Chronic Worker Stress Hits a New Low in 2024, but Workers Are Still Struggling to Thrive

14 May, 2025

The decline in negative on-the-job stress continues post-pandemic. Workers who report bad stress daily are much more likely to feel overloaded and less likely to thrive at work.

5% of workers reported daily stress in 2024, down from 15% in 2023
34% of workers in Latin America identify as "thriving," compared to only 23% in North America
19% of European workers feel overloaded, while only 11% of the workforce in the Middle East and Africa report feeling overwhelmed.
32% of survey respondents said they felt judged for taking advantage of flexible working arrangements.

London, 14 May 2025 - According to the third study in ADP Research’s refreshed “People at Work 2025” report series, chronic workplace stress levels are significantly declining as we move further away from the pandemic. While the percentage of workers experiencing daily stress has decreased from 15% in 2023 to just 7.5% in 2024, the struggle for many remains: fewer workers are thriving in their roles.

Everyday Stress on the Decline

Understanding Stress in the Workplace

ADP Research categorises workplace stress into two distinct types.

- Positive Stress (or eustress) is the beneficial form of stress, such as the adrenaline rush associated with tight deadlines, can enhance productivity.

- Negative Stress (Distress) is conversely a harmful pressure typically results in decreased output and well-being.

Measuring the frequency of both stress types allows for the classification of workers into three categories: thriving, rattled, or overloaded. Those experiencing distress daily are significantly more likely to feel overwhelmed while thriving employees tend to perceive their work pressures as eustress, leading to higher engagement, resilience, and lower turnover rates.

In the wake of the pandemic, there has been a notable decline in everyday work-related stress. In 2021, 19% of workers reported feeling negative stress daily. This figure has steadily decreased to 16% in 2022, 15% in 2023, and under 8% in 2024.

The report also highlights that workplace stress levels vary by region. In Japan, over 14% of workers are affected. In Thailand, the figure stands at 12%, while France and Argentina each have 11%. Taiwan follows with 10%. In contrast, the Netherlands reports a rate of 5%, and both Indonesia and Singapore have 4%. South Africa and China have the lowest rates, each at 3%.

There are also notable disparities in stress levels based on gender and age. Women report slightly higher stress levels than men across several regions. In North America, workers aged 27 to 39 have the highest share of individuals experiencing high stress, accounting for 11%. Meanwhile, in the Middle East and Africa, workers over 55 years old face significant stress, with 10% affected. In Latin America, the age group most impacted by high stress is those between 40 and 54 years old.

“There is a strong relationship between the frequency of bad stress and being overloaded or thriving,” said Mary Hayes, research director of People & Performance at ADP Research. “Those who report bad stress daily are much more likely to feel overloaded. But as the frequency of bad stress decreases, the share of overloaded workers drops and the likelihood of thriving rises.”

Bridging the Gap: The Challenges of Thriving and Overloaded Workers

Globally, nearly 32% of workers experiencing daily stress report feeling overloaded, compared to just 7% who describe themselves as thriving. In contrast, among workers with minimal stress (once per week or less), 11% report feeling overloaded while 34% say they are thriving.

Latin America leads the way with 34% of workers thriving and only 10% feeling overloaded, while North America lags with only 23% thriving. Of all regions, Europe reports the highest levels of overload at 19%. Sweden and Czechia have the highest percentages, with 24% and 23% of workers expressing feelings of overload. In contrast, Poland stands out as the country with the least overloaded workers (13%), coinciding with a notably high level of thriving among its workforce (32%). Poland and Spain (31%) are the top performers when it comes to worker thriving, while France lags behind with only 20% of respondents reporting they are thriving.

Other findings in Asia-Pacific include:

China exhibits the largest share of thriving workers at 40%.
South Korea has the smallest percentage of thrivers at 15%.
Singapore has the biggest increase in the share of thriving workers, rising 11 percentage points to 26%.

The Weight of Judgment: Navigating the Anxiety of Perception

The report also delves into the psychological toll of perceived judgment in the workplace. 32% of survey respondents expressed feeling scrutinised or judged, particularly in hybrid and remote work settings. This perceived pressure can heighten negative stress levels, leading to reduced productivity and overall job satisfaction.

Indeed, workers who feel judged are 3.4 times less likely to thrive on the job. A similar relationship exists between stress and feeling watched. Workers who feel like their manager is monitoring everything they do are 3.3 times less likely to thrive.

"The simple absence of bad on-the-job stress doesn't guarantee that workers will thrive. Other factors, such as a lack of trusting relationships with one's coworkers or leaders, or feelings of limited freedom and flexibility within the workplace, might also be involved,” said Nela Richardson, Chief Economist at ADP. “This matters for employers because overwhelmed and stressed workers are generally less efficient and tend to be less productive. Additionally, these individuals are more likely to look for new job opportunities. In contrast, employees who are thriving are less inclined to search for a new position.”

Other findings include:

The Middle East and Africa had the highest percentage of workers who felt judged (36%), particularly for utilising flexible working arrangements.
This region also had the largest share of workers who felt monitored by their manager (42%).
In Latin America, only 29% of workers reported feeling judged, making it the lowest percentage among the regions surveyed.
Europe had the smallest share of workers who felt closely monitored by managers (31%).

About “People at Work 2025” Report Series Methodology

For the first time, “People at Work” is built on the ADP Research Global Workforce Survey, a robust study conducted regularly since 2015. The survey was designed by ADP Research’s team of analysts by obtaining information about the labor market from the perspective of workers themselves, with the goal of providing insights that can improve the world of work by better understanding worker sentiment and expectations.

Based on survey data from nearly 38,000 working adults in 34 markets across six continents, “People at Work 2025” features a representative sample of the global workforce to provide regional and market-to-market comparisons of worker sentiment in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and North America.

Respondents come from a wide variety of industries, educational backgrounds, on-site and remote work environments and skill sets. They represent a range of management and individual contributor roles, working for employers of all sizes.

About ADP Research

The mission of ADP Research is to make the future of work more productive through data-driven discovery. Companies, workers, and policymakers rely on our finely tuned data and unique perspective to make informed decisions that impact workplaces around the world.

About ADP (NASDAQ – ADP)

Designing better ways to work through cutting-edge products, premium services and exceptional experiences that enable people to reach their full potential. HR, Talent, Time Management, Benefits and Payroll. Informed by data and designed for people. Learn more at ADP.com.

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ADP Media Contact:

Nicolas Swiatek
ADP, Inc.
Nicolas.Swiatek@adp.com