Practical support for Stress Awareness Month

April is Stress Awareness Month, so we’re spotlighting proactive measures to reduce work-related pressures and build a positive, productive team. 

HSE statistics show that employees typically lose 15.8 work days each year due to poor mental health. Around half of all job-related ill health is linked to stress, anxiety, or depression – with significant financial implications for UK businesses. According to research from Deloitte, staff mental health issues cost companies up to £51 billion each year.

Stress Awareness Month aims to boost knowledge about the causes and cures of stress. Led by the Stress Management Society, the annual event helps individuals and organisations recognise and reduce stress, fostering a happier, healthier, and more resilient world. Key objectives include: 

• Educating the public about the causes and effects of stress.
• Promoting effective stress management techniques to enhance mental health and wellbeing.
• Encouraging open conversations to reduce the stigma surrounding stress and mental health issues.
• Providing resources and support to help individuals and organisations manage stress effectively.

Spotting the signs 

Identifying and acting on the signs of employee stress is an essential part of your duty of care. This means understanding the conditions that might place your team under added strain. Long hours, taxing job demands, organisational restructures, personal problems, and poor working relationships can trigger stress or exacerbate existing issues. If left unchecked, these pressures may lead to long-term physical and emotional burnout, anxiety, and depression. 

While it’s critical to tackle the root causes of work-related stress, training your team to recognise early warning signs can help stop low-level tensions from escalating into serious mental health issues. Actions and behaviours that may signal stress in employees include: 

• Increased absence 
• Lateness 
• Mood swings and agitation  
• Being withdrawn
• Loss of motivation, commitment, and confidence
• Heightened emotional responses – such as tearfulness or aggression 

Teams can display stress-related symptoms too. Members may be less willing or able to cooperate and collaborate, impacting overall performance and productivity. If tension is affecting workers collectively, you may see: 

• Reduced focus and communication 
• More disputes and disagreements 
• Higher turnover
• An increase in sickness and absence
• Poor team cohesion and output 
• Increased dissatisfaction or complaints

It’s important to remember that stress affects everyone differently – and factors like experience, age, or disability may influence a person’s pressure response. Knowing your team – and their unique sources of tension – can help you implement preventative measures that support both individuals and wider working groups.  

Building a stress-aware workplace 

Stress often stems from workers feeling overwhelmed or out of control. Employees might be unable to cope with heavy workloads, feel scrutinised or unsupported, or fear for their jobs during organisational changes.  

A culture of open communication – backed up by practical mental and physical health resources – can address the primary drivers of workplace stress. Simple solutions such as clear roles and responsibilities, regular catch-ups, and trained in-house mental health champions help create a more supportive working environment. 

The Health and Safety Executive’s Working Minds campaign recommends a ‘Five Rs’ approach: 

• Reach out: Start a conversation – the first step towards preventing work-related stress and supporting good mental health. 
• Recognise: The signs of stress in individuals and teams. Six key areas may cause stress if not managed well – demands, control, support, relationships, role, and change. 
• Respond: Work with employees to agree on action points and solutions. 
• Reflect: Monitor and review the actions you’ve taken – or the steps you should have – to continually improve your support. 
• Make it routine: Ask how people are and check in regularly about mental health and stress. Aim to normalise conversations about feelings, concerns, and challenges. 

A stress risk assessment is a helpful starting point, providing an actionable overview of your company’s specific pressure points and their impact on mental and physical ill-health. Talk to your Opus Consultant for more information. 

Further support for your business 

There are plenty of free and low-cost resources available to help lower stress levels across your business. 

• Mental Health First Aid Training: Mental Health First Aiders provide early support for employees experiencing emotional distress. They’re trained to identify and raise awareness of mental health issues, connect staff with appropriate services, or simply listen. Online and face-to-face courses are available.
• Mental Health at Work toolkits: Curated by Mind and their expert partners, the Mental Health at Work website shares a vast range of employer resources, including free, ready-made toolkits organised by industry, business type and mental health focus area.
• CIPD factsheets, guides, and resources: The CIPD’s Mental Health in the Workplace factsheet shares guidance on key mental health issues, staff training options and your duty of care to employees. You can also learn more on their Mental Health Hub and in the People Managers’ Guide to Mental Health.
• The Workplace Wellbeing Charter: A national standard for workplace health and wellbeing. The benchmarking process is free for small and medium-sized businesses and the programme includes self-assessment, site visits, action plans, a full assessment report, and accreditation award.
• Mind’s Wellness Action Plan: Free, downloadable templates for managers and team members to pinpoint individual needs and stressors, structure conversations, and implement hands-on support. 

‍Talk to the Opus team 

If you’re concerned about stress in your workplace, your Opus Consultant can help with expert guidance and results-led solutions.  

Get in touch on 0330 043 4015 or email hello@opus-safety.co.uk.