‘Stress Awareness Week 2024’ took place from 1st to 7th November 2024 and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) used the occasion to remind employers of their duty to prevent workplace stress and support good mental health at work.

The impact of workplace stress

The statistics around workplace stress don’t make cheerful reading. 

According to HSE figures, a staggering 17.1 million working days were lost to work-related stress in 2022-23. On average, an employee suffering from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety takes 19.6 days off work annually. That’s almost a full working month.

On that basis, addressing workplace stress and doing all that you can to reduce or avoid it in your business is not just the right thing to do, but also a business necessity.

Legal obligations for Employers

As an employer, you have specific legal duties regarding workplace stress:

1. Conduct Risk Assessments: You must carry out risk assessments for stress and act on the findings.

2. Preventive Measures: Take steps to prevent work-related stress.

3. Documentation: If you have five or more employees, you must write down your risk assessment. Even with fewer employees, it’s a good idea to document your assessment.

Practical steps you can take…

1. Utilise Free HSE Resources: The HSE provides a range of online learning materials, a risk assessment template, a Stress Indicator Tool, and a ‘talking toolkit’ to help structure conversations with staff. These provide a great starting point.

2. Regular Check-ins: Implement regular one-to-one meetings between managers and team members to discuss workload and any potential stressors.

3. Promote Work-Life Balance: Encourage employees to take regular breaks and avoid working excessive hours, and lead by example too!

4. Training and Development: Provide stress management training where possible, for both employees and managers. This may help to avoid any problems even starting to develop.

5. Create a Supportive Environment: Foster an open culture where employees feel comfortable discussing mental health issues or concerns.

By taking some proactive steps now, you’ll not only be fulfilling your legal requirements around workplace stress, but can also create a healthy, productive working environment which could lead to improved productivity and lower absence figures.

If you’re unsure or would like any further advice, this is definitely a question for your HR Advisor! They will be able to provide practical advice around culture and the legal requirements you’re contending with too. Do get in touch if you’d like contact details for an advisor we’d strongly recommend.