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How are your stress levels today?
 
 

April is Stress Awareness Month in Canada and, for many workers, the timing feels almost too on the nose. Between looming deadlines, ongoing layoffs and the growing sense that artificial intelligence tools are creating as much work as they save, the pressure is palpable.
 
 

According to a recent survey of 2,000 professionals from book summary app company Headway, the most effective stress relief could be sitting just a few feet – or one Zoom call – away.

 
 

Enter the workplace bestie. That one person who makes meetings more tolerable, Slack messages more human and the workday feel just a little lighter. The Headway survey shares that 42 per cent of people say they have a close friend at work and it’s a relationship that experts say is often overlooked, but deeply impactful.
 
 

“Knowing that you have someone who has your back, empathizes with you and counts on you the same way you count on them on the job makes even stressful work environments easier to bear,” says Suzanne Degges-White, a licensed counsellor and relationship expert at Headway.
 
 
 

That empathy, she says, is what makes workplace friendships unique. “In stressful situations, if you can shift your focus to making a joke or simply acknowledging that you’re in the same boat with coworkers, it prevents the tension from building,” she says.
 
 

The need for that kind of connection is growing. Data from accounting firm KPMG shows workplace loneliness is on the rise, with 45 per cent of employees reporting they feel “isolated and alone” at least sometimes, nearly double from 25 per cent in November 2024. Remote workers are feeling it most, with 67 per cent reporting loneliness.
 
 

Even one meaningful connection can make a difference, but forming those relationships isn’t always easy. Headway’s data shows that just 13 per cent of close friendships begin at work.
 
 

“In adulthood and especially at work, the friendship dynamic shifts. Adults have greater claims on their time, so it can be harder to establish and maintain friendships, in general, not just with people at work,” Dr. Degges-White says.
 
 

That’s why she recommends starting small. Repeated, low-pressure interactions, quick chats before meetings, coffee breaks or attending workplace socials, can build familiarity over time.
 
 

Her rule of thumb is simple. The more you interact, the more comfortable you become.
 
 

For employers, these relationships matter too because they can directly affect retention and engagement. The same Headway survey found 58 per cent of employees have stayed in a job because of the people, not the role itself. Meanwhile, 66 per cent say they would consider following a work friend to a new company.
 
 

“Don’t over-engineer it,” Dr. Degges-White advises organizations that want to create space for these friendships. Creating opportunities for organic connection, whether through internal mentorship programs, interest-based groups or even a company recreational sports team, can go a long way.
 
 

And while workplace stress doesn’t clock out at 5 p.m., neither do the benefits of strong relationships.
 
 

“What happens on the job can impact the rest of our lives, so working with people we care for and who care about us can positively affect us even when we’re off-the-clock,” Dr. Degges-White says.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

41 per cent
 
 

That’s how many employees are afraid of being fired if they make a mistake at work, according to a new survey from talent solutions firm INTOO and The Harris Poll.
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

One worker is interviewing for the same job they didn’t get a year ago and are wondering how to approach the situation.

 
 

Experts say it’s common for strong applicants to re-apply to roles, and that if you’re invited to interview again you should assume positive intent and that the recruiter is aware you’ve applied before. It’s okay to use the same examples you used in your last interview, but be sure to show how you’ve grown as well. When it comes up naturally, frame your re-application in a positive way that shows you’re genuinely interested.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

“Pointing to AI makes a better blog post,” says tech investor Terrence Rohan. “Or it at least doesn’t make you seem as much the bad guy who just wants to cut people for cost-effectiveness.”
 
 

Tech giants such as Amazon, Meta and Block are conducting mass layoffs while increasingly attributing the cuts to AI advancements, claiming the technology allows them to do more with fewer workers. However, experts note that while AI productivity gains are real, executives are also using the AI narrative as a more palatable cover for cost-cutting.