The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is calling on employers across Great Britain to proactively address work-related stress, depression, and anxiety this World Mental Health Day. With an estimated 964,000 workers currently suffering from these debilitating conditions, resulting in a staggering 22.1 million working days lost annually, the HSE emphasises the urgent need for employers to listen, identify risks, and implement effective control measures.
Over 964,000 workers suffer, costing 22.1 million lost days annually
These alarming figures highlight a significant challenge within the British workforce, where work-related stress, depression, or anxiety now account for 52% of all work-related ill health and a substantial 62% of all working days lost due to work-related ill health. Employers are reminded that they have a legal duty to assess the risk of stress-related ill health arising from work activities and to take appropriate measures to control these risks, ensuring the well-being of their employees.
This year’s World Mental Health Day theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” resonates strongly with the HSE’s message. The organisation underscores the critical importance of fostering open dialogue within the workplace. Engaging in conversations with workers about the pressures they face can be instrumental in identifying potential causes of work-related stress and pinpointing areas where changes are urgently needed to improve mental health outcomes.
Kayleigh Roberts, Work-Related Stress Policy Lead at HSE, reinforced this message, stating, “This World Mental Health Day, we’re encouraging employers to genuinely listen to their workers and, crucially, to act on what they hear. Initiating an open conversation can provide invaluable insights into the pressures individuals are experiencing at work, helping to identify where stress risks may be present within the organisation.” The HSE’s Stress Talking Toolkit offers structured questions and prompts designed to facilitate these vital conversations, making it easier for employers to begin.
However, listening is merely the initial step. Preventing work-related stress necessitates tangible action based on the feedback received. This could involve reviewing workloads, enhancing communication channels, empowering employees with greater control over their work, or providing more robust support systems. Employers are expected to identify the specific risks, implement corrective actions, and then rigorously review whether those actions are proving effective in mitigating stress.
To support employers in fulfilling their obligations, the HSE’s Working Minds campaign offers a practical, risk-management approach to preventing work-related stress. The campaign outlines five simple, actionable steps:
- Reach out: Start conversations with teams, utilising resources like the Stress Talking Toolkit for helpful conversation starters that break down barriers.
- Recognise: Identify the underlying causes of stress, which often include excessive workloads, inflexible working patterns, and inefficient organisation of work tasks.
- Respond: Use the HSE’s comprehensive risk assessment tools to formally record the actions that will be taken to address the identified risks, creating a clear plan for intervention.
- Reflect: Regularly review existing measures and policies, considering whether they are truly effective and refreshing knowledge with HSE’s quick quizzes and guidance.
- Make it Routine: Integrate regular check-ins with workers and continuous review of work-related stress risks into standard organisational practice, ensuring sustained focus on mental well-being.
The Working Minds campaign provides a wealth of free tools, guidance, and online learning modules, all built around the HSE’s established Management Standards for work design and management. Employers are strongly encouraged to visit the Working Minds website to access these invaluable resources, including free online learning and essential stress risk assessment tools. The message is clear: while listening matters immensely, preventing work-related stress ultimately depends on transforming what is heard into decisive and effective action.
This story was originally published by HSE Media Centre.
