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Stress related time off work could spiral out of control
12 September 2003
Stress, depression and anxiety are the most common excuses for taking time off sick with work related stress affecting one in five people. Unless workers and bosses take steps to combat stress in the workplace, these figures are likely to increase at an alarming rate. This is the warning from Bupa's occupational health expert Dr Jenny Leeser who says that companies who ignore these figures do so at their peril as they expose themselves to legal action and fines.
In 2001, 6,428 companies were forced to pay out on stress related damages claims, with an average award of £51,000. To avoid prosecution, the latest draft management standards from the government propose that at least 85 percent of an organisation's employees need to say that they are able to cope with the demands of their job. At least 65 percent need to say that they are not subjected to unacceptable behaviour, such as bullying in the workplace.
People suffering from work related stress, depression and anxiety took more than five weeks (29.2 days) off work because of their complaint in 2001/2 accounting for 13.4 million working days lost.
"This should act as a wake up call to many employers who do the bare minimum to fulfil their statutory rights to provide staff with a physically safe and comfortable working environment," Dr Leeser said.
A recent Home Office survey found that nurses and teachers are the most stressed workers. British workers are among the hardest working in Europe with longer hours and fewer holidays than most of our European neighbours. This means UK employers need to adopt a proactive approach and undertake an adequate risk assessment to help identify and manage stress in the workplace.
Dr Leeser said: "We are finding that more and more companies are investing in telephone and face-to-face counselling for employees with work related or personal problems such as emotional, legal and financial issues."
Dr Leeser's top stress reducing tips for Britain's bosses are:
- run a full risk assessment of your company to help identify and manage stress in the workplace
- develop a mental health policy, display it, use it and review it
- recognise that stress at work could be a symptom of problems at home. Provide support for staff via help lines which give access to legal, financial and personal advice which are a great way to provide confidential support to staff and relieve some of the pressures which may be contributing to a stressful environment
- organise work to enable people to take regular breaks or changes of activity from their immediate working environment, even if it just means walking to the water fountain. Ensure workers take their full holiday allowance
- train all your staff in understanding the health issues that may relate to stress
- know how to look for the tell tale signs such as extreme tiredness, frequent absence from work, accidents, "protective" body language and evidence of substance or alcohol abuse
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