The Pressure is Real, So Should Employer Support Be
By Farah Benis
It’s no secret that people are under more pressure than ever. The cost of living is rising, workloads are heavier, and world events are increasingly distressing. Employees aren’t walking into work each day as blank slates, they’re bringing the weight of their personal lives, financial stress, and the wider world with them. And yet, too many employers still operate under the assumption that resilience is an individual responsibility rather than an organisational priority.
That approach isn’t just outdated, it’s harmful. A burned-out workforce isn’t an effective workforce. A team that feels unsupported will never be fully engaged. And when organisations fail to acknowledge the reality of the pressures their employees are facing, they risk creating an environment where high turnover, absenteeism, and quiet quitting become the norm.
Resilience isn’t about telling people to just ‘push through’, it’s about creating a workplace that actively supports well-being, acknowledges external stressors, and provides the tools people need to manage adversity. This is especially critical in high-stress industries like security, where employees are expected to perform under immense pressure. If businesses truly want to future-proof themselves, they need to prioritise resilience not just as a buzzword, but as a core part of their culture. Because, let’s be honest, expecting people to thrive in a vacuum of support isn’t just unrealistic, it’s bad business.
It’s easy to pretend that employees should “leave their problems at the door” when they come to work, but that’s never been how people function. The reality is that most employees are dealing with more than just their job responsibilities. The rising cost of living, job insecurity, political instability, and an always-on work culture mean that stress is no longer an occasional challenge, it’s a daily reality.
For those working in high-pressure industries like security, these external stressors are compounded by the nature of the job. Security professionals are expected to remain alert, make split-second decisions, and manage crisis situations, often with little downtime. Add in the relentless pace of technological change, from AI replacing traditional roles to the increasing demands of digital surveillance, and it’s no surprise that burnout is a growing problem across the sector.
But stress isn’t just about workloads. The emotional toll of today’s world cannot be ignored. The news cycle is a constant barrage of conflict, economic downturns, and human suffering. Employees are not just spectators to these events, many are directly affected, whether through financial strain, concerns about job stability, or personal connections to global crises. Employers who fail to acknowledge this are missing a crucial part of the resilience equation.
While everyone is feeling the weight of the world right now, for some employees, the burden is significantly heavier. People of colour often find themselves navigating additional layers of stress, particularly when global events hit close to home.
For example, when geopolitical conflicts erupt, employees from affected regions may be worrying about family members, experiencing grief, or feeling the sting of anti-immigrant sentiment closer to home. In some cases, they may also face increased workplace tensions, whether it’s through microaggressions, insensitive comments, or an expectation to “educate” others about what’s happening.
The psychological toll of this cannot be overstated. Watching communities suffer while being expected to carry on with business as usual is exhausting. Many POC employees also experience heightened anxiety from discrimination, police violence, or political rhetoric that directly impacts their rights and safety. Employers who are serious about resilience must acknowledge these disparities. A one-size-fits-all approach to employee well-being will never be enough if it fails to consider the unique challenges faced by different groups.
Recognising this doesn’t mean companies have to solve geopolitical issues, but it does mean they should be aware of how external events are affecting their teams. Creating spaces where employees feel heard, ensuring managers are trained in cultural competency, and taking proactive steps to support staff during difficult times are all essential to building a truly resilient workforce. Because ignoring these realities doesn’t make them disappear, it just forces employees to shoulder the burden alone.
Resilience isn’t about expecting employees to tough it out in silence. It’s about ensuring they have the support, tools, and environment needed to navigate stress without it destroying their well-being, or their performance. Employers who get this right don’t just retain staff; they create teams that are engaged, adaptable, and able to weather challenges without burning out.
So how do you actually build a resilient workforce? It starts with shifting the responsibility away from the individual and recognising that resilience is an organisational issue. A culture that promotes resilience isn’t one where employees are expected to “just deal with it”, it’s one where support systems are in place, leadership sets the right tone, and people are given the resources they need to manage pressure effectively.
Resilience starts at the top. If leadership treats stress, burnout, and mental health as individual problems rather than workplace issues, nothing will change. The best leaders don’t just demand resilience from their employees, they create an environment where resilience can actually be sustained. That means:
Acknowledging the pressures people are facing. A simple “we know times are tough” isn’t enough, leaders need to actively engage with the challenges their employees are experiencing.
Embedding psychological safety. Employees should feel comfortable speaking up about stress and seeking support without fear of judgment or repercussions.
Avoiding toxic resilience culture. Pushing through exhaustion isn’t a badge of honour, it’s a fast track to burnout. Leadership should be modelling healthy work habits, not glorifying overwork.
Taking a structured approach to resilience. Well-being and stress management shouldn’t be left to chance. Organisations need a clear resilience strategy, integrated into policies, processes, and leadership training.
Resilience isn’t just about mindset, it’s about the conditions employees work under. Here’s what employers can do to actually make a difference:
A. Flexible Work Arrangements
Workplace stress isn’t just about workload, it’s also about control. When employees have more flexibility over when and how they work, they’re better able to manage stress and maintain balance. While not every job allows for remote work or flexible hours, employers should be looking for ways to offer more autonomy where possible.
B. Mental Health and Well-being Initiatives
Mental health support isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity. Offering access to counselling, mental health resources, and employee assistance programmes (EAPs) is a good start, but employers also need to normalise conversations around stress and mental well-being. That means:
Ensuring managers check in with staff on how they’re actually doing, not just their output.
Encouraging people to take breaks, use their annual leave, and actually disconnect outside of work hours.
Destigmatising conversations around stress and burnout.
C. DEI and Inclusive Support Measures
If resilience strategies aren’t inclusive, they’re ineffective. Employers need to recognise that different employees face different challenges. This means:
Ensuring well-being initiatives address the unique experiences of POC employees.
Training managers in cultural competency so they can provide better support.
Creating safe spaces where employees can openly discuss the impact of world events without being dismissed or judged.
D. Resilience Training and Education
Resilience isn’t just about coping, it’s about learning how to manage stress in a way that prevents long-term burnout. Employers should be providing:
Practical resilience training to help employees develop coping strategies.
Training for managers so they can spot signs of burnout early and step in before it becomes a crisis.
Peer-support networks to encourage employees to support each other.
The problem with a lot of workplace well-being initiatives is that they look good on paper but don’t actually help employees. A mental health webinar once a year isn’t enough. A vague company-wide email about “resilience” won’t cut it. Employees see through performative gestures, and when companies roll out half-hearted initiatives, it only makes people more cynical.
Resilience-building needs to be integrated into company culture. That means sustained, meaningful efforts to support employees, not just short-term campaigns. It means ensuring that well-being and mental health are prioritised, not just when it’s convenient, but all the time. It means recognising that employees are human, and that expecting them to operate at full capacity without adequate support is both unrealistic and counterproductive.
The workplace has changed. The world has changed. And yet, too many organisations are still operating as if nothing is different, as if employees can somehow separate themselves from the pressures of modern life and function at 100% capacity no matter what.
That’s not how people work. And it’s not how resilient organisations are built.
Employers who want a strong, engaged, and adaptable workforce need to take resilience seriously, not as an individual trait, but as a cultural and organisational priority. That means acknowledging the pressures employees face, putting real support systems in place, and ensuring that resilience isn’t about enduring hardship alone, but about creating an environment where people can thrive despite the challenges around them.
Because at the end of the day, businesses don’t succeed because their employees are good at suffering in silence. They succeed when their people feel supported, valued, and equipped to handle whatever comes their way. That’s what true resilience looks like, and it’s time more organisations started getting it right.
