Keoghs – HSE focus on stress at work

Author - Chris Newton

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently launched a number of initiatives to help prevent work-related stress. Stress is a major cause of sickness absence and is estimated to cost over £5bn a year in Great Britain with the impact on individuals and their families often immeasurable. The most recent HSE statistics show that 828,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression and anxiety in 2019/20 which accounted for 51% of all work-related illness – up from 44% the previous year. With the issues caused by Covid-19 and working at home, many expect the trend to continue to rise.