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Campaign to reduce work-related stress

A major new initiative aimed at reducing levels of work-related stress has been launched by the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Stress is the second biggest cause of work-related illness, according to the executive, with around one in five workers reporting that they have been affected.

The new HSE initiative will include an advertising campaign, supported by leaflets, an action line and guidelines to raise awareness of stress in the workplace among managers of UK companies.

The drive will initially target public sector workers, who report the highest levels of stress. Adverts will be aimed at managers of hospitals, schools, police and emergency services, and will promote steps they can take to reduce stress among employees.

The initiative is also intended to help employers meet the first management standards on stress in the workplace, which are being introduced next year. These will provide a benchmark against which to measure how effectively managers are reducing staff stress levels.

Employers will be encouraged to buy the HSE's detailed guide, while firms with fewer than 50 employees will be entitled to a free booklet.

Elizabeth Gyngell, head of the HSE's health directorate, said, "Stress management should become part of corporate culture as a preventative measure. Our aim is to prevent people being affected by work-related stress. There are early warning signs of stress that managers can look for and steps that can be taken to reduce its effects."

Work-related stress will also be the focus of this year's European Week for Health and Safety (October 14-20), in which organisations throughout the UK will be urged to introduce their own stress-prevention campaigns, which the HSE will reward with certification.

Copies of the publications are available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA.

© Health Media Ltd 2002