How to deal with workplace stress

More than 11 million working days were lost in 2013/2014 due to stress, anxiety and depression across the UK and one in four people experience some form of mental health disorder in the course of a year, according to research carried out by the Labour Force Survey (LFS).

Work-related stress, as defined by the LFS, is a harmful reaction to undue pressures and demands placed on people at work. The amount of ?sick days? therefore taken as a result cost the UK economy an estimated ?6.5 billion a year in lost productivity.  

2013/2014 workplace stress-related and psychological disorders statistics (from Labour Force Survey)

• The total number of cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety was 487,000 (39%) out of a total of 1,241,000 cases for all work-related illnesses
• The number of new cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety was 244,000
• The industries that reported the highest rates of total cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety were human health and social work, education and public administration and defence
• The rates of work-related stress, depression or anxiety for both total and new cases have remained broadly flat for more than a decade
• An average of 23 lost working days per case of stress, depression or anxiety

Employers have a duty under health and safety law to assess and take measures to control risks from work-related stress. They also have a duty under common law to take reasonable care to ensure the health and safety of their employees.

In some cases, the cause of stress can be pinpointed and dealt with – for example, the kind of organisational stress caused by poor management or the lack of policies for dealing with bullying or discipline. In others, it is caused by individual factors such as relationships or personal problems outside work.

With this in mind, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) have guides filled with advice for employers to follow in order to ensure the mental wellbeing of their employees, including the following:

• Make sure employees understand what they have to do and how to do it
• Consider whether flexible working hours would help employees to manage demands
• Meet training needs and review performance to identify strengths and weaknesses
• Give employees the opportunity to talk about issues causing stress
• Have clear procedures for employees to raise grievances
• Tackle any instances of bullying and harassment and make it clear such behaviour will not be tolerated