The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today (12 May) launched a free online learning module to help employers get to grips with risk assessment of work-related stress. 

The launch coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week (12-18 May) and expands HSE’s Working Minds campaign, which supports businesses in preventing work-related stress and supporting good mental health. 

With around half of all work-related ill health attributed to stress, depression and anxiety, the new module provides step-by-step guidance for employers on conducting effective risk assessments, identifying root causes of work-related stress, and implementing solutions that have a real impact. 

Kayleigh Roberts from HSE’s Engagement and Policy Division said: “Preventing work-related stress isn’t just the right thing to do for your workers—it’s also a legal requirement. Our new online learning module aims to make it easier for businesses, particularly small to medium organisations to understand their obligations and what they need to do on a practical level. 

“This isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about embedding good practices into everyday business operations. By taking a proactive approach, employers can improve productivity, reduce sickness absence, and retain their valued workers. The module provides all the practical templates, tools and resources needed to get started or to review existing practices.” 

HSE highlights six main areas that can lead to work-related stress if not managed properly: demands, control, support, relationships, role, and change. 

Businesses are encouraged to implement the Working Minds campaign 5Rs approach to support the risk assessment process: 

1. Reach out and have conversations 
2. Recognise the signs and causes of stress 
3. Respond to risks by agreeing action points 
4. Reflect on the actions taken 
5. Make it Routine to check in regularly 

Employers can register for the online learning module to access step-by-step advice, practical tools, and downloadable templates. 

Visit the Working Minds campaign website for more information about the Working Minds campaign and to download materials. 

Further information: 

• The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives. Key stats can be found at www.hse.gov.uk. 

• Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 12-18 May 2025. 

• The Working Minds campaign was launched to help businesses recognise the signs of work-related stress and make tackling issues routine. 

• More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available. 

• Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available. 

• HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here. 

The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) campaign aimed at preventing or combatting stress in the workplace has welcomed a new partner ahead of stress awareness month in April. 

Healthy Working Wales has become the 36th organisation to join Working Minds as part of its mission to improve the health of employees across Wales. 

In 2023/24, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures revealed that in Wales alone there are an estimated 49,000 work-related stress, depression or anxiety cases annually – equating to 800k working days lost. 

Kayleigh Roberts, work-related stress policy lead at HSE, has welcomed the addition of Healthy Working Wales to help businesses access important information and tools they require.    

She said: “Our statistics show that work-related stress affects many people across Great Britain and just like any other risk to health, employers have a legal duty to protect workers by including work-related stress in their risk assessment and acting on it.  

“Failing to manage stress at work can lead to reduced productivity, sickness absence, or even losing valued members of the team if they are not well enough to stay in work. Our Working Minds campaign has all the resources you need to understand what’s required and to get proactive on prevention.” 

Healthy Working Wales is a free programme that aims to improve health and prevent ill-health among the working age population in Wales.  

Oliver Williams, consultant in public health and lead for Healthy Working Wales, said: “Partnering with HSE allows us to support Welsh businesses in understanding the benefits of taking action on employee health and wellbeing. Managing work-related stress effectively not only enhances workforce wellbeing but also improves performance and reduces absence. 

Through initiatives like our recent joint webinar—where 82% of attendees reported feeling ready to implement their learnings—we are equipping employers with practical steps to create healthier workplaces. Together, we are committed to helping organisations create safe, supportive environments where employees can thrive.” 

To watch the Healthy Working Wales and HSE webinar visit HSE’s YouTube page. 

webinar: Stress and mental health at work – what Welsh businesses need to know 

Or, watch a version of the webinar with Welsh language subtitles on YouTube. 

To help employers to prevent stress and support workers’ mental health, HSE launched the Working Minds campaign in November 2021, providing free resources for employers and managers. 

Working Minds hinges on five simple steps based on risk assessment. They are to reach out and have conversations, recognise the signs and causes of stress, respond to any risks you’ve identified, reflect on actions you’ve agreed and taken, and make it routine. 

There are six main areas that can lead to work-related stress if they are not managed properly. These are: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. Factors like skills and experience, age, or disability may all affect someone’s ability to cope. 

HSE has a free online learning tool for businesses with over 12,000 people already registered with over 90% saying it was easy to use and felt they could implement what they learned in their organisation. 

Helpful resources: 

• register for our free online learning 

• download a risk assessment template 

Further information: 

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives. 
2. During Stress Awareness Month this April, employers and managers are being invited to support the campaign and complete the five steps of Working Minds over the course of the month. To read more about HSE’s Working Minds campaign click here. 
3. To read more about Healthy Working Wales click here. 
4. No matter whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, the law requires all employers to prevent work-related stress to support good mental health in the workplace.   
5. For press and media enquiries please contact media.enquiries@hse.gov.uk. 

Britain’s workplace health and safety regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), is calling on all employers during Stress Awareness Week 2024 to carry out their legal duty to prevent work-related stress and support good mental health at work.

HSE figures show the average employee suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety took an average of 19.6 days off work, almost the equivalent of a month’s working days, with an estimated 875,000 cases in 2022/23.

HSE’s Working Minds campaign provides employers with simple steps to prevent days lost due to work-related stress.

