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You are here: Home > Environment > Environmental Health > Health and Safety > Working Environment > Stress in the Workplace

Stress in the workplace

This section provides information on the causes of stress and advice on how to go about reducing stress at workplaces.

Occupational stress is generating increasing public and media concern. 

Although there are no precise figures on the prevalence of occupational stress, it is widely held that the problem is substantial and increasing. 

This is supported by a number of surveys that suggest that occupational stress is now seen as a major contributor to overall illness and sickness absence in the workplace.

Legal judgements recently have awarded damages in stress-related cases.

What is stress?

Stress is the reaction people have to excessive demands or pressures. 

In the workplace it arises when people try to cope with the tasks, responsibilities or other types of pressure connected with their jobs but find difficulty, strain or worry in doing so.

Stress triggers complex changes in the body's processes, causing physiological changes and affecting the way people think, feel and behave.

Physiological changes

• high heart rate, sweat
• dry mouth
• headache, dizziness 
• susceptible to illness       

Behavioural changes 

• more anxious, irritable
• drink more alcohol 
• smoke more 
• reduced motivation 

People experience stress in different ways and to different degrees. 

Much depends on how individuals cope or think they cope and the extent of support which is available to them. The stress response is not in itself an illness - it's effects often being short-lived and causing no lasting harm.

However, where workplace pressures are intense, sustained for some time or are simply beyond the capacity of the person to cope, stress can lead to actual mental and/or physical ill-health.

Where such a risk exists, then stress and the workplace pressures causing it become a legitimate health and safety concern.

What may give rise to stress?

There are a number of aspects of work which may give rise to stress.

The legal position

There is no specific legislation on controlling stress at work.

However, employers have a general duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable that their workplaces are safe and healthy.

Also under the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999 employers are obliged to assess the nature and extent or risks to health in their workplace and base their control measures on it.

Employers have a legal duty to take reasonable care to ensure that health is not put at risk through excessive and sustained levels of stress arising from work activities, ie to treat stress like any other health hazard.

What can be done?

• Good management - including 'regard for people' attitudes
• Ensure appropriately open and understanding attitudes to stress
• Ensure jobs are do-able, matching the job with the person in it
• Management style - consistent, concerned, communicative and caring
• Managing periods of change so as to reduce uncertainty
• Providing help, support and training
• Monitoring stress levels - perhaps through a combination of sickness absence monitoring and periodic anonymous staff surveys.       

Some of the things that can help in a positive approach to stress reduction are:

General Management and Culture

• Clear company objectives
• Good communication
• Close employee involvement (particularly during times of change)
• Good management support and appropriate training and development of staff   

Relationships at work

• Training in interpersonal skills
• Effective systems for dealing with interpersonal conflict, bullying and racial or sexual harassment, including agreed grievance procedure and proper investigation of complaints       

Decision-making and planning

• Opportunities for staff to contribute ideas, in particular in the planning and organisation of their own jobs       

Employees' role in the organisation

• Clearly defined objectives and responsibilities linked to organisational objectives
• Support for those with high level of responsibility for the welfare and well-being of people       

Job Design

• Well designed tasks and responsibilities
• Plenty of variety avoiding short walk cycles
• Proper use of skills
• Proper training for those dealing constantly with the sector or public client groups
• Proper hazard control   

Workload/workpace

• Targets that are stretching but reasonable 

Checklist for businesses 

1. Do you recognise occupational stress as a legitimate health and safety issue?
2. In running your business, where necessary, do you seek to minimise occupational stress through the following:
   - Development of an appropriate management culture (communicative, participative, supportive)?
   - Involvement of staff in decision-making and planning?
   - Appropriate role for, and support of, employees in the organisation?
   - Optimising relationships, interpersonal skills etc. at work?
   - Flexible work schedules, planned and agreed hours of work?
   - Appropriately considered job design?
   - Stretching but reasonable work targets?
   
3. If necessary, do you monitor occupational stress (or its possible indicators)?

Useful link

See the HSE's advice on stress www.hse.gov.uk/stress/index.htm