Companies that fail to combat stress will pay the price

Citation

(1999), "Companies that fail to combat stress will pay the price", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 31 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.1999.03731bab.015

Companies that fail to combat stress will pay the price

Companies that fail to combat stress will pay the price

Keywords Absenteeism, Employees, Health, Mental health, Stress

Organizations that fail to take steps to protect their employees from exposure to stress may face claims for compensation or even prosecution from negligence, says the Institute of Personnel and Development (IPD) in guidelines published recently.

"Stress has become one of the most serious health issues of the 1990s, and its impact is likely to continue well into the twenty-first century", says the IPD's Key Facts on Stress at the Workplace.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), one in five employees admits to taking time off work because of work-related stress. The HSE also estimates that 60 per cent of all work absence is caused by stress-related illness. (Sources: Stress at Work: Guide for Employers, Health and Safety Executive, Sheffield, 1995; Help on Work Related Stress, Health and Safety Executive, Sheffield, 1998.)

"The management of stress and employee mental health has become more important as organizations become leaner and more flexible, and step up the pressure to remain competitive", says Doug Gummery, IPD policy adviser and author of the fact sheet.

"Although positive stress or pressure can act as a stimulant and even enhance performance, long-term or negative stress, such as bullying, can affect performance and health, leading to long-term absence and eventually to people quitting their job.

"Employers should not consider occupational health strategies as being peripheral to the success of an organization. Management should ensure that employees are aware of the signs of stress and are equipped to deal with them should they arise.

"Management style and the culture of an organization can pre-determine how stressful a job can be. Positive relationships between employer and employee, active encouragement to develop skills and a feeling of involvement all contribute to a positive psychological contract, which in turn leads to improved productivity and job satisfaction."

Key Facts on Stress at the Workplace outlines employers' legal responsibilities in light of recent judgements, provides an action plan to manage stress and sets out stress-reduction objectives. To obtain a copy, send an A4 stamped addressed envelope, marked Key Facts on Stress at the Workplace, to Communications Department, IPD, IPD House, Camp Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 4UX. Tel: 0181 263 3240/3251/3365; Fax: 0181 263 3244.