A recent report by the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals has revealed a rise in the figures of workers being signed off unfit to work due to stress.

87% of the HR professionals who were interviewed agreed that the figures for stress induced illness were on the up.

To a large extent, stress related illness is still a bit of a taboo with a lot of people not wishing to explain that they are worried about financial issues or feel a low level of morale in relation to their work. This in itself creates a problem as employers need to understand the causes of illness and what they can do to prevent or alleviate it. Since many weeks of the year are lost due to stress related illness it is in the interests of productivity to be aware of these issues.

Legally, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 actually imposes a duty on employers to ensure a safe working environment for their employees and this includes stress reduction wherever possible. A lot of the time efforts such as regular training, not specifically about handling stress, but rather on how to perform their jobs can be a help for employees. The HR team alongside Health and Safety Managers can work together to ensure a stress reduced working atmosphere and therefore protection of productivity. Activities such as up-to-date risk assessments can help to highlight any potentially problematic areas.

It is important to remember that employees themselves also have a responsibility to take reasonable care for their own health and safety. Employees should be encouraged to speak up where they feel that they are getting “bogged down” with work for example. The ability to do this will depend on the culture of the organisation so it is important that the employer fosters a culture where employees feel able to voice their concerns without fear over a negative comeback.

The benefits for employers who proactively seek to manage the stress levels of their employees are plentiful. The value of any training provided is likely to be increased; the staff will be more motivated and as such provide better customer service; the costs of sick pay will be reduced and there will be less causes for litigation against the employer.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has developed some management standards which talk about best practices for use in combating stress in the workplace.  Any practices need to be on-going and regularly assessed for whether or not they are being successful. This practice in itself will support a feeling that the employer cares and might help create a more sharing atmosphere and in so doing further reducing stress.