Work-related stress: a key issue for employers

What is stress?

The HSE defines stress as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them”. Stress affects people differently, and what some may find stressful, others may not.

Work-related stress can have an adverse impact on an individual’s productivity and performance as well as a likely increase in their sickness absence. Being able to identify stress in the workplace (and its causes) is crucial. Most employers will be familiar with the HSE’s Management Standards approach to help identify and manage the main causes of stress in the workplace.

The HSE has also published a handbook providing guidance on using the Management Standards approach. Other helpful HSE resources included the Stress Talking Toolkit and the Stress Indicator Tool.

The HSE suggests that to prevent stress at work and to support good mental health, it is important for colleagues to:

• Reach out: Start a conversation – the first step towards preventing work-related stress and supporting good mental health.
• Recognise: The signs of stress in individuals and teams.
• Respond: Action points and solutions should be agreed together between employers and workers.
• Reflect: Monitor and review the actions you’ve taken or not taken in some cases.
• Make it routine: Ask how people are and check-in on mental health and stress.

Like the HSE, Acas and Mind also have wide-ranging resources on supporting wellbeing (physical and mental), whether in the workplace or when working from home. Acas health and wellbeing.

On 20 January 2025, Acas reported that there was almost a 20% increase in calls to its helpline about mental health in the autumn and winter months in 2024 compared to spring and summer. The Acas helpline received 4,143 mental health related calls between September and February 2024. However, Acas encourages employers to prioritise mental wellbeing throughout the year. Interestingly, an Acas survey from November 2024 found that 9 in 10 employees think it is important for employers to prioritise staff mental health at work.

As mentioned above, it’s “Time to Talk Day” on 6 February 2025. The purpose of the Day is to create supportive communities so that people feel they can talk openly and honestly  about mental health and there is much employers can do to assist this. Strategy, culture and resources are key. A wellbeing strategy could include improving access to resources and training for managers and mental health first aiders. The strategy should be based around having conversations with your staff and creating a more open culture. This may include providing training to managers in how to have challenging conversations.

For more details of how employers can support employees’ mental wellbeing see our earlier article.

How can employers support employees’ mental wellbeing? – BM Insights – Blake Morgan

If you need legal advice or guidance in providing practical support for mental wellbeing for your workforce or about managing sickness absence speak to one of our employment lawyers.