Stress & Pressure: Support for Automotive Workers

Stress is one of the most common challenges affecting people across the automotive industry. In BEN's 2025 annual survey, 57% of automotive workers identified stress as a significant issue in their lives — making it the number one wellbeing concern we hear about. Whether it is building up gradually or hitting you all at once, we are here to help. This page brings together everything BEN offers around stress and pressure, so you can find the right support for you.

Are pressure and stress the same?

You might hear people say they work in a 'high-pressure environment' or 'have a really stressful job' and sometimes, use both to describe the same situation. But are pressure and stress the same?

➡ Pressure describes the demands that are put on us, both in our home lives and at work.

This could be everything from making sure we get the kids to school on time to reaching deadlines or targets at work. The amount of pressure we are under can fluctuate and most of the time our pressure levels are fine.

We all need a certain amount of pressure to be effective at home and work. If we don't have enough pressure we can get bored or frustrated. Think of it like a tyre – it runs perfectly with the right pressure or runs flat without enough.

Read our 'Tips to deal with pressure' article.

 

➡ Stress happens when we have too much pressure.

This can be lots of different pressures all at once or an event which tips us over from pressure to stress, such as an unexpected bill, something happens to someone we care about or extra hours at work to meet a deadline. Think about it like a tyre or a balloon - add too much pressure and the stress can make it unstable or even burst.

Read our 'Tips to deal with stress' article.

Signs that pressure is turning into stress

Knowing what to look out for can make all the difference. Here are some common signs that pressure may be tipping into stress:

• Feeling constantly tired, even after a full night's sleep
• Headaches, muscle tension or an unsettled stomach that will not shift
• Snapping at colleagues on the workshop floor or during a busy handover
• Finding it hard to concentrate — losing your thread mid-conversation with a customer
• Feeling anxious, irritable or low for no obvious reason
• Withdrawing from the people around you, at work or at home
• Lying awake at night with your mind racing through the next day's job list
• Relying more on alcohol, cigarettes or caffeine to get through the day
• Putting things off and feeling overwhelmed by tasks you would normally handle easily
• Losing your sense of humour or not enjoying things that usually give you a lift

If any of these feel familiar, you are not on your own. Help is available, and reaching out is always the right call.

Take the Stress MOT test
Take our short quiz to gauge your stress level and learn how you can keep your pressure low.

Stress in the automotive industry

The automotive industry can be a rewarding place to work, but it also comes with real pressures. In BEN's 2025 annual health & wellbeing survey, stress was the top wellbeing issue for automotive workers, cited by 57% of respondents — ahead of poor sleep at 52% and anxiety at 44%.

It is not hard to see why. Long shifts, short-staffed teams, targets that do not seem to let up, and the ongoing squeeze of the cost of living all take their toll. Whether you are on the workshop floor, managing a dealership, working in logistics or anything else across the sector, the pressure can build in ways that are easy to dismiss until they become hard to ignore.

BEN exists specifically for people in the automotive industry — past and present. That means we understand the pressures that come with your working life in a way that a generic service simply cannot. And everything we offer is completely free. There is no catch, no referral needed, and no waitlist for most of our services.

How we can help

Wherever you are with stress right now, BEN has support that can help.

You can call our free and confidential helpline on 08081 311 333 any time, or access support through our online chat if you would rather not talk on the phone. Our SilverCloud digital wellbeing programmes are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week — just use the access code ben to get started at no cost. If you would prefer to speak to someone one to one, we can connect you with a life coach or a trained counsellor.

Everything BEN offers is free and completely confidential. No judgement, no pressure — just practical support from people who understand your industry. Take a look at the pages below for self-help tips, guidance on managing stress day to day, and more.

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Next steps for employers: reducing stress in your team

If you manage people in the automotive industry, you play a vital role in reducing stress at work. Simple, consistent actions can make a big difference to how your team feels day to day.

• Talk openly about stress. Check in regularly with your team, especially during busy periods, and make it clear that it’s OK to say when things feel too much. Listen without judgement, try to understand what’s driving their stress, and agree small, practical changes together where you can.

• Look at workload, targets and staffing. Review rotas, sales or workshop targets, and staffing levels so people aren’t under constant, unmanageable pressure. Even small adjustments – such as spreading work more evenly, planning ahead for peaks, or bringing in short‑term cover – can help reduce stress.

• Tackle culture and behaviour. Lead by example on breaks, working hours and work‑life balance, and address unhelpful behaviours such as bullying, blame or unrealistic expectations. Creating a respectful, supportive culture will help people feel safer speaking up early about stress.

• Make support easy to access. Make sure your team knows about Ben’s free, confidential support for anyone who works, or has worked, in automotive, and how to contact us. If your organisation partners with Ben or uses BenLife, remind people they can use those services any time to get preventative and ongoing support.

• Use Ben’s guidance for employers. If you’re worried about stress levels in your business, our employer resources and “Next steps for employers” guidance from Ben’s annual health and wellbeing survey can help you take action. Visit our employer pages to explore practical tools, training and support designed to reduce stress and improve wellbeing across your workforce.