Back to Basics: Stress at work

You've trained yourself and your staff on the risks of lifting heavy items and moving equipment around but do you pay as much attention to preventing, identifying and relieving stress in the workplace?

Workplace stress is usually only considered as an afterthought and the measures taken are corrective rather than preventive. But tackling stress in a proactive manner can help decrease its occurrence and help reduce the impact of absent staff felt by other members of the team.

Workplace stress can lead to lost working days, lower productivity, lost knowledge and low team morale caused by the extra work everyone needs to do to cover for absence. What is stress?

The Health & Safety Executive defines stress as 'the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them. It arises when they perceive they are unable to cope with those demands'.

So stress is not an illness in itself but the mental or physiological reaction to a situation that can cause illness.

It is based on an individual's perception and this will vary. That is why employers have a duty to identify the risk factors, plan ahead and take preventive action.Signs and symptoms of stress

There is a difference between signs and symptoms. Signs are observable by others while symptoms are the effects of stress as felt by the

individual and may not necessarily be evident to others.

The effects of stress can be:

• behavioural: increased absence, poor work performance, neglecting personal appearance, [excessive] drinking or lethargy

• physical: backache, insomnia or nausea

• cognitive: poor concentration, forgetfulness, poor judgement and/or mood swings

• emotional: irritability, anxiety, defensiveness, aggression and criticism of self or others.The legal aspects

Every employer has a responsibility for the health and safety of their staff, including their mental health.

In the 2005 case of Mark Hone v Six Continents Retail, Hone had been working up to 90 hours a week and successfully argued that his psychiatric injury was caused by workplace stress resulting from working excessive hours without adequate support. He had asked for additional help and had specifically complained of tiredness. He won the case.

If someone is showing signs of stress you should consider making reasonable adjustments in line with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act. This includes 'taking steps to make sure employees do not suffer stress-related illnesses as a result of their work'.

An employer can be deemed negligent if they do not take reasonable steps to eliminate something which they know, or ought to know, is a real risk.

Remember to document all conversations with staff about their stress and consider turning to trained professionals to help the individual solve their problems. These can include case managers or access to an employee assistance programme. How to respond and what to avoidAlways treat disclosures by an employee in complete confidence - be sympathetic and understanding. Assure them it is OK to be open and allow them to talk and express their emotion. Ask open questions to explore the situation further and identify the next steps to take and point towards sources of help.

Try to avoid panicking, even though it is a natural reaction to a difficult or new situation. Stay calm and listen. Also avoid making light of the situation, even if you are trying to reassure the employee. A "don't worry, it'll be fine" may suggest you are not listening and perhaps making a judgement.

The aim must always be to work with the individual and agree possible solutions. For example, if the primary concern is the employee's workload, you should consider taking on additional resources and critically evaluating their job role. It may help to assess the employee's skills and consider whether additional training is necessary.

A natural response may be to offer paid holiday. There is a place for this but it's no long-term solution. The aim must be to help an individual with stress or mental illness to remain in sustainable work. This is because there is only a 50 per cent chance of a return to work following six months' absence, 25 per cent following 12 months and practically zero after two years. This is no good for the individual or the pub.

The benefits of being able to recognise and manage stress in the workplace are clear - increased attendance rates and higher productivity, loyalty and an improved reputation for your pub. You could also avoid costly litigation.

Karen Hunt is employment services manager at hcml, which specialises in reducing the impact on business of employee sickness and absence. Call 0208 649 6356 or email karen.hunt@hcml.co.uk for further advice​