A third of British workers (33%) believe that their organisation is not effective at managing work-related stress, according to research carried out by YouGov on behalf of ACAS.

The poll in March revealed that three out of five employees (63%) felt stressed due to the rising cost of living.

ACAS Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said:

"The cost of living is one of many causes of stress for workers. Our poll reveals that there are employers who are good at managing staff stress but a third of employees feel that their organisation is not good at handling stress at work. It is vitally important for employers to be able to spot and manage the signs of stress as it can lead to staff exhaustion, low morale and reduced productivity if it is not properly managed.”

Says Kate Gardner, Health and Safety Trainer at International Workplace:

“Work-related stress and poor mental health risk becoming a health and safety crisis for the UK’s workplaces. While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is yet to be fully understood, mental health issues are the number one reason given for sick days in the UK. Last year, more than 17 million working days were lost as a result of stress, anxiety or depression. Two in five employees’ mental health worsened during the pandemic, and yet mental health is still stigmatised, especially in the workplace.

“Work-related stress and poor mental health should be treated with the same significance as poor physical health and injury. In terms of the effect it has on workers, significant and long-term stress can limit performance and impact personal lives. No worker should suffer in silence and if we don’t act now to improve workers’ mental health, this could evolve into a health and safety crisis. Increasingly, it is being recognised that employers have a duty, in many cases in law, to ensure that employees do not become ill. It is also in their long-term economic interests to prevent stress, as stress is likely to lead to high staff turnover, an increase in sickness absence and early retirement, increased stress in those staff still at work, reduced work performance and increased rate of accidents, and reduced client satisfaction.”

Acting early can reduce the impact of pressure and make it easier to reduce or remove the causes. International Workplace’s guide Stress in the workplace: a line manager’s guide identifies key signs of stress that employers should look out for.

Signs of stress in teams
There may be signs of stress in a team, such as:

• Arguments.
• Higher staff turnover.
• More reports of stress.
• More sickness absence.
• Decreased performance.
• More complaints and grievances.

Signs of stress in a worker
A change in the way someone acts can be a sign of stress, for example they may:

• Take more time off.
• Arrive for work late.
• Be more twitchy or nervous.

A change in the way someone thinks or feels can also be a sign of stress, for example:

• Mood swings.
• Being withdrawn.
• Loss of motivation, commitment and confidence.
• Increased emotional reactions – being more tearful, sensitive or aggressive.

Employers have a legal duty to protect employees from stress at work by doing a risk assessment and acting on it. Download the full guide for further information and advice.