Leadership has always demanded resilience, but the last few years have turned up the heat to boiling point.

Economic volatility, relentless change, and shifting workplace expectations and priorities have left many leaders operating in an always-on mode.

For many senior leaders, the next crisis seems only round the corner. The pressure is now in-built, not occasional.

This takes its toll: A 2025 CIPD report on Health and Wellbeing at Work shows UK workforce absence at a 15-year high.

Two-thirds of CEOs report regular burnout, and nearly a quarter experience it daily.

According to a recent article in the Financial Times, many chief executives now last just three years in post.

When stress rises at the top, the impact cascades through the organization — affecting morale, culture, decision quality and results.

Why stress at the top matters

Putting all the pressure on a handful of individuals undermines effectiveness in three key ways:

• It clouds judgment – decision-making becomes reactive, not strategic.
• It erodes engagement – leaders set the tone; when they struggle, motivation falters.
• It drives up cost – turnover, sickness absence and healthcare claims all rise under strain.

Gallup estimates burnout costs U.S. employers $1.5 trillion each year.

Yet stigma remains strong: many executives still view admitting stress is weakness and something to keep quiet about.

The CIPD finds this barrier isolates senior leaders and accelerates burnout.

From wellness to systemic change

Many companies believe they are taking care of stress via wellness apps or resilience courses.

These have their place, but often they just touch the surface: they can’t fix overly heavy workloads or 24/7 expectations.

True prevention means redesigning systems, not just bolstering individuals.

To get to the root of endemic pressure, HR and L&D functions need to shift from reactive care to preventive design.

That means building sustainability into roles, decision processes and development pathways.

Read the full article here.