Work-Related Stress: A Leading Cause of Sickness Absence
Stress, depression and anxiety remain among the most commonly reported causes of work-related ill health in the UK, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Unlike a slip, trip or piece of faulty equipment, the causes of work-related stress aren't always visible — but the impact on individuals, teams and business performance can be just as serious.
What Causes Work-Related Stress?
Work-related stress is often the result of poor work organisation, lack of clarity around roles, and inadequate job design — rather than simply 'too much work'. Common warning signs in employees include changes in performance, increased absence, and physical or mental health symptoms linked to prolonged pressure.
The HSE Management Standards
The HSE's Management Standards approach identifies six key areas of work design that, if not properly managed, are associated with poor health, lower productivity and increased sickness absence:
- Demands — workload, work patterns and the working environment
- Control — how much say a person has in the way they do their work
- Support — the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, managers and colleagues
- Relationships — promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour
- Role — whether people understand their role and that there are no conflicting roles
- Change — how organisational change is managed and communicated
The HSE's Working Minds Campaign
The HSE's Working Minds campaign encourages employers to take a proactive approach to managing stress using five simple steps, often summarised as the '5 Rs':
- Reach out and have conversations
- Recognise the signs and causes of stress
- Respond to any risks identified
- Reflect on actions taken
- Make it Routine — build it into how the organisation operates day to day
This reflects a key legal point: under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, work-related stress should be risk-assessed in the same way as any other hazard — not treated as a separate, optional issue.
Training for Managers and Supervisors
Handling Workplace Stress gives supervisors, managers and business owners the practical skills to recognise the signs of stress, have supportive conversations, and put reasonable adjustments in place — before issues escalate into long-term absence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is work-related stress a legal health and safety issue?
Yes — employers have a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to assess and manage the risk of work-related stress, just as they would any other workplace hazard.
What are the HSE Management Standards?
They're a framework covering six areas of work design — demands, control, support, relationships, role and change — that, if poorly managed, are linked to stress and reduced wellbeing.
What is the Working Minds campaign?
It's an HSE initiative encouraging employers to take a proactive, ongoing approach to managing stress risks using five steps: Reach out, Recognise, Respond, Reflect, and make it Routine.
What training is available for managing stress at work?
Courses such as Handling Workplace Stress, Stress Management, and IOSH and NEBOSH wellbeing courses give managers and employees practical tools to recognise and respond to stress before it becomes a bigger issue.
Related Courses
- Stress management
- Managing occupational health and wellbeing
- NEBOSH working with wellbeing
- IOSH managing occupational health and wellbeing
- Mental health courses