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LRD guides and handbook May 2025
Stress and mental health at work
Introduction
Introduction [page 3] (846 words)
Work-related stress and poor mental health are top priorities for trade unions. For around two decades, annual statistics from the Health and Safety ...
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Chapter 1
1. The extent and impact of work-related stress [page 5] (201 words)
The HSE health and safety executive describes work-related stress as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of ... Subscribers only
Who does stress affect? [page 5] (558 words)
Stress, depression and anxiety are huge problems, accounting for nearly half (46%) of all work-related ill health and more than half (55%) of all ... Subscribers only
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Who does stress affect?
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HSE statistics
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TUC survey findings
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Who does stress affect? (49 words)
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Chapter 1
Stress and burnout in different sectors [page 7] (767 words)
Other recent research and union motions reveal the extent of the problem in different sectors. For example: ... Subscribers only
Stress and workers with protected characteristics [page 8] (307 words)
UNISON research has shown that members who are Black, women, disabled or from lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and related communities (LGBT+) are ... Subscribers only
What causes work-related stress? [page 9] (700 words)
The HSE says the main work factors cited by respondents as causing work-related stress, depression or anxiety are workload pressures, including tight ... Subscribers only
The impact of the Covid pandemic on stress and mental health [page 11] (133 words)
Aslef says the risk of mental health problems were compounded during the Covid-19 pandemic. Workers experienced anxiety and stress surrounding ... Subscribers only
The Whitehall II study [page 12] (413 words)
The Whitehall II study Work, stress and health (also known as the Stress and Health Study; https://www.ucl.ac.uk/whitehallII) was set up to explore ... Subscribers only
What are the signs and symptoms of stress? [page 13] (161 words)
HSE advice sets out that signs of stress in a worker include changes in the way they act, and the way they think or feel can also change. They may ... Subscribers only
The impact of stress on workers [page 13] (267 words)
The TUC handbook Hazards at work: Organising for safe and healthy workplaces explains that stress is a natural reaction to excessive demand or ... Subscribers only
Post-traumatic stress disorder [page 14] (533 words)
The NUJ journalists’ union explains that PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can develop after a stressful, frightening or distressing event, or ... Subscribers only
The costs of poor mental health for organisations and society [page 15] (436 words)
The HSE says work-related stress can have adverse effects for organisations in several areas: ... Subscribers only
Chapter 2
2. Work-related suicide [page 17] (566 words)
The prevention of work-related suicide has become a key union health and safety priority, particularly since the death of primary school headteacher ... Subscribers only
HSE guidance [page 18] (589 words)
HSE online guidance for employers on suicide prevention makes clear there are things employers can do “to reduce the risk of work contributing to ... Subscribers only
The role of the coroner [page 20] (184 words)
The Support After Suicide Partnership charity explains that a suicide will always be reported to the coroner – an independent judicial officer. ... Subscribers only
Union and safety campaign demands and action [page 20] (1,028 words)
When it was published in 2021, safety campaigners welcomed the HSE guidance as an important first step. It was the first time the regulator had ... Subscribers only
Systemic problems [page 21] (408 words)
Work-related suicide: A qualitative analysis of recent cases with recommendations for reform (2021), by University of Leeds professor Sarah Waters ... Subscribers only
Chapter 3
3. Work-related stress and the law [page 24] (628 words)
Union reps need a basic understanding of a range of potential sources of legal rights and this chapter summarises the legal duties owed by the ... Subscribers only
The right to disconnect [page 25] (271 words)
The TUC and unions including the Prospect specialists’ union have campaigned for a statutory right for workers to disconnect from work in ... Subscribers only
Main sources of legal rights [page 26] (936 words)
The main sources of legal rights in relation to workplace stress can be found in: ... Subscribers only
The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 [page 29] (803 words)
The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 (SRSCR) give safety representatives extensive legal rights, in workplaces where a ... Subscribers only
Using equality law to combat stress [page 31] (1,629 words)
The Equality Act 2010 (EA 10) can sometimes be used to help protect individual workers who are at risk of negative treatment by the employer linked ... Subscribers only
Landmark cases in the civil courts for personal (psychiatric) injury [page 35] (1,047 words)
