Stress at work: How to tackle it

Stress is the second most common reason for people to miss work in the UK. It comes just after minor illnesses like colds and coughs. Stress-related factors are becoming more prevalent and account for more long-term illnesses. It is important that you have in place all the relevant policies that you need in terms of employee absence as well as a robust recording system. It is worth looking at occupational health cover, who can help provide you with services to offer your staff to help with preventing absences through stress related issues.

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Mental health is anything that has to do with a person’s emotional, psychological and social well-being. Issues with mental health range from anxiety and stress to diagnosable conditions like depression and personality disorders. Stress can exacerbate many mental health problems. Some can occur as a direct result of high levels of anxiety or stress.

In today’s society, it is estimated that at least one out of four people will have a mental health issue in any given year. It’s a large number of people. There will likely be one or more people at your workplace who will need help at some point.

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The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development conducts extensive research on mental health and absence behaviours in UK businesses. The findings from this research are used to inform future best practices they can suggest to employers and also provide important information to the government about such issues. They noted the following when examining the impact of mental illness on businesses and employees:

• 62 percent find it difficult to complete their daily tasks, and they will take more time.
• Multi-tasking is becoming increasingly difficult for 57 percent of people.
• 37 percent of people are more likely to have a conflict with their colleagues. For Workplace mediation, contact risehr.co.uk/services/workplace-mediation/
• 80 percent of people find it hard to focus for extended periods, which impacts their productivity
• 50% of people are less patient with colleagues and customers

This shows the importance of helping employees to manage their stress levels, and providing them with tools to determine if they’re struggling.