New online resource for workplace stress issues unveiled
by HSE.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a new website aimed at tackling stress in the workplace.
Last week, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) warned that work-related stress is "a growing challenge for employers", with working environments becoming increasingly pressurised as a result of the recession.
In an attempt to combat this problem, the HSE has published new guidance which it hopes will help employers to keep the stress levels of their workers down.
The website offers up-to-date information on stress in the office and explains how the adoption of management standards can lead to healthier working environments.
Peter Brown, head of the HSE's health and work division, explained: "The standards highlight the components of good organisation, job design and management that keep stress levels in check and enhance productivity.
"Pressure is part and parcel of all work and helps to keep us motivated, but excessive pressure can lead to stress which undermines performance, is costly to employers and can make people ill."
According to the HSE, approximately 13.5 million working days were lost to work-related stress in the UK last year.
Ben Willmott, senior public policy adviser for the CIPD, recently urged employers to ensure that senior managers receive more training to help them understand and deal with stress issues in the workplace.
He said that failure to provide occupational health services for employees is likely to result in long-term absences and a decline in morale and productivity.
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