Work-related stress, depression and anxiety account for the largest proportion of working days lost due to work-related ill health in Great Britain. The latest figures from the HSE's Labour Force Survey show that 17.1 million working days were lost to work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2024/25 — representing 55% of all working days lost to work-related ill health.
Updated Management Standards
The HSE's Management Standards for work-related stress identify six key areas of work design that, if not properly managed, are associated with poor health and wellbeing, lower productivity, and increased sickness absence. The updated guidance clarifies that employers are expected to:
- Conduct formal stress risk assessments using a structured methodology
- Involve employees and their representatives in identifying and addressing stressors
- Implement action plans with clear ownership and timescales
- Monitor the effectiveness of interventions and review regularly
- Provide managers with training in recognising and responding to stress
The Six Management Standards
| Standard | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Demands | Workload, work patterns, and the work environment |
| Control | How much say the person has in the way they do their work |
| Support | Encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation |
| Relationships | Promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour |
| Role | Whether people understand their role within the organisation |
| Change | How organisational change is managed and communicated |
"Employers have a legal duty to assess the risk of stress-related ill health arising from work activities and to take measures to control that risk." — HSE Work-Related Stress Guidance, 2026
Stress Management Trainer Course
Qualify to deliver accredited stress management training in your organisation. Online and in-company delivery available across the UK and Ireland.
View Course →Enforcement Implications
While the HSE has historically taken a supportive approach to work-related stress, the updated guidance signals a shift toward greater enforcement activity where employers can be shown to have failed to take reasonable steps to manage stress risks. Employers who receive complaints from employees about work-related stress and fail to act may face Improvement Notices or, in serious cases, prosecution.