Stress is one of the biggest contributors to workplace absences in the UK.
According to 2023 data from the Health & Safety Executive, stress, depression or anxiety and musculoskeletal disorders accounted for the majority of days lost due to work-related ill health in 2022-23, at 17.1mn and 6.6mn days respectively.
On average, each person suffering took around 15.8 days off work.
As many advice firms will know, there are many 'stress points' in the profession, not least the burden of regulation, the growing advice gap, the need to bring more advisers into the profession, managing 24-hour client expectations in a digital age and coping with ever-changing government policies.
Many of these factors are outside of a business owner's control, so mitigating the effects of stress is a big challenge that takes some creative thinking and expert care.
Understanding needs of all staff
Some companies have been taking some innovative action towards reducing stress in the workplace for their employees.
For many, this includes mitigating stress in the built and sensory environment, reducing psychological stressors related to hours, location, job descriptions for example, and providing time, training and resources to help employees develop better mental health.
Better flexibility goes a long way to helping reduce the impact of stress, but so, too, does understanding the needs and experiences of all staff.
For example, minority groups in the workplace can often be particularly under stress for varying reasons.
Sometimes, this can be through discrimination caused by misunderstanding of the virtues of difference or allowing micro-aggressions to remain unchecked.
At other times, minorities could be under stress because of a work environment that hinders wellbeing, without the appropriate adjustments to help these minority groups to contribute their potential.
As a result, these additional challenges in employment can lead to a brain drain of bright young talent.
According to 10,000 Black Interns, an organisation that helps build community for black people to obtain, sustain, and progress through employment, it is important for employers to recognise the potential additional challenges faced by minority groups, and address and remove those stress points from the work environment.
Rebecca Ajulu-Bushell, who was the first Black woman to swim for Great Britain in 2010, is the chief executive of 10,000 Black Interns.
She says the experience of those who are a racial minority can be made even more challenging when you’re under-represented in the workspace.
Ajulu-Bushell says black people - in particular women - feel they have to work intensely to set a shining example to others and show black people as highly capable and excelling as employees.
This can lead to burnout and stress.
Therefore, Ajulu-Bushell believes that “taking rest from the work of holding the torch” - meaning sometimes stepping back from shining a light for other black interns to show them how much potential they have - is vital for sustaining one’s wellbeing.
