Stress Awareness Month – April 2024

philippa - 11th April 202411th April 2024

Stress Awareness Month takes place every April. The campaign is designed to raise awareness about both the contributory factors and the solutions, as well as to reduce the stigma that surrounds stress and mental health.

During this important awareness campaign, we are encouraging our patients and friends to break down the barriers by starting the conversation within their own organisations and across their networks not only during April, but also throughout the year.

Why is Stress Awareness Month important?

We know that stress at work can have a devastating impact on someone and that it can have life changing repercussions for them as well as their family, friends and colleagues.

We also know that in 2022/23:

There were 875,000 cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety.
Stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 49% of all work-related ill-health cases and 54% of all working days lost due to work-related ill-health.
The main work factors cited as causing work-related stress, depression or anxiety include the demands of the job, lack of control, lack of information and support, work relationships, and roles and responsibilities.

Employers have a legal duty of care to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees, including mental health/stress. Mental wellbeing also benefits the business, for example, increased productivity, a reduction in sickness and staff turnover, and it demonstrates that the organisation is a good, safe, and supportive place to work. Research has 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, for example, improving confidence, purpose, achievement, positive relationships, and inclusion.

And finally, we know that through working collaboratively, we can be the change that is needed to improve mental wellbeing in the workplace. Ensuring 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.

Resources

Mates in Mind, work with organisations to improve the mental health of their workforce by providing the skills, clarity, and confidence to employers on how to raise awareness, improve understanding and address the stigma that surrounds mental health.

They have created a suite of resources to support organisations not only during Stress Awareness Month, but also to create a holistic and ongoing programme of support.

CREDIT – Mates in Mind.