Risk assessing work-related stress – a hot topic!

As workers return from holidays, high temperatures persist and the inevitable post-summer lull hits workforces, it is important that businesses are able to spot, and more importantly guard against the risks surrounding work-related stress.

Tom Reeves, Trainee Solicitor in Weightmans’ Specialist Health and Safety Team, explores how businesses can look to assess and manage these risks, especially at this time of year.

What is work-related stress and what causes it?

Employers have a legal duty to protect workers from stress at work. It is important that businesses can recognise the signs of work-related stress and have a robust risk assessment in place to manage this. In 2024-25, an estimated 964,000 workers were affected, resulting in 22.1 million lost working days, according to a UK Government “Working Minds” campaign, and it is therefore important for businesses to appreciate the detrimental impact work-related stress can have on both the worker and the business.

The Health and Safety Executive define stress as “…the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them...” It may present differently depending on the individual and workplace, but common symptoms may include reduced productivity, increased absences or a poor attitude at work. Often, it will go beyond exposure to stressors that are a natural part of everyday life, and can become a recognised medical condition, with significant symptoms that may include fatigue, chest discomfort and respiratory difficulties.

Causes of work-related stress

Some common causes or triggers of work-related stress include:

• Increased workload

• Poor management

• Risk of redundancy/dismissal

• Bullying/harassment

• Lack of support

There are also a number of causes that may increase cases of work-related stress in the summer months:

• Workload management – with many colleagues enjoying breaks during the summer month in the school summer holidays, there will be an increased demand on workers who remain. This extra workload could lead to a higher risk of work-related stress occurring.

• Changes in demand – some seasonal businesses will have increased footfall and customers in the summer months, leading to increased workload for staff. Some other businesses may have reduced demand which can lead to worry regarding financial performance.

• Hot temperatures – although there is no maximum legal working temperature in the United Kingdom, the heat plays a large role in how people feel at work. Every day stressors become more prevalent in hot weather, and factors such as reduced sleep in stifling conditions also contribute to a workforce that is at a higher risk of work-related stress.

• Balancing childcare – the summer months can bring additional challenges for parents, in balancing working responsibilities with childcare arrangements. They may have to take time out of their day to drop children off at clubs and find themselves making up lost time out of hours.

What should a good risk assessment/policy look like?

As with any well-drafted risk assessment, a work-related stress risk assessment should cover the following points:

1. Who might be harmed?

2. What is the risk of harm?

3. What is the business doing to control the risk of harm?

4. What further actions can be implemented to control the risk of harm?

5. Who has responsibility for this action, and by when?

An effective risk assessment should detail steps that are in place to guard against the risk of workers developing work-related stress. Some common examples may include:

Flexibility 

It is common for cases of work-related stress to appear due to a rigidity in expectations surrounding office attendance or working hours. Organisations should consider whether they can offer more flexibility, especially during summer months where employees may be concerned about childcare arrangements. This can be an easy fix that allows employees to work from home or work flexible hours to allow them to navigate summer stressors and is an example of where collaboration between an organisations Health and Safety team and HR team is essential.

Support 

Organisations must review the support channels that they have in place for employees. Consideration should be given to reporting lines, and whether line managers are dedicating sufficient time to their direct reports, and whether employees feel comfortable approaching someone other than their line manager if they feel this is necessary. Policies should be clear on the support an employee can expect to receive. Organisations should also promote contact details for a third-party employee assistance programme that employees may contact for support.

Top tips

• Tailor it to your business – a boilerplate, standardised risk assessment is unlikely to benefit workers or demonstrate that the business is complying with its legal obligations. A risk assessment should identify specific risks within an organisation. For example, an office-based organisation may highlight that long periods of sitting may not be beneficial for mental health and recognise that this may contribute to work-related stress.

• Document the risk assessment – for most businesses (with five or more workers), this is a legal requirement. However, it is good practice for all businesses to have a written risk assessment that demonstrates compliance and accountability of the risks. The risk assessment should also be readily available for staff to view, either on site or on the business’ intranet.

• Include seasonal risks – as noted throughout this article, there are times of the year where stress may be more likely to occur. The risk assessment should recognise this and identify further steps the business will take during these times. For example, people working outdoor during the summer months may be afforded rest breaks in the shade. Similarly, organisations may plan rotas further in advance during the summer holidays, to avoid issues with understaffing and an unhappy workforce.

• Review your accompanying polices – a work-related stress risk assessment shouldn’t be carried out in isolation, recognising that potential causes should also be well documented in other policies. For example, policies relating to bullying, harassment and discrimination should also be reviewed to ensure that they are up to date and accurately reflect the business.