We all carry it. Sometimes it’s a weight we feel in our shoulders or the tension behind our eyes. Sometimes it’s the way we bite our nails before a meeting or the way we can’t quite fall asleep after a long day. Workplace stress is nothing new, but lately it feels like the volume’s been turned up. The sources are varied, the symptoms personal. But the result is the same: burnout, frustration, fatigue and a creeping sense that we’re all running just a little too hot.

What’s causing it? Where do we begin?

Let’s start with the obvious. Workloads have changed. Or more accurately, they’ve ballooned. Technology promised us efficiency, but for many of us, it’s meant more tasks, not fewer. We’re juggling email, Slack, Teams, Zoom, all while trying to get “real work” done (what is real work anymore?). The day starts earlier, ends later, and somehow the to-do list never shrinks. We’ve gotten used to it. But that doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), approximately 65% of U.S. workers surveyed have characterized work as being a very significant or somewhat significant source of stress.

Maybe because we live in a culture of immediacy. We expect responses in minutes. Deadlines collapse. Lead times shrink. Clients want results faster and cheaper than ever before. There’s little room to pause, let alone think deeply. And when speed becomes the main metric, quality inevitably suffers. That’s stressful, especially for people who take pride in doing things well.

Hybrid work was supposed to be the great fix. Flexibility is certainly a gift. But it also brought its own set of challenges. Many employees now feel pressure to prove they’re working, even when no one’s watching. That translates to more check-ins, more messages, more online presence. There’s a difference between being available and being “always on.” Unfortunately, the line has blurred.

Add to that the broader economic uncertainty, fears about AI and automation, and questions about job security in a shifting landscape. Even in strong companies, those doubts creep in. Am I still relevant? Am I doing enough? Could my job change tomorrow? It’s hard to stay creative and focused when anxiety’s whispering in your ear.

And here’s where the blame really hits close to home — in the workplace itself. Our physical environments can either add to our stress or ease it. Bad lighting, loud acoustics, poor ergonomics and uncomfortable temperatures aren’t just annoyances. They’re stressors. We often design spaces to be beautiful, efficient and cost effective, but how much work goes into designing them to calm the nervous system? My hope is that the growing interest in neurodiversity in design will lead to offices that are calming for everyone.

Stress at work isn’t always about the work. It’s often about how we work and who we work with. Interpersonal friction, unclear expectations, micromanagement and lack of recognition all play a role. People don’t burn out because they’re weak. They burn out because they feel undervalued, unheard or stuck.

So what do we do?

For starters, we need to be honest about what’s not working. We can’t solve stress with vague wellness posters or a once-a-year mindfulness workshop. We have to address the root causes. Leaders need to model healthier behaviors by not sending emails at midnight and not rewarding busyness over results. Managers need to communicate clearly and often, setting expectations and offering support.

We also need to build environments that support recovery. We need more spaces where people can breathe and focus without interruption. Design plays a role here, as does policy, management and empathy. Relationships matter, too. A good team can carry each other through tough times. A bad one will crack under pressure. We need to create workplace culture where people look out for one another.

Stress will never go away completely. Some pressure is good. It keeps us sharp, engaged and driven. But when it crosses the line, it stops being fuel and starts being fire. It’s time to pay attention to stress as individuals and as an industry.

At the end of the day, most of us want the same things: to do good work, to feel valued, and to leave work with enough energy left over for the rest of life. That shouldn’t be a radical ask.

So take a deep breath. Close the laptop for a minute. Ask your team how they’re really doing. Then listen.