FOREWORD by the Health and Safety Executive
Stress is much in the news at present but it isn’t a new problem. Pressure is part and parcel of all work and helps to keep us motivated. But excessive pressure can lead to stress which undermines performance, is costly to employers and can make people ill.
HSE estimates that 13.4 million working days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety in 2001. Each new case of stress leads to an average of 29 days off work. Work-related stress costs society about £3.7 billion every year (at 1995/6 prices).
If organisations can reduce stress they can reduce these costs, and effective management is the best way of doing this. Recent research links effective people management to good performance and productivity.
The need to tackle stress is also recognised in law. Under the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at