Employers have a legal duty to protect their employees from work-related stress. This means carrying out a stress risk assessment and taking steps to manage the risks. 

A stress risk assessment is the process of identifying and assessing the factors that may cause stress in the workplace. It should be conducted by a qualified person, such as an occupational health professional. 

The initial step in a stress risk assessment is to identify potential stressors in the workplace. These can include: 

• Workload: Too much or too little work can be stressful. 
• Work-life balance: Problems with work-life balance can lead to stress. 

• Relationships: Difficult relationships with colleagues or managers can be stressful. 
• Change: Change, such as a new job or a new manager, can be stressful. 
• Control: A lack of control over one’s work can be stressful. 
• Support: A lack of support from colleagues or managers can be stressful. 

Once the potential stressors have been identified, the next step is to assess the risks. This involves determining the severity of the stressors and the likelihood that they will cause stress. 

The last step in a stress risk assessment is to develop and implement control measures. These control measures should be aimed at reducing the severity of the stressors or the likelihood that they will cause stress. 

Control measures include: 

• Reducing workload: This can be done by reassigning tasks, reducing the number of deadlines, or providing more personnel training. 
• Improving work-life balance: This can be done by providing flexible working hours, allowing employees to take breaks, or offering leave for family or personal reasons. 
• Encouraging positive relationships: This can be done by providing training on conflict resolution or by encouraging team-building activities. 

• Managing change: This can be done by providing information about changes in advance, giving employees a say in the changes, or providing support during the change process. 
• Giving employees more control: This can be done by giving employees more autonomy over their work, allowing them to make decisions, or providing them with feedback. 
• Providing support: This can be done by providing employees with access to counseling services, offering stress-management training, or creating a supportive work environment. 

Tips for managing stress in the workplace: 

• Take breaks: Take regular breaks throughout the day to leave your workstation and move around, or to do something relaxing. 

• Get enough sleep: Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night. 
• Eat a healthy diet: Eating nutritious foods can help improve your mood and energy levels. 
• Exercise regularly: Exercise is an excellent way to relieve stress and improve your overall health. 
• Adopt relaxation techniques: There are many different relaxation techniques that can help to reduce stress, such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga. 
• Speak to someone: If you are feeling stressed, talk to a trusted friend, family member, or therapist. 

By following these tips, you can help to manage stress in the workplace and improve your overall health and well-being. 

The iProtectU health and safety software provides: 

• An inspection and Audit App which allows for safety inspection of the workplace and associated report 
• eLearning on a wide range of EHS topics 
• Scheduling functionality for managers to send eLearning, risk assessments and documents out to all staff via the software with tracks completion and compliance 

• Risk assessment templates which cover stress and anxiet in the workplace 
• Management system to document control the policy on stress at work 
• Method Statement module for the creation of work activity working instructions 
• Legal register that provides legislation guidance on stress at work 
• Incident investigation module that tracks incidents both with an app and via desktop 

• Hazard observation app where staff can report and record any concerns regarding stress or anxiety to the organisation 
• Asset management App ensuring assets are recorded in the software