Employers are responsible
under health and safety law

We can help prevent you going to Court

“Bosses whose workers claim to suffer from stress risk prosecution and heavy fines under a new campaign…Firms and their managers will be dragged to court unless they show they have tried to ‘tackle the problem’.”

Daily Mail 6/8/03

How big is the problem?

• A CBI survey in 2001 found that UK employees across all sectors took an average 7.1 days sick leave, costing business £476 per individual (approx 680 euros).

• According to the Health and Safety Executive, around 5 million UK workers described their job as “very stressful”.

• Stress and musculo-skeletal disorders are the two most common self-reported causes of worker ill health and absenteeism. 

• Employees complaining of a physical disorder can also be experiencing significant levels of stress.

The Employer’s Responsibilities

• As an employer you have a duty of care towards your employee.  This is enshrined in the UK’s Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Health & Safety at Work (NI) Order (1978).  The Republic of Ireland’s legal requirements are laid down in The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act (1989).

• Not only are you responsible for employees’ physical health at work, mental health is included too.

• Where you as an employer have contributed in whole, or part, to an employee’s ill-health then you are liable under law. 

Causes of work-related stress

• Employees may complain of a lack of control or helplessness in the workplace.  This can be brought about by a number of factors including work practices and personality issues with colleagues.  The crucial component is the employee’s perception of being stressed.

• Bullying and/or harassment can lead to psychological ill health in employees. 

• Family and relationship problems from outside the workplace can also impact on an employee’s job performance and perception of being stressed at work.

• Exposure to traumatic incidents at work can result in post traumatic stress which is a severe form of work related stress. 

The effect of stress on your employee

As humans we have evolved so that we react in an extreme way when we feel threatened.  This applies to your employee who is stressed.  An increase in stress hormones causes the individual to follow a primitive instinct of either fighting for his life or running away.  Where it is perceived that the threat remains, levels of stress hormones remain high and the employee is in a constant state of alert.  Not only can this result in an over reaction to situations, prolonged stress can lead to significant physical ill-health.

Prolonged stress has been linked to coronary heart disease, irritable bowel symptoms, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, skin disorders and even cancer.

What can you do about it?

The Court of Appeal in the UK has ruled that in civil cases, employers have a defence in law where they can prove they had a confidential employee support system in place.  

You can have an effective employee assistance programme that carries many benefits to your company:

• Reduced sickness absence.

• Improved efficiency and productivity.

• Compliance with legislation and reduced risk of litigation.

• Improved staff relations.

• Reduction in time spent by managers dealing with staff problems.

• Pathway for self or management referral.

Our Employee Assistance Programme

Our basic package of support includes freephone telephone support line and one-to-one psychological therapy and counselling for your employees.  Our clinical team is composed of psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses and counsellors who use evidence-based therapies to improve the quality of people’s lives.

In our support package we include:

• Liaison with employees’ General Practitioners.

• Medication reviews.

• Free consultations by phone for employers regarding workplace mental health issues. 

• Anonymised statistical report to employers.

• Promotional material for employees and staff/employer launch briefings.

We also offer at additional benefits:

• One-day stress management course.

• Occupational Health Medicine.  More detail

• Welfare service for employees.

• Workplace mediation