Preventing and tackling work-related stress

Staff shortages, unclear instructions, poor teamwork, short deadlines... all these things (and more) can cause workers to feel stressed and anxious at work. This, in turn, can lead to lower productivity and higher sickness absence and staff turnover.

Employees suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety take an average of 19.6 days off work each year -- equivalent to almost a month's working days. That's according to data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which said there were an estimated 875,000 cases in 2022/23.

The workplace health and safety regulator is calling on employers to carry out their legal duty to prevent work-related stress and support good mental health at work.

"Our statistics clearly outline that there is a work-related stress issue in Britain and we want this to change," said Kayleigh Roberts, Work-Related Stress and Mental Health Policy lead at HSE. "A total of 17.1 million working days were lost in 2022/23, and this figure has a serious cost to the individual and to the business."

Causes and signs of stress

HSE defines stress as 'the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them'.

Stress affects people differently -- what causes stress for one person may not affect another. But overall, there are six main areas that can lead to work-related stress if they are not managed properly. These are: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change.

For example, workers may say that they:

• are not able to cope with the demands of their jobs (e.g. in terms of skills, workload or time);
• are unable to control the way they do their work;
• don't receive enough information and support;
• are having trouble with relationships at work, or are being bullied;
• don't fully understand their role and responsibilities; or
• are not engaged when a business is undergoing change.

If not properly managed, stress can cause 'burnout' (physical and emotional exhaustion), anxiety and depression. It can also increase the risk of physical illnesses such as heart disease, skin conditions, back pain and digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.

Managers should be on the lookout for signs of stress such as arguments, increased sickness absence, a drop in performance, more complaints and grievances, and higher staff turnover. The earlier a problem is tackled, the less impact it will have.

Five Rs

When your team is happy, healthy and engaged in their work, they are more likely to meet their goals and help you to meet organisational goals, explains HR body the CIPD. It may not be possible to completely eliminate stressful situations, but there are actions you can take to prevent stress and to help people to effectively deal with stress when it arises.

HSE's Working Minds campaign suggests the 'five Rs' -- five simple steps to prevent days lost due to work-related stress:

1. Reach out and have conversations;
2. Recognise the signs and causes of stress;
3. Respond to any risks you've identified;
4. Reflect on actions you've agreed and taken; and
5. make it Routine.

Open and honest conversations

There are three main reasons why employers should prevent work-related stress and support good mental health, says HSE: it's the law, it's good for business and it's the right thing to do.

"While many of us will face pressure in our working lives, unchecked and unmanageable pressures can lead to strain and can have a debilitating effect, resulting in stress," said Andrew Berrie, head of Corporate Partnerships at mental health charity Mind. "Stress can cause mental health problems, and make existing problems worse. For example, if you often struggle to manage feelings of stress, you might develop a mental health problem like anxiety or depression.

"It is vital that employers take steps to mitigate against work-related stress and create an environment in which employees can have open and honest conversations about triggers of stress and poor mental health. This can start with just a simple, person-centred conversation between managers and their teams."