National Stress Awareness Day 2024

What is stress? 

Stress is often experienced as a response to feeling threatened or under pressure. Usually, this will happen when we find ourselves in a situation that doesn’t feel manageable or that we can’t control. 

There are many examples of when you may experience stress, such as: 

• Struggling to manage workloads in the office 
• Going through financial difficulties 
• Having relationship issues or facing bereavement 
• Facing a big challenge in your life such as a new job or parenthood 
• Experience hate, discrimination, or abuse 

Stress can be individual, but you can also experience stress on a larger scale such as in a group of family or friends, part of a community which may include a religious group, or even as a member of society – for example during a natural disaster or an event like the global pandemic. 

What is stress awareness day for? 

In 2024, 86% of people in the UK feel stressed at least one day a month, and over half (60%) of UK adults report feeling stressed five or more days each month (Cipher). 

National stress awareness day was set up by the International Stress Management Association with the goal of raising awareness of the effects that stress has in the workplace and promoting strategies to address it. As well as this, it also aims to reduce the stigma of stress within the workplace. 

How does stress impact the workplace? 

Stress can and does have a huge impact on the workplace. From increased absenteeism to reduced morale, there are many reasons why keeping stress levels low should be a priority for businesses in the UK. 

These are some of the biggest effects that stress has on employees, and a workplace as a whole: 

• High absenteeism 
• Increased employee turnover 
• Reduced productivity and performance 
• Decreased morale 
• Frequent lateness 
• A rise in employee grievances 
• Low motivation 
• Increased workplace errors 
• Strained team dynamics 
• Higher risk of workplace accidents 

65% of employees state workload as their biggest cause of workplace stress (The Latest Data on Workplace Stress), and around 17 million working days a year are lost because of ill health caused by work stress, depression or anxiety (HSE). These working days could cost businesses thousands of pounds every year, unless something is done to reduce stress levels within the business. 

How can employers reduce stress in the workplace? 

If an employee is experiencing work-related stress, then an employer should be able to provide support and help to resolve this issue. This includes a manager talking to the employee about the issue to identify what might be causing the stress and to work together to come up with possible solutions.  

An employer may find that some adjustments at work help to resolve their stress. This could include: 

• Flexible working hours 
• Allowing more rest breaks 
• Giving someone different responsibilities 
• Helping them to prioritise their workload 
• Providing training or mentoring 

It’s important that an employer listens to the employee to understand their feelings and how they can be helped. If any adjustments are made, they should regularly check on the employee to ensure that they’re effective and should also consider how they can support the rest of the team to make sure that they are not overloaded with tasks. 

The best way for an employer to reduce stress is to prevent it. Employers should do the following to ensure that they are creating a positive environment in the workplace: 

• Establish a clear policy on mental health and workplace stress. 
• Identify and address stress factors through risk assessments and regular employee surveys. 
• Foster an environment where employees feel comfortable voicing concerns, such as potential discrimination. 
• Offer manager training on topics like conflict resolution, and stress management. 
• Actively support employees by listening to concerns and responding promptly. 
• Encourage a healthy work-life balance by promoting the use of breaks and annual leave. 
• Ensure employees have access to support resources, such as an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or stress management training. 
  

Staff training 

Staff training can have a huge positive impact on reducing stress in the workplace. Whether that’s providing training for staff members experiencing stress to help them achieve their goals, or training for management to help prevent stress and stop it at the root. 

19% of employees say that their company has no measures in place to deal with work stress (Statista). Make sure you have got the measures to deal with stress with our short online courses. View our full range of CPD accredited courses today.