Stress in the Workplace
The HSE defines work related stress as: ‘The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other
types of demand placed on them at work.’
If stress becomes excessive and prolonged, mental and physical ill health may develop
Line managers play a crucial role in supporting staff that experience
distress and/or mental health problems.
Employers are not responsible for managing the stress that an employee
may experience outside the workplace. However, such stress is likely to
impact work performance and the ability to manage any stress encountered at work.
Signs of stress
Excessive pressure or stress can cause changes in behaviour or performance. The kinds of change that may occur include:
• Work performance: declining/inconsistent performance, uncharacteristic errors, loss of motivation/commitment, lapses in memory.
• Conflict and emotional signs: crying, arguments, unusual sensitivity, irritability/moodiness, over-reaction.
• Aggressive behaviour: criticism of others; bullying or harassment; temper outbursts.
• Physical signs: nervous stumbling speech; sweating; tiredness/lethargy – trouble sleeping; tension headaches; rapid weight gain.
Legal duties
The prevention of stress is included in the general duty of care that an employer has to his or her employees:
• Equality Act 2010
• Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974; ‘health’ includes mental health
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended).
Civil law; an employer owes a ‘duty of care’ to individual employees in the course of their employment. This
is the area of law with the most important implications for work-related stress.
Recommendations for employers
• Undertake and regularly review stress assessments and implement their recommendations.
• Support those experiencing stressful situations – via in house support or signposting to other resources.
• Provide staff with access to a confidential counselling service or helpline – but recognise that providing such services is unlikely to fully discharge the responsibility to effectively manage stress in the workplace.
• Offer training and development opportunities – so that people feel confident in both their ability to perform work tasks and progress.
• Maintain good communications with staff.
• Monitor and review workloads – so people aren’t overloaded.
• Manage poor performance and attendance to prevent a burden on other staff.
• Ensure staff are not working excessive or unreasonable hours.
• Lead by example – by not overworking and promoting work:life balance.
• Ensure that bullying and harassment are not tolerated.
Guidelines to help employees
Employers should take appropriate measures to control the risk of stress-related ill health arising from work activities. The HSE have established Six Management Standards to help employers appropriately direct their attention and resources:
• Demand: workload, work pattern and the work environment.
• Control: what influence the individual has about the way they do their
work.
• Support: the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by
the employer, line management and colleagues.
• Relationships: the promotion of positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable
behaviour.
• Role: whether employees understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation
ensures that the person does not have conflicting roles.
• Change: how organisational change is managed and communicated in the organisation.
Case law
A council administrative assistant who fell ill with anxiety and depression was awarded £157,541 after a County
Court judge heard in evidence that she had to work ‘grossly excessive hours’ [Jones v Sandwell Metropolitan District Council]. However, the Courts have held employers not to be liable when reasonable precautions have been taken and the employer could not reasonably know that the employee was particularly susceptible to stress.
