UK National Stress Awareness Week 2022
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National Stress Awareness Week 2022
UK National Stress Awareness Day takes place on the 9th November 2022 and features the Online Global Stress and Wellbeing Summit. The day is part of International Stress Awareness Week which runs from the 7th – 11th November 2022.
National Stress Awareness Day is a large annual event that focuses on bringing awareness to the often-unspoken issues of stress. The event focuses on providing stress management solutions, in addition to campaigning against the stigma associated with stress and mental health issues.
The event was created by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA) in 2018 to raise awareness about stress and communicate ways to combat it.
Working Together to Build Resilience and Reduce Stress
The theme of this year’s National Stress Awareness Week is Working Together to Build Resilience and Reduce Stress. This year’s event aims to answer the questions:
- How we can all help people who face mental health challenges
- How employers are responding to stress and mental health issues
- How stress management professionals can help to alleviate stress
- How workplace changes such as hybrid working are affecting well-being and levels of resilience
- How those suffering from stress and mental health issues can access advice and support
The Importance of National Stress Awareness Day 2022
Research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) highlights the importance of a National Stress Awareness Day.
The research shows that over the past few years, presenteeism is present in almost organisations. This is where employees still show up for work despite being unwell either physically or mentally, due to upkeeping a performative measure, despite having reduced productivity levels or negative consequences.
This year’s research shows that presenteeism is even more prevalent this year amongst remote workers. However, there is an increase in awareness this year and organisations have shown to be taking steps toward addressing and helping their employees with this issue. Over the last few years, 53% of organisations have taken steps to address the issue of presenteeism compared to 45% in 2021, and 32% in 2020.
The report also found that mental health problems remain the largest cause of long-term absence from work. 57% of respondents reported it as their top 3 causes for taking time off of work.
According to the British Health and Safety Executive, of the 1.7 million workers suffering from a work-related illness in 2020-21, 822,000 were as a result of stress, depression, or anxiety.
What Can You Do for National Stress Awareness Day 2022?
The law requires all employers to prevent work-related stress and support good mental health at work.
Basic requirements state that employers must:
- Provide health and safety training
- Provide specialised equipment – such as protective clothing – if necessary
- Deal with staff grievances promptly
- Take allegations of any misconduct seriously
- Protect their staff from any discrimination or bullying and harassment at work
- Ensure that staff do not work excessive hours or have an excessive workload
- If your employer has failed to do any of these, then compensation for work-related stress could be available to you.
AWH has free legal advice to help both employers and employees understand how to manage stress in the workplace. Not only is it vital to address the issue of stress to benefit the mental well-being of yourself or your employees but it is also an employer’s legal obligation. Failure to do so can result in stress at work claims.
Digital Health and Work Conference
The HSE is running a free digital Health and Work Conference next week, on Tuesday 15 November. The conference aims to promote better prevention, management and control of the common risks and causes of occupational ill-health across Great Britain. You can find out more here.
Finally, you can find out more about International Stress Awareness Week and the summit here.
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