As part of its Working Minds campaign, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has called on employers to support workers’ mental health during Stress Awareness Month.
Employers are encouraged to focus on one of the campaign’s five Rs for each week of April. These are:
- Reach out and have conversations;
- Recognise the signs and causes of stress;
- Respond to any risks you have identified;
- Reflect on actions you have agreed and taken; and
- Make it Routine.
Employers are legally required to prevent work-related stress to support good mental health in the workplace. According to the HSE’s most recent annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries, approximately half of cases of reported ill health in 2023/24, or 776,000 cases, relate to stress, depression or anxiety.
The Working Minds campaign brings together a range of tools and support to help businesses and workers, including free online learning and risk assessment templates. The HSE also provides a monthly newsletter to help employers support the Working Minds campaign beyond April.