International Stress Awareness Week

Why is employee mental health and wellbeing so important?

This week (03- 07 November) marks International Stress Awareness Week. It is, therefore, a good opportunity to highlight the importance of good mental health in the workplace. If not appropriately and effectively addressed, poor mental health and wellbeing can have devastating consequences for not only those suffering but those around them including family, friends and colleagues.

According to figures published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 776,000 workers self-reported as suffering from work- related stress, depression or anxiety in 2023/24- a quite staggering number, equivalent to almost half the total number of self -reported, work- related ill health. The figures also reveal that during the same period 16.4 million working days were lost to work-related stress, depression or anxiety.

The financial costs is, of course, important but it is the human cost for those affected by work related stress which we must tackle head-on as it is simply not sustainable. All businesses, regardless of the sector, size or turnover, must therefore be aware of and adhere to their obligations to prevent work related illnesses which includes poor mental health.

What is stress?

In order to manage and ideally prevent work related stress and poor mental health, it is important to understand what is meant by it before moving on to assess the risk of it occurring and putting measures in place to manage those risks.

Stress does, of course, affect different people in different ways, indeed it can affect the same person to differing degrees depending on the situation. There are, however some tell-tale signs that someone may be suffering from stress, including feelings of being overwhelmed and difficulties in coping with the pressures of work. For example, some may feel that they don’t have the knowledge or skills to deliver a project, or they may be working to deadlines which cause or add to their stress.

Mental health is slightly different and relates to how people think, feel and behave, with anxiety and depression the most common mental health problems.

Work can not only cause these issues but can also aggravate pre-existing conditions or the symptoms of them.

How can we spot signs of stress?

The key thing to remember is that stress does not affect everyone in the same way, indeed what causes one person stress may be just what another thrives on such as tight deadlines or increased responsibility.

In the workplace, however, there are things which employers should watch out for, for example, individuals taking more time off, becoming withdrawn, suffering with mood swings or perhaps a loss of motivation and confidence.

In a team setting, tell-tale signs might include increased arguments, higher staff turnover, decreased performance and more grievances and complaints, amongst other issues.

What should employers do to help combat stress in the workplace?

Whilst many employers do now recognise and emphasize the importance of employee well-being, there is still something of a stigma around acknowledging and discussing stress and mental health more generally, particularly amongst middle-aged men. Given the potentially far-reaching consequences of the same, it is important to talk about it as this can often be the starting point towards a healthy and happy workplace with fewer absences, increased morale and greater productivity; it may also help normalise the conversation beyond the workplace and could save a life.

Employers should:

• Speak to their employees both individually and collectively
• Encourage openness and honesty
• Identify and appreciate the demands of the job and establish how staff feel about what is expected of them and how the business supports them in terms of workloads, training and support
• Actively listen to employees to ensure they fully understand and are therefore able to effectively deal with the concerns/risks within the business

How should employers respond to concerns about stress in the workplace?

The conversations around mental health and wellbeing should not be one-off “tick box” exercises. They should be regular and meaningful and most importantly they should put people at ease so that in the event someone is worried about their stress levels or mental wellbeing, concerns are addressed effectively and with compassion.

Of course, there is no “one size fits all” approach to managing issues around mental health and stress; how this is achieved will inevitably be influenced by factors such as the nature of the business, the number of employees and the resources available.

However, some common points to consider irrespective of the sector may include:

• Review how people work and reflect on working practices
• Talk to staff to identify less obvious risks and how to deal with them
• Review records around why former employees left
• Ask for employees’ views on how best to resolve concerns when they are raised
• Keep a record of the potential harms, risks and the controls put in place and keep them under regular review

How do Olliers Solicitors combat stress in the workplace?

Like many sectors, law can be a very intense line of work and at Olliers we do our best to ensure a healthy working environment through several initiatives led by a dedicated wellbeing committee made up of colleagues across all levels and departments. The committee actively promote:

• Good employee relations- this is achieved through regular and effective supervision and collaboration on work but also through regular social and educational/cultural events throughout the year
• Regular review of training needs – the firm is committed to giving every member of staff the opportunity to fulfil their potential
• Open door policy- supervisors and the senior management team are always on hand to address any concerns anyone may have
• Equal opportunities- we run various accreditation schemes and training sessions throughout the year to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential
• Anti-discrimination- we have a zero tolerance policy towards any form of discrimination
• Flexible working patterns – we recognise that not everyone works in the same way to achieve the same results

Our experts appreciate the importance of good mental health and wellbeing. We also understand health and safety  legislation and have considerable experience providing advice and assistance to those who may be subject to investigation or prosecution as a result of a work related issues.

If you or your business find yourself in this position, it is important to instruct experienced lawyers as soon as possible, so please feel free to get in touch for an initial discussion about your needs. Contact us by telephone on 0161 8341515 or email info@olliers.com and one of our lawyers will contact you.