Workplace stress initiative launched

Social services are being targeted in a search
to find the UK organisations that are best at preventing
work-related stress.

Launched by the Health and Safety Executive,
the initiative aims to identify beacons of excellence to
demonstrate how organisations can address the issue of work-related
stress.

Particular attention is being given to groups
who are widely recognised as suffering the greatest work-related
stress including social workers, nurses, teachers and managers.

Business psychologist firm Robertson Cooper
has been commissioned by the HSE to identify employers that
actively promote stress management techniques within the
workplace.

Organisations taking part in the study will be
assessed in a number of areas including what they are doing to
manage stress levels, what stress prevention activities are taking
place, and who is benefiting.

The HSE has set out a 10-year action plan to
cut stress-related problems in the workplace by 20 per cent by
2010. Six million working days are lost each year due to
stress.

– Organisations that wish to take part should
ring 0870 3333 591