Stress is a health and safety risk – and it's the law to act.
As Stress Awareness Week 2025 begins, we remind employers that work-related stress is not just a wellbeing issue but a legal health and safety requirement.
Why it matters
Work-related stress remains one of the leading causes of ill health at work.
In 2023/24, 776,000 workers reported stress, depression or anxiety, accounting for nearly half of all self-reported work-related ill health and contributing to 16.4 million working days lost.
When businesses fail to manage stress effectively it can also result in reduced productivity and higher staff turnover.
It’s the law to assess stress risks
Employers must assess and manage work-related stress risks under the following regulations:
- The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
This means proactively identifying stressors, not just reacting when problems arise. It’s crucial to understand the pressures your employees face and act on your findings.
Support from HSE
HSE's Working Minds campaign is built around 5 simple steps:
- Reach out: start the conversation
- Recognise: spot the signs and causes of stress
- Respond: agree actions and make changes
- Reflect: review what’s working
- make it Routine: embed stress prevention into daily practices
A key resource is the Stress Talking Toolkit, which helps managers facilitate structured discussions around the 6 main causes of stress: demands, control, support, relationships, role, and change.
Kayleigh Roberts, HSE’s work-related stress policy lead, says: “Prevention is better than cure. By acting early, employers can protect wellbeing, reduce absenteeism, and retain skilled staff.”
What to do this week
Use Stress Awareness Week as an opportunity to take action:
- encourage learning: signpost the free Working Minds online learning modules for managers
- look out for early signs like absence, low morale or conflict
- make it routine by treating stress prevention like any other safety issue
Taking simple, reasonable steps can help you stay compliant and build a healthier, more resilient workforce. Mental health is a health and safety issue – and must be treated as such.
Help spread the word this Stress Awareness Week:
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