Managing stress in the workplace: An interview with Rawle Ragoobar
For stress awareness month, we spoke to Staff Support Deputy Lead, Rawle Ragoobar about how we can take personal and professional accountability for our wellbeing to manage stress levels.
Recent research cites that work-related ill health accounted for the majority of days lost at work with the average person losing 22.9 days for stress, depression or anxiety.
Our roles can be emotionally and physically exhausting. We are regularly supporting people in crisis and exposed to distressing content, information or situations likely to cause stress.
We spoke to Rawle Ragoobar who shared advice for individuals and teams on managing wellbeing to avoid stress getting out of control or potentially spiralling into burnout.
Is stress always bad?
Stress is characterised by our body’s reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure. When we are stressed, our body releases adrenaline which can give us a boost or motivation to act quickly.
Rawle said: “A reasonable and manageable amount of stress can help you with compassion and make you much more responsive to situations at hand, but when it becomes too much, it can become overwhelming, increase risk of errors and if left untreated, it can cause physical, mental and emotional exhaustion.”
“Working in healthcare, we often forget about the emotional impact of the work we do and how that can contribute to our rising stress levels.”
Ways to recognise stress in your daily activities
Research from 2025 found that 74% of adults have felt so stressed at some point over the past year that they became overwhelmed or unable to cope. In addition, over half of adults also report feeling depressed while 32% experience suicidal thoughts due to stress.
Recognising the signs of stress can help individuals to manage it effectively. Here are some of the common symptoms if you are experiencing high levels of stress:
- Physical symptoms: Tiredness, headaches, disrupted sleep and changes in appetite
- Emotional symptoms: Persistent low mood, irritability, anxiety and a sense of overwhelm
- Behavioural symptoms: Feeling absent, time management issues, social isolation and difficulty concentrating
Being your own biggest support system
“There are three different areas in our lives that can help manage our stress levels: Individual responsibility, team responsibility and organisational responsibility. But it all starts with the individual,” said Rawle. “It’s important to pause and reflect on how we are feeling. Once we’re connected with ourselves and we recognise the stress, we can take action to support ourselves.”
Rawle went on to explain how the mind and body are inseparable, and both require the same levels of self-care to manage stress and wellbeing. He suggested a few things that we can take personal accountability for.
He said: “For me, this means making sure I have my breakfast, taking my lunch break, taking moments to be mindful, drinking, exercising and saying no where I can.”
“Another thing is looking not only at the number of meetings I have for the day ahead, but the kinds of meetings you have – do you have two heavy meetings back-to-back? Can you schedule a short walk after those? This way, you’re planning for your stress and mitigating it the best you can. As we say to our service users, prevention is always better than cure.”
Leaning on those around you and creating safe spaces
Creating spaces where you and your team can talk and feel safe to speak about experiences and feeling without being judged can help to build an environment where managing stress is a shared responsibility.
NHS UK notes: “Talking to someone can significantly reduce stress by providing a sense of relief and validation. It allows individuals to let out bottled-up thoughts and feelings, which can be a source of stress. Sharing experiences with others can help normalise emotions, reduce self-doubt, and provide comfort.”
Rawle shared that it’s not only the role of teams to support each other but for leaders to role model caring and compassionate behaviours. He said: “It’s very important for us to be compassionate leaders – all of us, not just management. We can do this by actively listening to concerns without interruption or jumping to solutions, noticing and calling out stress if you see it, showing empathy, and modelling healthy behaviours such as breaks and boundaries.”
“All of this is important but if you are in a position to actively change the causes of the stressors such as removing unnecessary obstacles, addressing excessive workloads, and ensuring that staff have the resources, time and training they need to work well, these will reduce stress and prevent individuals from burnout.”
Seeking help when it becomes too much
If stress starts to feel overwhelming or begins to affect your wellbeing, it’s important to seek support rather than trying to cope alone. This might mean talking to someone you trust or accessing professional support.
Reaching out is a positive step and not a sign of weakness and early support can help prevent stress from escalating. Everyone deserves help when they are struggling, and support is available.
Find out more about your local NHS Talking Therapies and self-refer for support: NHS Talking Therapies at South London and Maudsley | Our blog - South London and Maudsley
