Some 14,000 employees contacted a helpline for support over the past year with the majority of calls relating to mental health issues.
Findings from a new clinical study revealed female employees accounted for 59% of the callers.
Over half - 57% - of these workers revealed they were suffering from anxiety and stress.
More than 15% needed help for with a relationship problem.
Every day 40 calls are made to an Employee Assistance Programme, run by Spectrum.Life.
Experts probed the nature of the calls received over the past 12 months.
Psychologist Dr Sarah O’Neill led this clinical audit, which highlights the struggles workers are facing.
Dr O’Neill said: “More and more we are hearing about presenteeism, which is where employees attend work but are not fully productive as a result of physical, mental or personal factors.”
Spectrum.Life is Ireland’s largest provider of corporate health and wellness services.
The demographic most likely to seek professional support is those aged between 31 and 35.
People in this age bracket are more prone to pressure or stress in the workplace, Dr O’Neill insists.
Dr Sarah O’Neill noted that half of calls were made during traditional working hours, with 11am to 12pm being the busiest time.
She said: “The fact that people are contacting us during the working day may indicate that there is a real urgency to their need.
“Having access to support services at work is important as they may be feeling stressed or distressed and the issue may be exacerbated by having to wait to seek support.”
One in 10 callers presented with severe distress, but after consultation with an expert, 90% reported a decrease in symptoms.
The chartered psychologist added: “When it comes to dealing with mental health issues, early intervention is really important.
“Providing employees with access to clinical professionals at any time of day is critical when it comes to promoting mental wellbeing.
“There was a marked decline in the levels of psychological distress experienced by employees following Employment Assistance Programme intervention.”
