Heath and Safety Executive figures

As the latest statistics from the Health & Safety Executive highlight the true extent of work-related illness and its cost to UK companies, employers are being warned to act now or face even greater problems in the future.

According to the HSE, over 30 million working days were lost during 2003/04 due to work related ill-health. To put the figure into perspective, that equates to a staggering 82,191 years. During the same period, an estimated 2.2 million people in Great Britain were diagnosed with illnesses which were either work-related or made worse by their jobs. The vast majority of those affected were suffering from stress.

The news that stress in the workplace is on the rise is unlikely to come as a shock to most employers. However, as Nathan Annington, managing director of Nexus People Recruitment, explains, these latest statistics should be ringing alarm bells.

He explains: ìExperts estimate that work-related stress costs UK businesses around 400 million each year. While some larger companies can afford to soak up the additional cost with no major repercussions, SMEs can be potentially crippled.

ìIf your firm employs only three or four members of staff and one of your key employees is absent for long periods due to stress, the financial implications are extremely serious. Not only are you legally bound to pay your employee statutory sick pay according to the terms set out in their contract, youíll also have to pay someone else to do the job in their absence.

ìIf you choose not to employ someone to cover the absenteeís role and burden other employees with the additional work instead, you run the risk of overloading your remaining staff to a similarly unhealthy degree. Either way, the situation is going to take its toll on the firmís productivity levels, or finances, or in the worst case scenario, both.

ìThe good news is that because stress is often work-related, itís within the employersí power to prevent it from reaching unacceptable levels. Some degree of stress is inevitable in most workplaces and stress levels will naturally vary from time to time. However, as the HSE figures indicate, employers on the whole need to be doing much more to improve the general working environment of their staff.î

Developing and maintaining good relationships with employees is key, and will help to identify and resolve stress-related issues, often before they even become a problem. Employers are advised to conduct regular appraisals in which staff are encouraged to give open and honest feedback about their role, workload and overall job satisfaction.

According to Nexus People, if staff feel comfortable approaching their employer to discuss any concerns they may have, their anxiety levels will lessen considerably. Nathan continues: ìThe clich ëa problem aired is a problem sharedí is one which holds a great deal of truth. The most productive and harmonious workplaces are those where there is an open culture and where staff feel empowered and able to voice their opinions.

ìUnfortunately, not all workplaces have adopted this modern management approach and they suffer as a result. The typical British attitude of not making a fuss or burdening others with our problems is intensified in these more isolated working environments, making them a perfect breeding ground for stress-related illnesses.î

However, itís not just working environments and management styles which dictate stress levels. Certain jobs are much more likely than others to induce stress and anxiety. Roles which are target-driven and which involve high levels of competitiveness between staff are often the most stressful occupations, among them sales, marketing and recruitment. Nathan explains: ìWhile many people in these types of roles are naturally competitive and thrive on the pressure, there is still the possibility for the job to get on top of them if they donít communicate with their colleagues or find ways to let off steam.

ìWe encourage all our candidates to talk to us if they are encountering difficulties at work and will do our best to resolve them. Our advice to employers within target-driven sectors like sales and recruitment is to be extra vigilant and make your employees aware that you are always available.

ìUltimately, people are most productive when they are relaxed and at ease, so over-burdening them with work and pressure will have a negative effect. This is a lesson which must be learnt if we are to really begin tackling stress in the workplace ñ and its financial repercussions.î