What is the ‘coping era’ at work — and why should employers care?

For many employees, work isn’t something they’re thriving in — it’s something they’re getting through. 

BHN Extras 2026 Coping Index research suggests the UK workforce has entered what we’re calling a ‘coping era’, where employees are managing rising pressure through behaviours that can easily be mistaken for resilience or productivity.  

But beneath the surface, these behaviours may signal something more concerning. 

What does ‘coping’ at work actually look like? 

Coping doesn’t always look like struggling. 

In fact, it often looks like employees who are: 

• Always online 

• Rarely taking time off 

• Continuing to deliver, despite mounting pressure 

Our research shows: 

• 60% of employees under pressure say they work while sick 

• 57% regularly respond to messages outside working hours 

• 24% have taken sick leave due to stress or burnout in the past three months  

On paper, these behaviours might appear positive. In reality, they can reflect a workforce under sustained strain — not one that’s fully engaged. 

Why coping behaviours are easy to misread 

One of the biggest challenges for employers is that coping behaviours often resemble commitment. 

Logging on early, staying late, pushing through illness — these are traditionally seen as signs of dedication. But our findings suggest they can just as easily indicate employees are operating in ‘survival mode’.  

For employees who are thriving, these behaviours are often a choice. For those under pressure, they’re driven by workload or expectations. 

A divided workforce: thriving vs coping 

Using our “Coping Index”, we identified five distinct employee experiences: Thriving, Satisfied, Coping, Struggling and Under Pressure.  

This highlights a clear divide across the workforce. 

For example: 

• Only 6% of thriving employees work while sick, compared to 60% of those under pressure 

• Just 8% of thriving employees respond to messages out of hours, versus 57% of those under pressure  

This isn’t about isolated cases — it’s a structural difference in how employees experience work. 

Are employers seeing the full picture? 

Another key finding is the gap between perception and reality. 

While 90% of employers believe they understand their workforce, nearly half (43%) of employees under pressure say they don’t feel understood. 

This disconnect is even more pronounced across seniority levels: 

• 51% of C-level leaders feel fully understood 

• Just 19% of manual and semi-skilled workers feel the same  

The result is what we describe as a ‘leadership bubble’, where decision-makers may be removed from the day-to-day reality of employee experience. 

Where benefits fit into the picture 

Interestingly, employees under pressure are often the most likely to engage with support: 

• 34% access health cover 

• 28% use gym or wellness discounts 

• 22% use mental health support  

However, fewer than half say they make full or good use of their overall benefits package.  

This highlights an important point: offering benefits isn’t enough on its own. Relevance, awareness and accessibility all play a critical role in how effective they are. 

How can employers respond? 

If coping has become the norm for many employees, the challenge is shifting from reactive support to a more proactive approach. 

1. Looking beyond surface behaviours

Avoid assuming that visibility equals engagement. Regular late working or constant availability may indicate pressure, not performance. 

2. Closing theperceptiongap 

Actively gather feedback and ensure leadership teams understand how work is experienced across different roles and seniority levels. 

3. Making benefits more meaningful

Focus on ensuring benefits are not only available, but clearly communicated, easy to access and aligned with employee needs. 

4. Supporting sustainable ways of working

Encourage behaviours that enable employees to perform consistently — without relying on burnout-driven habits. 

Moving from coping to thriving 

Coping behaviours may keep employees functioning in the short term, but they’re not a sustainable foundation for long-term performance. 

For employers, the opportunity is clear: better understand what’s really driving employee behaviour — and build an environment where people don’t just get through the working day but genuinely thrive.