íOut for a duckí

With the news that England opener, Marcus Trescothick is returning home from Englandís Ashes tour to Australia after suffering a recurrence of a stress-related illness, Dr Les Smith, Medical Director, health and wellbeing company, FirstAssist says that more employees in highly stressed situations should do the same.

ìA shocking one in five Britons suffer from depression and anxiety as a result of stress at work, which has been estimated to cost UK businesses 100 billion in lost output[1]. But we firmly believe that if more employees in highly stressed situations took the same action as Trescothick, UK employers could see a real reduction in overall absence levels.

ìHowever, the problem is that many people ñ especially those in high powered positions ñ think they need to struggle on without complaining. Yet the result can often be more prolonged periods of sickness absence which have a greater negative impact on an organisation.î

The 30-year-oldís problem first appeared during the tour to India earlier this year and he continued to struggle with it over the summer, despite making a century in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lordís in May. Last week he admitted he fell out of love with cricket for a time but, looking ahead to the Ashes series, said: I feel good - Iím itching to get going. Perhaps he came back too soon ñ feeling under obligation to support his team mates?

ìWe urge employers to take the issue of stress more seriously by making a conscious effort to spot the pressures affecting their employeesî concludes Dr Smith. ìPeople really are the greatest asset in most organisations and nurturing them is at the heart of success. Those employers who promote a sense of working smarter and healthier rather than harder and faster and who employ positive health and wellbeing strategies, will help staff create a positive work-life balance. ì

[1] Figures from the mental health charity, Mind.