Bosses in Britain are being asked to take five easy measures in April to prevent and lessen stress at work.
During Stress Awareness Month, companies have been urged to promote employees’ mental health by the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) Working Minds campaign.
Employers are urged to concentrate on one of the campaign’s five Rs for each of the five weeks during the month. They are: Reach out and have conversations, Recognise the signs and causes of stress, Respond to any risks you’ve identified, Reflect on actions you’ve agreed and taken, and make it Routine.
Not only is it morally right for employees to avoid work-related stress, but it is also required by law. To promote positive mental health in the workplace, all companies must take steps to prevent stress related to the job.
The Working Minds campaign combines a variety of resources and assistance to benefit companies and employees, such as risk assessment templates and examples, Talking Toolkits, and free online education.
Kayleigh Roberts from HSE Engagement and Policy Division says:
“By being proactive, you can improve productivity, reduce sickness absence and help retain valued workers. Employers are required to assess the risk of work-related stress impacting their workers and act on the risks identified.
“As well as guiding you step by step, we provide all the practical templates, tools, and resources you need to get started or you can use it as an opportunity to review what you already do. A huge part of this is making it part of your everyday working life, not just a one-off tick box that gets forgotten about.”
If not adequately handled, six primary areas might result in work-related stress. Demands, control, support, relationships, role, and change are some of these. A person’s capacity to cope may be impacted by a variety of factors, including age, handicap, experience, and skill levels.
If you are an employer looking for support, a good place to start is to register for free Bitesize learning.
You can also…
- Use a Talking Toolkit to help structure your conversations
- Download a risk assessment template to develop your processes for preventing or managing stressors
- Find out about the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work
- Sign up for the monthly newsletter to help you champion the Working Minds campaign beyond April.
- Watch the webinar with Healthy Working Wales, which is also available with Welsh subtitles.