January 29, 2023
Anxiety is no longer a hidden issue in the workplace. It's out in the open, and it affects productivity, team morale, and your bottom line. If you're building a business, managing anxiety isn't optional—it’s part of your job. You set the tone. You create the space. And whether you're leading a five-person team or a growing company, your actions matter.
Let’s explore practical ways you can help your team feel more secure, supported, and strong—without needing to become a therapist.
Anxiety is more than just worry or stress. It’s a persistent sense of unease, often triggered by uncertainty, fear of failure, or overwhelming workload. It can show up as irritability, fatigue, avoidance, or even silence.
Anxiety shows up in many forms. Knowing the type helps you respond with more clarity and care:
You won’t catch every sign. But if you stay aware and open, you’ll create a team that feels seen—and safe enough to thrive.
Anxiety thrives in silence. That’s why you’ve got to talk about it. Start with honesty. Say, “We all get overwhelmed sometimes.” Or “It's OK to struggle—what matters is that we don’t struggle alone.”
Don’t wait for a crisis. Build a culture where people feel safe saying, “I’m not OK today.” Encourage your team to check in on each other from time to time. Model it yourself. Share your own off-days—briefly, but honestly. That gives permission for others to do the same.
You’re not showing weakness when you do this. You’re building trust.
You’re not a therapist. You shouldn’t try to be one, but you can connect people to help.
Offer access to mental health services, whether through insurance, employee assistance programmes, or external partnerships. Make it normal to use them. Share stories of people who’ve benefited (with consent or in anonymised form).
For example, consider partnering with treatment centres like Jackson House, which offer professional mental health support in settings that feel both safe and structured. Even if your budget’s tight, you can find low-cost options—local clinics, helplines, apps, and community services.
Put these resources in a shared doc. Keep them visible. Repost them often. People forget what they have until they’re in crisis.
Anxiety feeds on the unknown—shaky plans, shifting priorities, or last-minute demands. These are all part of startup life, but you can still add structure.
Set regular one-on-ones, and keep them consistent. Create simple routines. Share plans early, even if they might change. The more your team knows what to expect, the less they have to worry about.
Don’t blindside people with big shifts. Even if your startup pivots weekly, explain the “why.” Clarity kills anxiety; silence grows it.
Ambition drives businesses forward. But unchecked, it drains people. If your team constantly struggles with excessive workloads, they won’t perform better. They’ll burn out, and anxiety will bloom.
So take workload seriously. Ask people what they’re juggling. Practise active listening. Don’t dismiss concerns with “It’s just a busy week.” A few busy weeks turn into chronic stress. Chronic stress turns into anxiety.
According to the American Psychological Association's 2023 Work in America Survey, 57% of employees reported experiencing negative effects from workplace stress, including emotional exhaustion and decreased motivation.
That’s why it’s essential to model healthy boundaries yourself. Encourage your team to say "no" when necessary, set clear limits on after-hours communication, and promote work-life balance. Be the first to log off—your team pays more attention to your actions than your words.
You can’t fix someone’s anxiety, but you can create a space where they don’t feel ashamed of it. That’s psychological safety.
It means people can speak up without fear. They can disagree. They can say, “I need help,” or “I messed up,” and know they won’t get humiliated.
That starts with your reactions. When someone brings bad news, thank them. When someone asks a vulnerable question, respond with warmth, not judgment.
Over time, your team will stop bracing for backlash. They’ll start bringing ideas, problems, and their full selves. That’s where real innovation begins.
Micromanagement fuels anxiety. It sends the message, “I don’t trust you.” That message triggers fear, self-doubt, and overthinking.
Instead, coach your team. Ask open questions: “What’s your plan?” “Where do you need support?” “What would make this easier?”
Set goals, then step back. Let people figure things out. Be there to catch, not control. Your confidence in them builds their confidence in themselves. Anxiety shrinks when people feel capable.
Rigid work setups don’t suit anxious minds. When you insist on fixed hours, fixed locations, or fixed behaviours, you squeeze out space for people to manage their mental health.
