Is stress a big issue at work?

Yes.

• Around five million workers suffer from high levels of stress at work, or one in five employees in the UK (HSE figures).
• Stress is one of the main issues raised in TUC surveys of safety reps.
• Employees suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety take an average of 29 days off sick a year. The annual cost to employers is £3.7 billion.

In autumn 2003, the Health and Safety Commission issued guidance for employers setting new ‘management standards’ to tackle stress at work.