Stress is a health and safety risk – and it’s the law to act.
As Stress Awareness Week 2025 gets underway, HSE’s Working Minds campaign can help you do so.
They’re reminding employers that work-related stress is a legal health and safety issue under:
- The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
There are three main reasons employers should look to prevent work-related stress and support good mental health;
- it’s the law
- it’s good for business
- and it’s the right thing to do
In 2023/24, 776,000 workers reported suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety. This made up nearly half of all self-reported work-related ill health, contributing to 16.4 million working days lost.
What to do this week….
Use Stress Awareness Week to take action:
- Review your stress risk assessment: make sure it is up to date
- Use our Talking Toolkits: start open conversations
- 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.
Stress Indicator Tool
Preventing work-related stress, depression and anxiety is a legal duty, it’s good for business and it’s the right thing to do. By being proactive, you can improve productivity, reduce sickness absence and help retain valued workers.
Employers can use the Stress Indicator Tool to start conversations about stress at work, identify areas for improvement, and ensure that workplace conditions do not exacerbate mental health. Learn more about HSE’s Stress Indicator Tool (SIT) and how it can help you manage stress in your organisation.