Mental health, stress and wellbeing are all words that we are hearing more frequently and they are finally beginning to receive the recognition that they deserve. As an employer, you have a duty of care to protect employees from stress at work, so it is crucial that you are aware of both the causes and symptoms of stress so that you are able to minimise it and support an employee if they are suffering.
Ward Williams HR have answered the most common questions we hear from employers when talking about work-related stress:
Q. What responsibility do I have as an employer when it comes to work-related stress?
There is no specific law aimed at workplace stress, but employers do have a ‘duty of care’ to protect the health, safety and welfare of all employees while at work under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Q. What causes work-related stress?
The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) have identified the top six main areas that can cause work-related stress if they are not managed correctly:
- The demands of the job;
- The control an employee has over their work;
- The support they receive from managers and colleagues;
- Relationships in the workplace;
- The employee’s role in the organisation;
- Organisational change and how it is managed.
Q. What impact can work-related stress have on my business?
If your employees are feeling stressed and its left un-recognised it can lead to:
- Higher staff turnover;
- Increased sickness absence;
- Decreased motivation, productivity and performance;
- Employee complaints and grievances.
Q. What warning signs should I be looking out for?
The signs of work-related stress can be physical, psychological and behavioural, and it is vital that you know how to spot them as an employer as work-related stress is your responsibility. An employee suffering with stress might act differently and you may notice that they are taking more time off, frequently turning up late, not appearing as motivated or committed and generally acting differently to their usual selves. They may act nervous, irrational, sensitive, and seem withdrawn.
Q. What can I do to prevent work-related stress?
As an employer, it is important you assess the risks of work-related stress in your workplace and take action to protect your employees by:
- Ensure you are communicating with your staff by having regular reviews/appraisals and being aware of workloads;
- Give your staff an opportunity to voice their concerns anonymously;
- Always encourage your staff to use their full quota of annual leave;
- Consider management training;
- Flexible working arrangement;
- Wellbeing/self-help encouragement.
If you would like to know more about protecting your employees from work related stress then please get in touch with the office: sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830664.