Stress at Work: a few facts and figures

Companies that take action to reduce stress in the workplace are likely to generate enhanced value through reduced costs, increased productivity, better customer service, lower staff turnover and greater staff morale.” - CIPD Annual Survey Report, 2006

Stress is the main cause of sickness absence in the public sector,”- Geoffrey Podger, Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Feb 2006

So many working days are lost to stress:

• Stress remains the number one ranked reason for long-term absence for non-manual employees

• In 2009/10 an estimated 435 000 people in Great Britain suffered from stress caused/made worse by their current/past work. (HSE website, accessed Oct 2011)

• In 2009/10, an estimated 9.8 million working days were lost through work-related stress (HSE website, accessed Oct 2011)

• The 2009 Psychosocial Working Conditions survey indicated that around 16.7% of all working individuals thought their job was very or extremely stressful

• THOR surveillance data from General Practitioners indicates that 30.9% of all diagnoses of work-related ill-health are cases of mental ill-health, with an average length of sickness absence per certified case of 26.8 working days (source:, HSE website accessed 2010)

The CIPD says, “Companies that take action to reduce stress in the workplace are likely to generate enhanced value…” For companies that don’t take action, the opposite is true. Apart from the tangible costs of sick absence, so much more is being lost in productivity and service. 

And if you fail to take action, you could be liable to pay compensation.

• Intel was found to have been negligent in allowing an employee to suffer debilitating work-related stress. HR professional Tracy Daw was awarded £114,764 in May 2006.
• Barry Willans was diagnosed as suffering from stress-induced anxiety and depression caused by ‘an increased amount of pressure at work'. His employers, Reckitt and Colman, were ordered to pay him £55,000.
• John Walker made a successful claim against Northumberland County Council, for which he was awarded a settlement of £200,000 in 1994. The court ruled that his employers had known he had developed stress related problems but failed to take action to improve the situation.

Reduce work related stress

In 2003, The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) introduced work-related stress audits into its routine health and safety inspections. They now have the power to fine organisations that fail to introduce minimum standards of care.

Despite this, figures published by the HSE claim that 9.8 million working days are currently lost each year due to the effects of stress. Whether your business employs just one person or a thousand, that's not good news for your staff, their morale or your business. Forward thinking employers are now helping their staff to achieve and maintain a good home/work balance. Getting stress under control helps to do this quickly and effectively.

Most Loft therapists will offer their services to businesses, often visits can be arranged to your own premises. We can cover Wakefield, Castleford, Pontefract, Leeds and the surrounding areas as well as Normanton itself. Some therapies lend themselves well to working with groups, others work better on a one to one basis.

Feel free to enquire about the availability of these options with individual therapists.