Recent findings underscore a growing trend in workplace stress management support.
- The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 mandates employer responsibility for health and safety.
- Stress management offerings have increased, with 40% of employers now providing benefits like EAPs.
- These initiatives are aiding in the reduction of workplace stress and improvement of overall wellbeing.
- A proactive approach to stress management is increasingly recognised as essential to business success.
Recent research indicates a notable increase in stress management support available to UK workers. Employers are legally obligated under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of employees, which includes mitigating risks associated with stress-related illnesses or injuries.
The study commissioned by PMI Health Group reveals that 40% of employers now offer stress management benefits, including Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) and counselling, marking a rise from 36% the previous year and 25% in 2013. This trend demonstrates a significant shift towards prioritising mental health in the workplace.
Organizations are increasingly recognising that stress and mental health issues, if unmanaged, can severely affect employee productivity and morale as well as impact a company’s financial performance. Mike Blake, Director of PMI Health Group, noted, “Stress and mental health issues are not uncommon in the modern workplace but if these are not managed effectively they can have an extremely negative impact upon mental wellbeing, affecting productivity, morale and a company’s bottom line.”
Blake further emphasised that stress is the leading cause of long-term sickness absence for non-manual workers in the UK. The growing provision of stress management benefits aligns with attempts to address this pressing issue, revealing a strong moral and business case for such initiatives.
Additionally, the popularity of stress management benefits among employees is on the rise. Fourteen per cent of employees identified counselling services and EAPs as among their top three most valued benefits, up from nine per cent in 2013. This increase underscores the effectiveness of counselling interventions in reducing sickness absence and enhancing employee wellbeing.
Adrian Lewis, Commercial Director for Activ Absence, highlights the advantage of early identification of stress-induced absence patterns through software. However, he stresses the importance of subsequent employer action, noting, “Mental health issues like workplace stress don’t just affect employment, but every area of a sufferer’s life, impacting on the cost of absence, so it’s great to see that businesses are finally starting to tackle the issue proactively.”
A growing commitment to stress management support is becoming integral to fostering employee wellbeing and business success.
