The BBC has disclosed that only 0.18% of working days were recorded as lost due to stress, anxiety and/or depression between April 2011 and March 2012.
Following a Freedom of Information request by LondonlovesBusiness.com, the Daily Mail reported that the broadcaster spent £130,000 on stress counselling for staff in 2012.
A spokesperson for the BBC said the costs relate to the annual fee it pays for its employee assistance programme (EAP), which provides staff with information, resources and counselling on a wide range of work, family and personal issues.
The spokesperson added: “Counselling for work-related stress issues accounts for a small proportion of the total fee and this service can be used by all BBC staff.
“As a responsible employer, the BBC monitors sickness levels to ensure staff are given guidance, support and access to the relevant resources when needed.
“While some level of sickness absence is inevitable in a large organisation, only 0.18% of working days were recorded as lost due to stress, anxiety and/or depression in the period between April 2011 and March 2012.”
