A Guide to Managing Workplace Stress

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has commissioned recent research which has indicated that: . about half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress at a level they believe is making them ill; . up to 5 million people in the UK feel "very" or "extremely" stressed by their work; and . a total of 12.8 million working days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety in 2004/5. Work-related stress is therefore a serious problem and tackling it effectively can result in significant benefits for organizations. This can result in a happier and more productive workforce with fewer days away from work with stress related illnesses. Managers will also want to comply with recent HSE advice on managing stress within the workplace fulfilling their duty of care to employees. This should result in less exposure of organisations to the threat of litigation and the resultant negative publicity this causes. The intention of this book is to provide information to those who may be suffering from work related stress and to provide managers with a "toolkit" to help address such problems in the workforce.