April is stress awareness month, and #LittleByLittle, we’re doing our bit to help businesses reduce workplace stress. While we’ll always say that stress can be a motivating force, prolonged periods of excessive stress levels can lead to severe problems. Read on to discover five ways to manage workplace stress, helping reduce absenteeism and increase employee engagement.
Understanding the risks of excessive workplace stress
Before we go on, it’s important to note that the workplace isn’t the only source of stress in an employee’s life. Personal circumstances are a significant cause, and your employees may be unable to leave them at home.As an employer, you cannot solve everything that causes your employees’ stress levels to rise, but you can provide essential support that will help reduce stress.The workplace is another matter, and you are legally obligated to monitor and manage workplace stress.- The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 puts a 'duty of care' on employers to protect their employees from the risk of stress at work (ACAS).