EXCLUSIVE: Three quarters (75%) of employer respondents do not have a policy in place to manage stress, according to research by Jelf Employee Benefits.
Its survey of 124 organisations also found that 85% of respondents believe employee stress will be an increasing people risk for their business.
The research also found:
- 73% of respondents identify stress as an issue for their organisation within the last three years.
- Just 5% of respondents believe line managers and employees are aware of the help available to address stress in the workplace.
- More than half (59%) of respondents feel that employees and line managers are partially aware of the support available to them and that communications around this could be improved.
Chris Cannon (pictured), business development manager, healthcare at Jelf Employee Benefits, said: “Stress is a problem for most [organisations] but support is available. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may only be one element within an employee assistance programme (EAP) but it is an important one in terms of supporting employees through stressful situations.
“An employee who seeks support via their EAP’s telephone or face-to-face counselling service could find that their treatment options are limited if CBT was not offered as part of their EAP package, leaving them forced to arrange their own ongoing treatment when they are at their most vulnerable.
“CBT is considered the gold standard in the treatment of anxiety disorders, and employers would be wise to ensure it is part of their EAP programme; not simply because of its immediate effectiveness, but employees learn skills that they will carry forward too. The business case could not be simpler.”