What Happens When Employees Truly Understand Their Stress? A Year of Local Data Offers Insight

Across Central Indiana, employers are navigating a workplace landscape where stress, burnout, and constant change have become the norm. As organizations work to strengthen retention, communication, and team wellbeing, one question keeps coming up: What actually helps employees manage their stress in a sustainable way?

After reviewing 409 participant evaluations from my Managing the Stress Cycle workshop — delivered this year to educators, healthcare staff, nonprofits, and private-sector teams throughout the region — a clear pattern emerged: when employees understand how stress works, they handle it more effectively, and the whole workplace benefits.

A Meaningful Shift After Just 90 Minutes

Participants reported significant increases in key areas:

• Awareness of life stressors increased by 72%

• Understanding of the stress cycle and the fight-or-flight response increased by 169%

• Knowledge of nourishing vs. numbing self-care increased more than sixfold

These changes matter because they directly influence how people communicate, navigate conflict, and recover during demanding seasons — all essential to maintaining a productive and healthy work environment.

What Employees Say About the Experience

Across all organizations, participant feedback was remarkably consistent:

• 99% felt encouraged to participate

• 99.7% found the content clear and easy to follow

• 99.7% said the trainer was knowledgeable and prepared

• 97% reported the session was a valuable use of their time

For busy teams balancing competing responsibilities, this level of engagement suggests that employees are eager for practical tools that make everyday challenges more manageable.