Why carry out a Stress Risk Assessment?

There are several important reasons for carrying out a Stress Risk Assessment.

Firstly, there are legal reasons:

• Risk assessment is a statutory obligation under Health and Safety law. Stress should be seen in the same way as any other health hazard. Therefore employers should be assessing stress risks in a logical and coherent way. The risk assessment should be suitable and sufficientin order to do what’s reasonably practicable to prevent harm to employee health and wellbeing.
• It’s also an employer’s duty to identify foreseeable risks to employee health. Conducting a Stress Risk Assessment not only helps identify foreseeable risks, it also demonstrates to HSE that you have done so.
• The Stress Risk Assessment can also help with demonstrating that you have consulted with employees on health and safety issues.
• You can download an excellent information resource entitled Work Related Stress - What the Law Says from our stress information resources section.

Secondly, there are business and marketing reasons:

• The process of Stress Risk Assessment will help identify stress problems, which can be addressed before they become costly disasters for the employer. Actions taken can minimise the risk of long term stress related illness and other serious consequences of stress such as poor performance, lower productivity, presenteeism, and negative behaviours.
• Stress Risk Assessment (assessment and action to address stress problems identified) demonstrates a commitment to the wellbeing of employees, which is normally reciprocated and manifested in higher morale and engagement in the workforce.
• Taking steps to assess and manage stress risks will reduce the likelihood of damage to the organization's reputation (and the high costs) associated with stress cases and health and safety inspection / improvement and enforcement notices.

Thirdly, there are ethical and moral reasons:

• Good employers are also caring employers. They understand that, especially in the knowledge economy, work should be much more than just a way of earning money. Work provides structure, meaning and purposeful activity. For some lucky people, work also provides a sense of vocation.
• Work can sometimes be stressful, but equally work can provide job satisfaction, a sense of achievement, and enjoyment. Stress Risk Assessment, by identifying the nature, location and extent of stress problems in the organization, can help employers focus resources on where they are most needed to make the experience of work rewarding and engaging, so preventing stress problems and promoting well-being at work.