More than half of respondents now have specific benefits or strategies to tackle stress in the workplace, and concern for staff wellbeing is the main driver, says Debbie Lovewell
This year has seen a big rise in the percentage of respondents that have implemented specific benefits or strategies to tackle stress. This now stands at 52%, almost double last year's 28%. In 2008, 37% of respondents had such a strategy, and by 2010 this had risen slightly to 39%.
The UK's worsening economic climate could be a factor in this renewed focus on stress, but the proportion that cite the economic climate as the main driver for a stress reduction strategy has continued to fall. Just 18% now say this is a factor, compared with 22% last year and 88% in 2009.
Concern for staff wellbeing takes this year's top spot in factors encouraging an anti-stress strategy, followed by a desire to improve engagement and concerns over productivity.
The list of ways in which organisations aim to tackle stress is again topped by counselling or employee assistance programmes, policies on bullying and harassment, and flexible working or work-life balance policies.
Read more Healthcare research 2012
