Employers urged to tackle stress in workplace

With the stress of Christmas presents, dinners and parties out of the way, most of us will be looking forward to a peaceful start to the New Year.

But emotional issues and the stresses and strains of modern life – both in and out of the workplace – can take their toll at any time of the year.

For the first time, stress has become the main cause of long-term sickness absence in Britain, according to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

In November last year, research was published revealing nearly half of employees felt more stressed than they had at the same time the previous year*. The increase is believed to be the result of staff assuming larger workloads as companies make cutbacks.

With the economic outlook remaining bleak for 2012 – many workers are facing pay freezes or cuts while others are working under the threat of redundancy – stress levels are likely to continue to rise. 

But it’s not just the work environment that can take its toll on staff wellbeing. A survey published in January found that personal and family problems are a major reason for employee absence**.

Twelve per cent said they had taken time off to deal with extra responsibilities such as looking after family members, while emotional problems such as relationship break-ups were behind 10 per cent of employee absence cases.

And with 23 per cent of respondents admitting they would consider not going into work because of a relationship issue, it is clear that employers need to support their employees in both their work and personal lives.

Proactive employers who provide their staff with access to counselling and advice services could find their workforce more productive.

Westfield Health’s Chamber Primary Health Plan, which is available to all members of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, offers employees a full confidential counselling service, which includes a 24 hour counselling and advice line as well as up to six face to face counselling sessions or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) sessions.

The Government’s ‘No Health Without Mental Health’ strategy emphasises the importance of talking therapies such as counselling and CBT in helping treat stress, anxiety and depression.

For more information about the Chamber Plan, visit www.westfieldhealth.com/chamber or call 0845 602 1629, available 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

*http://www.hi-mag.com/health-insurance/product-area/group-risk/article384999.ece

**http://www.hi-mag.com/health-insurance/product-area/group-risk/article388183.ece