With half of all reported work-related ill health in Great Britain due to stress, depression or anxiety, the Health & Safety Executive said Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs from May 13-19, is a pertinent time to remind employers and managers of the support that is available to help them to prevent work related stress, support good mental health in the workplace and meet their legal obligations to protect workers.
Whether work is causing the health issue or aggravating it, employers have a legal responsibility to help their employees.
HSE’s Elizabeth Goodwill said: “We spend a lot of time at work, and it can have both positive and negative effects on our mental health.
“We all have periods of good and poor health, both physically and mentally. It’s normal for people to have challenging times and, like any other work-related risk to health, risks to mental health should be included in risk assessments at work.
“Having regular conversations about work related stress and mental health helps to reduce stigma and encourages people to talk about their problems earlier. The earlier an issue is recognised, the sooner action can be taken to reduce or remove it.”