Two-thirds of employees have felt the need to mask their emotions to appear professional at work, while only one-third rate the overall psychological safety of their workplace as high, a recent survey from Zety UK found.
“Employees are navigating workplaces where expressing emotions can feel risky, leaving many to hide their struggles and suffer in silence,” according to the career and resume service. “If their mental health were suffering, 1 in 4 wouldn’t feel safe telling their manager and would stay silent.”
Among other key findings from the survey of 1,000 U.S. workers:
- Forty-four percent of respondents feel judged when they express stress or negative emotion at work.
- Burnout or chronic stress (43%) and heavy workloads or deadlines (42%) are the leading causes of negative emotions at work.
- More than one-third have reported a different reason for taking a mental health day, while 7% don’t feel comfortable taking time off for mental health at all.
- One-third have been told directly to “toughen up,” “calm down” or “leave your feelings at the door.”
The toll of stress on employees is clear. Sixty-one percent have felt overwhelmed to the point of tears in the past year; 30% have cried in front of a coworker or manager because of work stress; one-quarter feel emotionally drained a few times a week; and 1 in 10 say they feel this way every day.
High levels of stress and fatigue point to a pattern of unsustainable pressure. Left unaddressed, this climate normalizes exhaustion and diminishes both morale and performance. Other main causes of negative emotions at work include:
- Conflict with manager or colleagues (29%)
- Lack of support or recognition (28%)
- Personal issues spilling into work (26%)
- Unclear communication or expectations (23%)
- Toxic team or leadership culture (23%)
- Job insecurity or fear of layoffs (14%)
- Sudden changes in responsibilities (14%)
- Micromanagement or lack of autonomy (10%)
- Ethical or values conflict (8%)
- Discrimination or harassment (7%)
When it comes to seeking help, most employees lean on personal connections, such as a trusted colleague or family member, rather than workplace leaders or professionals. This response reflects a gap in organizational support. Many employees don’t feel comfortable turning to formal channels, which signals that existing structures aren’t meeting their needs. This lack of trust can prevent early intervention and worsen long-term wellbeing.
“What stands out is how often employees are pushed to silence or shame when emotions surface at work,” said Jasmine Escalera, a career expert at Zety. “Crying, stress and burnout are human, but too many workplaces still treat them as weaknesses. Until psychological safety is prioritized, employees will continue to mask their emotions rather than seek real support.”
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