• Work-related stress remains one of the leading causes of work-related ill health in Great Britain
• HSE is encouraging employers and managers to take practical action during Stress Awareness Week through its Working Minds campaign
• Free tools, guidance and resources are available to help employers identify and address the causes of stress

As Stress Awareness Week begins, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is encouraging employers and managers to take practical action to prevent and manage work-related stress.

Work-related stress remains one of the leading causes of work-related ill health in Great Britain. Left unaddressed, it can affect workers’ health and wellbeing, increase sickness absence and impact workplace performance.

The good news is that small actions can make a big difference. Whether it’s starting a conversation, reviewing workplace pressures or making use of available support, every workplace can take steps to reduce stress and support good mental health.

Many employers still do not realise that they must assess and manage the risks of work-related stress in the same way as other workplace health and safety risks. Identifying the causes of stress, assessing who may be affected and taking action to eliminate or control risks are important steps in protecting workers’ health and preventing harm.

Through its Working Minds campaign, HSE is encouraging employers and managers to take action using the 5Rs approach:

Reach Out – Start conversations about stress and mental wellbeing.

Recognise – Understand the signs and causes of stress.

Respond – Take action to address concerns and support workers.

Reflect – Review what is working and where improvements can be made.

Make it Routine – Embed good practice into everyday working life.

HSE is also highlighting its Management Standards approach, which helps employers identify and address six key areas of work that can contribute to stress if they are not managed effectively:

• Demands
• Control
• Support
• Relationships
• Role
• Change

By understanding these factors, engaging with workers and assessing associated risks, organisations can identify potential issues and take action before they affect health and productivity.

Kayleigh Roberts, HSE’s Work-Related Stress Policy Lead, said:

“Work-related stress is a health and safety issue. Employers should assess the risks of stress, and its impact on mental and physical ill-health, in the same way they assess other work-related health and safety risks.

By understanding the causes of stress, engaging with workers and taking action to eliminate or control risks, employers can help create workplaces where people feel supported, valued and able to perform at their best.

Stress Awareness Week is a valuable opportunity for employers and managers to review what they are doing, start conversations with workers and take practical steps to prevent work-related stress.”

HSE’s Working Minds campaign provides a range of free tools, guidance and resources, including the Talking Toolkit, Stress Indicator Tool, online learning modules and downloadable guidance materials.

During Stress Awareness Week, employers should:

• If necessary, review their stress risk assessment and ensure it reflects current workplace risks, identifying where further action may be needed to eliminate or control those risks.
• Use the Talking Toolkit to have structured conversations with workers.
• Discuss the six Management Standards areas with their teams.
• Encourage managers to access Working Minds training and resources.
• Consider how the 5Rs can be embedded into everyday workplace practices.

While Stress Awareness Week provides a valuable focus, preventing and managing work-related stress should remain a priority throughout the year. Regular conversations, meaningful engagement with workers, effective risk assessment and action to eliminate or control workplace risks can help build healthier, more productive and more resilient workplaces.

For free tools, guidance and resources, visit the Working Minds campaign.

Further information:

1. Employers have a legal duty to assess and manage risks to workers’ health, including risks to mental health.
2. The Working Minds campaign provides free resources, including the Talking Toolkit, Stress Indicator Tool, Management Standards guidance and online learning modules.
3. Stress Awareness Week takes place from 2-6 November 2026.
4. For interview requests, case studies or further information, contact the HSE Press Office at [email protected].

World Mental Health Day: Listen, identify and act on work-related stress 

• HSE urges employers to listen to workers, identify stress risks and take action this World Mental Health Day. 

• An estimated 964,000 workers are suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 22.1 million working days lost. 

• HSE’s Working Minds campaign offers free tools, including the Stress Talking Toolkit, to help employers turn conversations into practical action. 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging employers to listen to workers, identify stress risks and take action this World Mental Health Day. 

An estimated 964,000 workers in Great Britain are suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 22.1 million working days lost. These conditions account for 52% of all work-related ill health and 62% of all working days lost due to work-related ill health. 

This year’s World Mental Health Day theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” highlights the importance of listening to people’s experiences. In the workplace, talking to workers about the pressures they face can help employers identify potential causes of work-related stress and where changes may be needed. 

But listening is only the first step. Employers have a legal duty to assess the risk of stress-related ill health arising from work activities and take measures to control that risk. 

Work-related stress can arise when the demands of work, and the way it is organised and managed, place excessive or difficult-to-manage pressures on people. 

Kayleigh Roberts, Work-Related Stress Policy Lead at HSE, said: 

“This World Mental Health Day, we’re encouraging employers to listen to their workers and take action on what they hear. 

“Having an open conversation can help employers understand the pressures people are experiencing at work and identify where stress risks may exist. Our Stress Talking Toolkit provides structured questions and prompts to help employers start those conversations.  

“But listening is only the first step. Preventing work-related stress means acting on what you hear, whether that’s reviewing workloads, improving communication, giving people more control over their work or providing better support. Employers should identify the risks, take action and review whether those actions are working.” 

HSE’s Working Minds campaign sets out five simple steps employers can take: 

• Reach out – start conversations with your team using the Stress Talking Toolkit for helpful conversation starters. 

• Recognise – identify the causes of stress, including workloads, working patterns and how work is organised. 

• Respond – use HSE’s risk assessment tools to record the actions you’ll take to address the risks you’ve identified. 

• Reflect – review what you already have in place, consider whether it’s working and refresh your knowledge with HSE’s quick quiz. 

• Make it Routine – regularly check in with workers and keep work-related stress risks under review.

HSE’s Working Minds campaign helps employers prevent work-related stress by taking a risk-management approach, using free tools, guidance and online learning built around HSE’s Management Standards for work design and management. 

Visit the Working Minds website to find out more, access free online learning and use HSE’s stress risk assessment tools. 

Listening matters. But preventing work-related stress means turning what you hear into action.  

Further information: 

1. Figures are from HSE’s Labour Force Survey estimates, 2024/25. An estimated 964,000 workers in Great Britain are suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 22.1 million working days lost. These conditions account for 52% of all work-related ill health and 62% of all working days lost due to work-related ill health. 

1. World Mental Health Day takes place on 10 October each year. The 2026 theme is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.” 

1. HSE’s Working Minds campaign helps employers prevent work-related stress by taking a risk-management approach, using free tools, guidance and online learning. Visit https://workright.campaign.gov.uk/working-minds/ for more information. 

1. Employers have legal duties to assess and manage risks to their employees’ health arising from work activities, including the risk of stress-related ill health. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess risks to employees’ health and safety arising from their work activities and put appropriate arrangements in place to control those risks. 

1. HSE’s Stress Talking Toolkit provides structured questions and prompts to help managers talk with workers as part of their overall approach to preventing and managing work-related stress. The toolkit should not be used in isolation. Risks identified through conversations should still be managed. 

1. For interview requests, case studies or further information, contact the HSE Press Office at [email protected].