Today (Wednesday 6 November) is National Stress Awareness Day, and this week (Monday 4 to Friday 8 November) is International Stress Awareness Week, which are campaigns ran by the International Stress Management Association (ISMAUK) to "raise awareness of stress around the world and improve the ways in which stress is managed in the workplace and in our personal lives".
Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure. When you are stressed, your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
Stress is your body's reaction to help you deal with pressure or threats, which is sometimes called a "fight or flight" response. Your stress hormone levels usually return to normal once the pressure or threat has passed.
A small amount of stress can be useful. It can motivate you to take action and get tasks completed, and can also make you feel alive and excited. However too much stress can cause negative effects such as a change in your mood, your body, and relationship issues.
This year the theme is "campaigning to reduce stress and improve wellbeing". Millions around the UK experience stress and it is damaging to our health and wellbeing.
In 2018, research by the Mental Health Foundation stated at some point in that year 74% of us felt so stressed that we felt unable to cope.
Stress at work
Stress at work can have a devastating impact on someone, and can have life changing repercussions for them as well as their family, friends and colleagues.
In 2022/2023:
The following signs can be indicators that someone is struggling with stress in the workplace:
Employers have a legal duty of care to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees, including mental health and stress, and to include work-related stress in risk-assessments. Mental wellbeing also benefits the business, such as:
2022 research by Deloitte found that, on average, businesses achieve a £5 return for every £1 spent on wellbeing support.
Mental wellbeing in the workplace is also good for the employee as it provides:
Working collaborative ensures all teams are supported through a proactive prevention strategy which raises awareness, improves understanding, and the confidence to address the stigma of mental ill-health, and creates supportive workplaces.
Get involved
During the week, ISMAUK invites people to join the conversation, think and discuss the following issues:
During the campaign the charity Mates in Mind encourages supporters, partners and visitors to normalise talking about stress and mental health, and to take time to identify the root causes and address them not only within their own organisation, but also across their supply chains. This will help to address the stigma and therefore give people the confidence and reassurance that it is okay to start a conversation about it.
The fifth Global Online Stress & Wellbeing Summit will take centre stage on Stress Awareness Day. The all-day programme will feature renowned experts who will lead insightful discussions on topical subjects, from championing health, safety and wellbeing in organisations, to minimising stress in a world increasingly dominated by technological advancements.
The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Working Minds campaign encourages employers and managers to:
For more information on this subject, see:
