Many staff under stress, but few have access to support services

Large numbers of employees suffer from stress, but few have access to support services at work, according to research by Westfield Health.

Of the 510 employees taking part in the Westfield Health Survey, 80 percent of women and 64 percent of men claim to have suffered from stress, while overall 39 percent of respondents say stress has resulted in their absence from work.

According to the survey, 67 percent of employees do not have access to any stress support services, such as an employee assistance programme (EAP), telephone helpline or counselling service at work.

Staff in East Anglia are least likely to receive any support. On average, people working in London and the South East are the most likely to be offered access to stress support services or a confidential counselling helpline through the workplace (35 percent), compared with 17 percent of those based in Scotland.

Westfield Health chief executive Jill Davies, said: "It is important for employers to take a proactive role in looking after the everyday healthcare of their staff, and managing stress levels plays a part in this."

But employers which offer gym membership to staff may find the perk does not make a difference to their stress levels. The research found that almost three-quarters (73 percent) of both gym members and non-gym members claim to have suffered from stress.