Stress Awareness Month

Head of Employment Law, Kate Lea, shares her thoughts...

Stress Awareness month has been held every April since 1992.  For good reason.  Modern day life can be stressful. I suspect most of us have moments where we feel overwhelmed and unable to cope.

The theme for this year’s campaign is #Leadwithlove which seeks to empower you to approach ourselves and others with kindness, compassion and acceptance, no matter the challenges we face.

We know that employees who feel valued and supported are more motivated and perform better so it’s a win – win for employers and employees to embrace this idea and providing a caring and compassionate workplace. It is not difficult.  Often small gesture makes the greatest difference.  Taking time out of the working day to stop and listen to colleagues is often the first step. Also, recognising we all get stressed – there will be good and bad days.  And also realising that stress is no bad thing. It’s our body’s natural reaction to enable us to respond to pressured or dangerous situations.  Like many, I perform at my best when under ‘some’ pressure. It is when the pressure becomes long term and left unchecked that problems can arise. It can negatively impact personal relationships and health.  In my work I see how it can lead to fractured work relations, inhibit performance, lead to periods of sickness absence and in some cases result in disciplinary action and dismissal.

ACAS produced Guidance on Managing Stress in the Workplace after their studies revealed that at least a third of workers in the UK reported their employer was not effective in managing workplace stress, with 44% of absences reported as being attributable to workplace stress, anxiety, and depression.  Whether you are an employer or employee, workplace stress is not something to be dismissed.  It has real and potentially serious consequences for everyone.

So, what can you do during stress awareness month? If you are an employee, take some time this month to reflect on stressors in your life and consider what little steps you can take that might make things more manageable for you. Seek help and support if needed before things escalate and become a problem for you. ACAS and other mental health charities have some great resources online.  Seek advice from Human Resource.  Consider your employer’s policy on managing workplace stress and their policies for raising a grievance, if necessary. 

If you are an employer, review your policies on managing stress in the workplace. Foster a supportive work environment where staff can be open and honest.  Be proactive.  Look out for behaviours that are out of character.  For example, if an employee becomes withdrawn or short tempered speak with them, enquire about their wellbeing and ask if there is anything you can do to help them. Monitor staff absence, encourage staff to take annual leave and avoid a culture of long working hours.

Stress can have a detrimental impact on a person’s physical and mental health, rendering them disabled under the Equality Act thereby affording them statutory protection from less favourable treatment and imposing a duty on the employer to make reasonable adjustments in certain circumstances. Other Health and Safety legislation and the Working Time Regulations impose further measures aimed at safeguarding an individual’s health.  Ignoring the warning signs could have serious implications, not just for the individual but the employer too.

So, whether you are an individual or a business.  If stress affects you and you need advice and support, please do not hesitate to get in touch.  We have a team of lawyers who have experience advising both employers and employees on work related stress and disability discrimination.  It is our pleasure to help and support you.

If you believe you have a situation where you require legal advice, please contact us on telephone 0116 212 1000 or 01858 445 480, alternatively complete the free Contact Us form and we will get in touch as soon as possible.

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