Flexibility isn’t just a perk. It’s a pressure release valve. Let people work when they’re most focused. Give them permission to walk away from the screen when they need to breathe. Trust them to deliver results their way.
A flexible schedule doesn’t mean chaos. It means adapting to human rhythms. And in today’s world, humans need room to manage their heads, especially at work.
You can’t do it all. Your managers, if you have them, are your first line of support. But they need tools.
Train them to recognise the signs of anxiety. Teach them how to respond with empathy and discretion. Give them scripts, resources, and a clear process for flagging concerns.
Don’t assume they know how to handle it. Most don’t. And make sure they know what not to do, like ignoring the issue, downplaying it, or pushing struggling employees harder.
Equip your leaders to lead with care. That makes your culture scalable.
Not everyone feels safe speaking up in person. That’s fine. Give them another route.
Set up a simple anonymous feedback box. Let your team share concerns, ideas, or stressors without fear. Check it weekly. Respond to trends, not names.
This tool builds trust. It tells your team, “We want to hear, even when it’s hard.” And sometimes, that’s enough to ease someone’s anxiety. They just need to be heard.
Anxious people often don’t stop working. They keep going to quiet the fear. That leads to collapse.
So make breaks non-negotiable. Block time for lunch. Encourage walks. End meetings five minutes early. Shut down Slack for an hour each day.
And don’t glorify overwork. Don’t celebrate the “hero” who never rests. That sends the wrong signal.
A sustainable team is a successful team. Rest isn’t the enemy—it’s your edge.
Anxiety often whispers, “You’re not doing enough.” You can help quiet that voice.
Celebrate progress, not just results. Praise effort, not just outcomes. Publicly recognise team members for showing up, trying hard, and growing.
Use Slack shout-outs. Do a Friday wins round-up. Send personal thank-yous. These small gestures compound.
When people feel seen, they feel valued. And when they feel valued, anxiety loses its grip.
Startups and scaleups are built on change. But change without context creates anxiety. You can’t promise certainty, but you can offer transparency.
If the company is shifting strategy, say so. If layoffs are a possibility, don’t lie. If leadership is still figuring things out, admit that.
People can handle hard truths better than silence. When they know what’s real, they can plan. When they’re kept in the dark, they imagine worse.
So speak plainly. Speak early. Speak often.
Anxiety doesn’t affect everyone the same way. It hits harder for marginalised folks—women, LGBTQ+ employees, people of colour, disabled staff. They face microaggressions, exclusion, and bias—on top of the normal work-related stress.
So ask yourself: Does your culture support them? Are you addressing equity? Do you call out harmful behaviour? Do you create space for all identities to thrive?
Rigid workplace cultures often leave people feeling excluded or “othered.” That loneliness feeds anxiety.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. But you do have to try. Listen, learn, and make changes. Bit by bit, that creates safety.
Some anxiety needs a break. And yet many employees are terrified to ask. They fear being seen as weak. Or falling behind. Or worse—being let go.
You need to flip that script. Normalise taking time off for mental health. Model it. Say, “It’s fine to take a few days if your brain’s overwhelmed. We’ve got you.”
And when someone does take time off? Support their return. Check in. Don’t pile everything on their first day back.
Time off isn’t failure. It’s strategy.
You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t need all the answers. But you do need to show up with calm, steady energy.
When things get chaotic, your team looks to you. If you panic, they’ll spiral. If you freeze, they’ll flail.
So breathe. Slow down. Choose your words carefully. Even when you’re stressed, lead with intention.
That doesn’t mean hiding your feelings. It means managing your impact. You’re the thermostat, not the thermometer. Set the tone you want others to feel. Anxiety is contagious. So is calm.
There’s no quick fix. You can’t remove all anxiety from work. But you can build a culture where it doesn’t control people’s lives. It takes intention and consistency. And it starts with you.
The way you listen, speak, plan, and lead—that’s the treatment plan, not for perfection but for resilience.
Keep the conversation open. Keep the humanity high. And trust that even small changes can bring massive relief. Your business will be stronger. And your people? They’ll stay.