Avoiding the harm caused by stress is always preferable to compensating for it. However, a series of high-profile cases helped focus employers’ ... Subscribers only
Chapter 4
4. Using the HSE Management Standards [page 38] (180 words)
The centrepiece of the HSE’s efforts to tackle stress is its management standards, which have been endorsed by the TUC and unions. ... Subscribers only
HSE model stress policy [page 38] (146 words)
The HSE Health and Safety Executive model stress policy includes a statement that the organisation acknowledges the importance of identifying and ... Subscribers only
Before using the HSE Management Standards [page 38] (603 words)
Before using the standards, the HSE recommends the following steps: ... Subscribers only
What the HSE Stress Management Standards should achieve [page 41] (594 words)
The standards set out targets or goals the employer should be working towards in an ongoing process of risk assessment and continuous improvement in ... Subscribers only
HSE Stress Management Standards resources [page 43] (293 words)
The workbook gives practical guidance on how to manage work-related stress and makes clear the importance of involving employee representatives like ... Subscribers only
Stress indicator and analysis tools [page 43] (767 words)
The HSE Management Standards Indicator Tool is a survey that can be distributed to employees. It includes 35 questions asking employees about the six ... Subscribers only
Chapter 5
5. Action to tackle work-related stress [page 46] (161 words)
The UNISON public services union’s Bargaining on mental health policies guide says safety reps have an important role in examining employers’ ... Subscribers only
Stress is a collective problem [page 46] (158 words)
A key union message is that stress is an organisational, not an individual, problem. For example, UNISON “supports a collective approach to ... Subscribers only
Resisting a “resilience” and “lifestyle” approach [page 47] (513 words)
“Branches should be wary of any programme for supporting mental health that seeks to incorporate ‘resilience’ training for staff,” says ... Subscribers only
Tackling excessive workloads [page 48] (853 words)
As set out throughout this guide, excessive workloads are a major cause of work-related stress, and several unions have developed resources to help ... Subscribers only
Surveying for stress [page 50] (466 words)
The BFAWU food workers’ union reported that it will run a workplace survey covering stress and mental health following conference motions and ... Subscribers only
Safety reps in action [page 51] (147 words)
A recent Unite survey of 500 members in a not-for-profit organisation revealed that almost 60% were subjected to stress, long hours, and work ... Subscribers only
A reps’ toolkit [page 51] (324 words)
The NASUWT has developed a toolkit bringing together links to HSE and other resources that aim to tackle work-related stress, anxiety, and depression. ... Subscribers only
Top Tips for Reps [page 52] (370 words)
The RCN nurses’ union’s top tips for where members have raised concerns about work-related stress are as follows: ... Subscribers only
Working with employers [page 53] (560 words)
The HSWG Health, Safety, and Wellbeing Group is a tripartite sub-group of the NHS Staff Council, with representation from unions and management and ... Subscribers only
Chapter 6
Chapter 6. Mental health support [page 55] (621 words)
Although the main focus of this guide is on the prevention and control of work-related stress, this chapter looks at how employers can – and why ... Subscribers only
Guidance for employers [page 56] (539 words)
Thriving at work: The Stevenson/Farmer review of mental health and employers – a key Conservative government commissioned piece of research – ... Subscribers only
Examples of employer action [page 58] (421 words)
The UNISON public services union highlights the following examples of employer action on mental health: ... Subscribers only
Union action to improve mental health [page 59] (815 words)
The Unite general union’s United Minds campaign provides tools and materials to help reps negotiate better management processes around mental ... Subscribers only
Mental health awareness training [page 61] (95 words)
The NEU’s Organising Around Mental Health course “taps into the necessity to turn the challenges of workload and stress in schools into an ... Subscribers only
Mental health first aiders [page 61] (181 words)
The role of mental health first aiders (MHFAs) has been somewhat controversial within the union movement. As Unite explains, training MHFAs can be ... Subscribers only
Tackling mental health problems in the performing arts [page 62] (354 words)
The Equity creative practitioners’ and performers’ union commissioned Dr Lucie Clements to undertake a landmark study of existing academic ... Subscribers only
Employee assistance programmes and occupational health services [page 63] (190 words)
Many employers provide support to staff through EAPs, which offer helplines, counselling, and sickness absence monitoring. The Court of Appeal ruling ... Subscribers only
Working with suicide prevention charities [page 63] (181 words)
ASLEF works with industry partners and the Samaritans suicide prevention charity on initiatives to skill-train drivers in trauma awareness and to ... Subscribers only
Further help and information [page 64] (142 words)
Acas helpline; tel: 0300 123 1100; text relay service: 18001 0300 123 1100; www.acas.org.uk ... Subscribers only