More than a quarter of workers (28%) believe their employer is ineffective at managing workplace stress, according to a poll.

Workplace stress

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The survey of 1,052 people by Acas was commissioned to mark Stress Awareness Month this month. In all, 37% of those polled felt their workplace was effective at managing stress and 9% did not know.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, some 16 million working days were lost in 2023-24 because of stress, depression or anxiety, Acas also pointed out.

It has a factsheet for employers on managing stress, which advises businesses to be vigilant for any signs of stress among staff. Managers need to be approachable, available and willing to have informal chats with staff feeling stressed.

They should respect confidentiality and be sensitive and supportive when talking to staff about work-related stress, and have clear policies in place to encourage staff to raise their concerns. They should also provide training to managers, Acas recommended.

Acas interim chief executive Dan Ellis said: “It is encouraging that there are employers that are good at managing stress, but it is concerning that nearly three in ten employees think that their workplace falls short.

“Stress can affect anyone, and the impacts can be severe. It is hugely important for employers to be able to spot the signs of stress and provide support to staff,” Ellis added.

 

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