This blog explores how stress arises in our brain, the different forms it takes, and the consequences that follow. At its core, stress is beneficial: it helps us respond better to our environment and stimulates performance. However, the challenges life presents seem endless. We demand more and more from ourselves while having fewer moments of rest. As a result, stress is no longer only stimulating—it has also become harmful. For employers, this leads to rising labor costs. Together with social insecurity, stress has now become the largest source of avoidable organizational costs.
Two types of stress
Here, we define stress as a response to a thought or a stimuli that increases our Readiness and alertness. We distinguish between acute stress and latent stress. Acute stress directs our attention to a specific stimulus, such as danger. Latent stress prepares us for potential pressure.
We usually recognize acute stress; we know the stressor. With latent stress, the response is more subtle and typically unconscious. We become more alert and feel a sense of unease. This happens so subtly that we often hardly notice it ourselves.
Stress hormones
Acute stress begint met een vrijgave van het hormoon adrenaline (“een shotje adrenaline”) in het bloed. Het is bedoeld voor snelle actie. Als de stressor aanhoudt omdat de uitdaging blijft, komt ook het hormoon cortisol vrij. De adrenaline breekt weer snel af. Na ± 2 minuten is het effect alweer verdwenen. Cortisol heeft een langdurend effect, gemiddeld zo’n 75 minuten. Bij latente stress is dat anders. Hier is alleen een lichte verhoging van de cortisol meetbaar, die echter lang aanhoudt (van uren tot weken) omdat er steeds weer opnieuw een beetje wordt aangemaakt. Langdurig verhoogde cortisol in het bloed is echter schadelijk voor het brein en kan een burn-out veroorzaken.
A little stress can be rewarding
The scaling up of hormone production happens unconsciously. We do not always recognize this in ourselves. We are so focused on the stimulus that our own response goes unnoticed. At the organizational level, stress can lead to a short-term increase in productivity. That benefits the system. Stress makes our engine run faster, which naturally consumes energy. At the same time, some dopamine is released, creating a pleasant feeling. Working hard leads to fatigue, but also to higher satisfaction. Even at an individual level, stress can have a mildly rewarding effect.
Stress measurement
Within Brain Based Safety, we often conduct a survey on workplace behavior prior to a change initiative. What stands out in the measurement results is that latent stress caused by workload has increased in recent years—across almost all countries where we conduct these measurements. A thriving economy creates a lot of work, especially when there is a shortage of available labor. We are required to do more with fewer people. This operational pressure to perform is clearly reflected in the results.
Sickness absence
One might ask: where is the real problem? Prolonged elevated cortisol leads to structural issues such as chronic fatigue and brain damage. As a result, we see a continuous rise in sickness absence in many Western countries. Occupational health services report that stress-related complaints have increased sickness absence rates by 50% over the past 20 years. In the United States, the associated costs are estimated at hundreds of billions of dollars per year. The stress effect returns like a boomerang: what initially has a positive effect on production increasingly turns into a major cost factor. Due to sickness absence, organizations also lose control over workforce capacity.
Toolbox sessions
Stress reduction is currently one of the most effective ways to manage both labor costs and the production process. The biggest challenge is that latent stress is difficult to detect—both for the individuals involved and for their environment. One effective approach is to strengthen the self-correcting capacity of teams. In addition to an optimal workload, colleagues can help keep each other on track. This has proven to be an effective way to reduce stress.
For this purpose, we have developed a series of Toolbox sessions that can be used within teams. In doing so, we aim to contribute to greater awareness of work-related stress and to its reduction.
Juni Daalmans
December 2025