Kayleigh Roberts, Work-Related Stress and Mental Health Policy Lead at HSE, said: “Our statistics clearly outline that there is a work-related stress issue in Britain and we want this to change. A total of 17.1 million working days were lost in 2022/23, and this figure has a serious cost to the individual and to the business. Employers can make a difference by understanding and fulfilling their legal duty  to prevent work-related stress and support good mental health at work.

“That is why we are reminding employers during Stress Awareness Week that it is critical they  recognise the signs of work-related stress and get to the root causes behind this issue. Prevention is better than cure and understanding the risks is the first step to preventing them.”

The legal duties for employers are:

• Carry out risk assessments for stress and act on them.
• Take steps to prevent work-related stress.
• Organisations with fewer than five employees don’t have to write anything down (but it is useful to do this, for future review)
• Organisations with five or more employees, are required by law to write the risk assessment down.

There are six main areas that can lead to work-related stress if they are not managed properly. These are: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. Factors like skills and experience, age, or disability may all affect someone’s ability to cope.

HSE offers employers free risk assessment templates and free online training to help bosses keep their workforce healthy.

Kayleigh added: “Although tackling stress may appear daunting for some employers, failing to recognise the signs of work-related stress and acting on them can result in reduced productivity, sickness absence or even losing a valued member of staff. I would urge all employers who are looking for guidance to seek help through our Working Minds campaign, which helps companies follow five simple steps.”

Working Minds calls on employers to follow the five Rs. They are to Reach out and have conversations, Recognise the signs and causes of stress, Respond to any risks you’ve identified, Reflect on actions you’ve agreed and taken, and make it Routine.

Andrew Berrie, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Mind, said: “We’re delighted to continue to support HSE’s Working Minds campaign. Mind has long been working with employers of different sizes and sectors to help them create mentally healthy workplaces, but as these insights show, this has never been more important.

“While many of us will face pressure in our working lives, unchecked and unmanageable pressures can lead to strain and can have a debilitating effect, resulting in stress. Stress can cause mental health problems, and make existing problems worse. For example, if you often struggle to manage feelings of stress, you might develop a mental health problem like anxiety or depression.

“It is vital that employers take steps to mitigate against work-related stress and create an environment in which employees can have open and honest conversations about triggers of stress and poor mental health. This can start with just a simple, person-centred conversation between managers and their teams.”

Jenny Scott, Head of Communications at NEBOSH, said: “The statistics show a worrying picture of the mental ill health that people experience because of their work. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We are delighted to continue our support for the Working Minds campaign, which provides great resources for employers who want to foster good mental health and prevent work-related stress. We will also welcome the HSE’s Phoebe Smith to the NEBOSH Online Conference this November where she will guide delegates through the essential steps of creating a work-related stress risk assessment.”

There are three main reasons employers should prevent work-related stress and support good mental health; it’s the law, it’s good for business and it’s the right thing to do.

What can employers do during Stress Awareness Week?:

• register for our free online learning
• download a risk assessment template
• see the Talking Toolkit for help structuring your conversations
• access resources to share with others

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. To read more about HSE’s Working Minds campaign click here
3. For press and media enquiries please contact media.enquiries@hse.gov.uk

Bosses across the whole of Great Britain have been warned that they risk losing valued team members if they fail to manage their workers’ stress levels in the workplace.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding British employers of their legal duties on World Mental Health Day (10 October).

HSE’s Working Minds campaign provides readily-available and free resources for employers to help recognise the signs and tackle the root causes of stress.

Around half of work-related ill health is down to stress, depression or anxiety with each person suffering taking an average of 19.6 days off work.

Kayleigh Roberts, Work-Related Stress Policy Lead at HSE, has urged employers to use World Mental Health Day to take the time to assess whether they are carrying out their legal duties and what they can do to prevent employees suffering from work-related stress.

She said: “We find many businesses focus on the ‘nice to have’ rather than making changes that will have a real impact. That means creating working conditions and an environment that prevents stress and supports good mental health – designing jobs with realistic workloads and targets, and encouraging people to have a healthy work-life balance.

“Prevention is better than cure – employers need to get proactive on reaching out and recognising the signs and causes of stress and bubbling issues in teams before they become problems. If you suspect you already have a problem, tackle it, it can be daunting but it’s important to address the root cause.

“Failing to manage stress at work could lead to reduced productivity, sickness absence, or even losing a valued member of the team. Our Working Minds campaign has all the resources you need to make a change. You can get started in your own workplace, and you can share the resources to help others to thrive.”

Launched in November 2021, Working Minds now has 35 partners, who have joined HSE’s campaign urging workplaces to take action on work-related stress and mental health.

Working Minds helps employers to follow five simple steps based on risk assessment. They are to Reach out and have conversations, Recognise the signs and causes of stress, Respond to any risks you’ve identified, Reflect on actions you’ve agreed and taken, and make it Routine.

There are six main areas that can lead to work-related stress if they are not managed properly. These are: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. Factors like skills and experience, age, or disability may all affect someone’s ability to cope.

HSE has a free online learning tool for businesses with over 9,000 people already registered with over 90% saying it was easy to use and felt they could implement what they learned in their organisation.

Helpful resources:

• register for our free online learning
• download a risk assessment template
• see the Talking Toolkit for help structuring your conversations
• access resources to share with others

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. To read more about HSE’s Working Minds campaign click here
3. For press and media enquiries please contact media.enquiries@hse.gov.uk