Workplace health and safety is not only about preventing physical injuries. Protecting employees from risks to their mental health is also an important part of creating a safe and healthy working environment.
The Health and Safety Executive’s Working Minds campaign is designed to help employers, managers and workers recognise, reduce and prevent work-related stress through practical action and open conversations.
And it is an issue that cannot be overlooked. HSE figures show that in 2024/25, an estimated 964,000 workers experienced work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 22.1 million working days being lost.
Stress can affect people in different ways, and some pressure at work is a normal part of working life. However, when demands become excessive or difficult to manage, they can begin to affect both physical and mental health.
HSE describes work-related stress as the harmful reaction people can have to excessive pressures or demands placed upon them at work.
Importantly for employers, managing work-related stress is not simply a matter of good practice. Employers have a legal duty to protect their workers from stress at work by assessing the risks and taking appropriate action. Stress should therefore be considered and managed in the same way as other workplace health and safety risks.
Understanding what is creating pressure within a workplace is an important first step.
HSE's Management Standards identify six key areas of work design that can contribute to work-related stress if they are not managed effectively:
These factors will look different in every organisation. A heavy workload may be a significant issue in one workplace, while poor communication, uncertainty around responsibilities or organisational change may be creating pressure elsewhere.
This is why regularly speaking to employees and understanding their experiences is so important.
To make managing stress easier to incorporate into everyday working practices, the Working Minds campaign promotes a simple 5 Rs approach.
Start conversations with your team.
Employees need opportunities to discuss the pressures they are experiencing at work. Regular conversations and check-ins can help managers understand potential problems before they become more serious.
Creating an environment where employees feel able to raise concerns is an important part of identifying risk.
Learn to recognise both the signs and potential causes of stress.
Changes in behaviour, performance, attendance or working relationships could indicate that someone is struggling. However, employers should also look beyond individual symptoms and consider the underlying workplace factors that may be contributing to them.
Once a potential risk has been identified, take action.
The appropriate response will depend on the circumstances. It could involve reviewing workloads or deadlines, improving communication, clarifying responsibilities, changing working arrangements or providing additional support.
The important point is that identifying a problem should lead to meaningful action.
Review the action you have taken.
Has the situation improved? Is further action required? Are there lessons that could help prevent similar problems elsewhere within the organisation?
Stress risk management should not end once an initial action has been agreed.
Finally, make conversations about stress and mental health part of normal workplace management.
Checking how employees are coping should not only happen after someone becomes unwell or raises a concern. Regular conversations can make it easier to identify changing pressures and address problems at an earlier stage.
One of the key messages behind Working Minds is the importance of prevention.
Waiting until an employee is absent from work or visibly struggling means opportunities to address the underlying problem may already have been missed.
Employers should assess the risk of work-related stress, listen to their workforce and take practical steps to reduce risks where they are identified. HSE provides a range of resources to support this, including risk assessment guidance, Talking Toolkits and online learning.
Even relatively straightforward changes can make a difference. Clearer communication, realistic workloads, better-defined responsibilities and regular opportunities for employees to raise concerns can all contribute to a healthier working environment.
Good health and safety management should consider the whole workforce and the range of risks employees may face.
Work-related stress can have a significant impact on individuals, teams and organisations. Taking the time to understand those risks and putting appropriate controls in place can support employee wellbeing while also reducing absence, improving productivity and helping organisations retain their people.
The message from HSE’s Working Minds campaign is clear: reach out, recognise, respond, reflect and make it routine.
By making stress prevention part of everyday workplace management, employers can take proactive steps towards creating safer, healthier and more supportive workplaces.
For further guidance, tools and resources, visit the HSE Working Minds campaign.
