301 million, showing anxiety was even more widespread.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis2 stats
01
Stress and psychosocial risks cost U.S. employers between $221 billion and $187 billion annually (American Institute of Stress, cited ranges)
02
The American Psychological Association reports that job stress costs the U.S. economy $187 billion annually (APA)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, job-related stress is estimated to cost US employers between $221 billion and $187 billion each year, and the broader economy faces an annual $187 billion impact, showing a consistently massive economic burden.
More related reading
06 · Category
Roi And Programs2 stats
01
Job stress interventions can yield $2.30return for every $1 invested (RAND)
02
A randomized controlled trial found CBT reduced depression symptoms by 50% compared to control (meta-trial range)
Interpretation
Roi And Programs Interpretation
Under the Roi And Programs lens, the evidence suggests investing in job stress interventions can deliver a 2.30 return for every 1 invested and that CBT in trials cut depression symptoms by about 50 percent compared to control.
07 · Category
Work Conditions1 stats
01
31% of employees reported low social support at work in the U.S. (CDC NIOSH estimate from occupational stress measurement surveys).
Interpretation
Work Conditions Interpretation
In the Work Conditions category, 31% of U.S. employees reported low social support at work, highlighting that social connection at the workplace remains a significant stress factor.
08 · Category
Interventions & Roi1 stats
01
4.1 percentage point improvement in productivity outcomes was observed in a meta-analysis of workplace mental health interventions (Kessler et al. synthesis reported in peer-reviewed literature).
Interpretation
Interventions & Roi Interpretation
Workplace mental health interventions show a 4.1 percentage point improvement in productivity outcomes in a meta-analysis, indicating a clear ROI benefit when addressing stress through targeted interventions.
09 · Category
Health & Outcomes10 stats
01
29% of workers in the U.S. reported that stress at work has affected their job performance (American Psychological Association Stress in America workplace findings, 2024 update).
02
1.4x higher risk of coronary heart disease is associated with high job strain in a meta-analysis (peer-reviewed pooled relative risk).
03
1.2x increased risk of depression is associated with workplace job strain in a systematic review (peer-reviewed).
04
2.0x higher risk of incident cardiovascular events is reported for workers with high effort-reward imbalance in a meta-analysis (peer-reviewed).
05
62% of employees experiencing work-related stress reported sleep disturbance in a workplace mental health survey (British occupational health study referenced by peer-reviewed sources).
06
1.8 days of work missed per worker per year due to stress-related conditions (Global Burden of Disease-derived burden estimate, cited in peer-reviewed cost-of-illness reviews).
07
8.6% of adults report insomnia symptoms attributable to stress (peer-reviewed population study).
08
24% of workers with high job strain report cardiovascular symptoms within follow-up periods (systematic review summary).
09
2.0x higher odds of depressive symptoms are associated with workplace harassment (meta-analysis).
10
3.2x increased odds of PTSD symptoms among workers exposed to workplace trauma (systematic review).
Interpretation
Health & Outcomes Interpretation
From the Health & Outcomes perspective, workplace stress is linked to a broad set of measurable harms, including 29% reporting poorer job performance and up to 1.8 days of work missed per worker each year alongside higher risks of heart disease, depression, cardiovascular events, and sleep disturbance.
10 · Category
Economic Impact6 stats
01
3.7 days of work missed per worker per year are estimated due to mental health-related conditions in a cost-of-illness analysis (peer-reviewed).
02
$1.3 trillion global economic cost of depression and anxiety annually is estimated in a peer-reviewed Global Burden of Disease cost analysis (2019 USD).
03
1.5% of GDP in the U.S. is attributed to depression and anxiety costs (OECD health policy estimate, 2019).
04
20% of compensation and benefits spend in the U.S. can be linked to mental health-related productivity impacts in an employer cost analysis (peer-reviewed workforce economics).
05
12.8% of total U.S. workers’ compensation costs are attributable to mental health claims (National Academy of Social Insurance analysis of claims data).
06
7.6% of U.S. adults report that work stress has negatively affected their ability to perform usual daily activities (2019 National Health Interview Survey).
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
From an economic impact perspective, depression and anxiety are linked to major workforce costs, including an estimated 1.5% of U.S. GDP annually and 3.7 workdays missed per worker each year, with workplace stress also affecting 7.6% of adults’ ability to function day to day.
report visual · Comparison
How many workers are affected by stress at work
Across surveys, a majority of U.S. workers report experiencing work stress, with substantial impacts on mental health and job performance.
79% of U.S. workers said they experience stress that affects their mental health79%
55% of U.S. workers reported they are experiencing stress at work at least some of the time
55%
29% of workers in the U.S. reported that stress at work has affected their job performance (American Psychological Assoc
29%
source-verifiedapa.org2024
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Stress At The Workplace Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/stress-at-the-workplace-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Stress At The Workplace Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/stress-at-the-workplace-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Stress At The Workplace Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/stress-at-the-workplace-statistics.
Sources & references
40 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+16 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)