Technology is constantly evolving, and with that comes increasing pressure on those working in the sector. It's no surprise, then, that technology ranks among the industries with the highest levels of work-related stress, contributing to around 550,000 working days lost over three years according to the Health and Safety Executive in 2024.
Stress rarely appears overnight. It builds over time through heavy workloads, unclear expectations, limited support and constantly shifting priorities. Too often, leaders only recognize the problem once an employee has reached burnout.
Assistant Professor of Leadership Education at the University of Florida and a practitioner of Kirton’s Adaption-Innovation (KAI) Theory.
Managing stress shouldn't be seen solely as an individual's responsibility. Leaders play a vital role in creating environments where people feel supported, can raise concerns early and have the tools they need to manage pressure before it becomes overwhelming.
By recognizing the warning signs and making a few practical changes, leaders can help prevent stress from escalating into burnout.
1. Understand how and why individuals respond differently
Two employees can face exactly the same challenge but respond in completely different ways. One useful way of understanding these differences is through Kirton's Adaption-Innovation (KAI) Theory. Developed by psychologist Dr Michael Kirton, the theory suggests people naturally approach change and problem-solving in different ways.
More adaptive individuals tend to prefer structure, established processes and incremental improvements, while more innovative individuals are often more comfortable with ambiguity, risk taking and finding entirely new solutions. Most people fall somewhere between the two.
Neither style is better than the other, but each can bring different sources of stress. More adaptive employees may struggle with unclear roles, changing priorities or a lack of structure, while more innovative employees can become frustrated by rigid processes or repetitive work.
Understanding how individuals prefer to work allows leaders to allocate work more effectively, helping employees perform at their best while reducing unnecessary pressure.
2. Create a culture of asking questions
Many employees struggle to admit when they need help. We are often taught this is a sign of weakness and an indicator of capability.
Creating a culture of trust changes that. When people feel comfortable raising concerns, asking questions or admitting they are struggling, problems can be addressed before they become unmanageable.
Leaders set the tone. Asking for feedback, acknowledging your own mistakes and responding positively when employees raise concerns all help create psychological safety within a team. An open culture also makes it much easier to recognize when someone is beginning to struggle.
Changes such as withdrawing from colleagues, becoming more irritable, missing deadlines or struggling to prioritize work are often viewed as performance issues, when they may actually be signs of mounting stress.
Regular conversations, rather than relying solely on formal performance reviews, give leaders the opportunity to identify these warning signs early. Simple adjustments, such as redistributing workloads, clarifying priorities or removing unnecessary obstacles, can prevent stress from developing into burnout.
3. Observe your team to identify stress early
Stress rarely appears suddenly. It can build gradually, making it difficult to recognize until it begins to affect an employee's wellbeing or performance.
While you may be aware that a particular task or deadline is likely to create pressure, it can be harder to spot when longer-term stress is beginning to affect your team. Changes in behaviour can be early warning signs. An employee may start to withdraw from colleagues, become more irritable or defensive, miss deadlines or struggle to prioritize their workload.
As leaders, we can be quick to interpret these changes as performance issues. However, they may be indicators that someone is experiencing stress and needs additional support.
Regular check-ins, rather than relying solely on formal performance reviews, give leaders an opportunity to understand what's happening and address problems early. By noticing these changes, leaders can redistribute workloads, adjust expectations or remove obstacles before stress develops into burnout.
4. Give your employees control
Many employees experience stress because they feel they have little control over their work. Those in the technology sector often face tight deadlines, changing priorities, and high expectations. While we cannot remove all these pressures, we can provide autonomy to employees to help them be more successful.
Greater autonomy doesn't mean removing direction altogether. Leaders still need to set realistic expectations and help teams distinguish between what's genuinely urgent and what can wait. As a leader, you need to help your employees set realistic goals. You can help employees recognize what is urgent and prioritize their tasks effectively.
Employees who provide input and contribute in this way feel more in control and experience a higher level of buy in to team goals.
5. Create a culture that prioritizes recovery
We often mistake short-term performance for sustainable outcomes. However, we require time to recover not just as a reward, but as consistent practice. Employees need to be encouraged to take time to recuperate.
As a leader, the tone you set is seen and mimicked. If you’re not taking regular breaks, working at all hours of the night, and pushing through exhaustion, your employees will feel they need to do the same. Consider your own habits and then promote celebrating breaks, disconnection outside of working hours, using leave time, and establishing work-life balance.
It is easy to say, “do as I say not as I do.” However, this culture starts with you. Taking time to recover yourself helps you avoid burnout and be a better leader overall. It will also lead to long-term sustained performance over short bursts of success.
Stress will always be a part of the workplace. The goal is not to remove stress, but to prevent burnout and sustain performance.
As a leader, the ability to help your employees reduce stress is a shared responsibility between the individual, yourself, and your team. By understanding how individuals solve problems, creating an environment of trust, observing stress early on, increasing employee autonomy, and promoting recovery time, your organization can retain talent and build a healthier and more productive workforce.
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