MENTAL HEALTH AND STRESS POLICY

Training & Development Policy and Procedures - H&S/Rev01/2021 

 

POLICY 

Introduction  

The Company believes that its employees are its most valuable resource and that their wellbeing is vital to  effective performance at work and the continued provision of high-quality services. To this end, the  Company is committed to providing, maintaining, and promoting a healthy and supportive working  environment.  

• Under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Company has a duty to ensure the  health and safety of its employees as far as is reasonably practical.  

• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 place a duty on the Company to  assess and control the degree of stress in the workplace.  

• The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on the Company not to discriminate against employees who  suffer from a disability under the Act, which includes long-term ill health caused by stress at work.  

Although the Company has no control over external or personal factors, it is committed to managing stress  and risks within its control, and to providing support to employees who are suffering from stress.  

Aims of the Policy  

• To ensure the physical and mental health of all employees. 

• To promote a healthy, safe and friendly working environment and control and reduce risks to  mental health. 

• To help provide and maintain a supportive and nonjudgmental working environment. • To provide effective support to all employees in managing stress and other mental health  problems, and to encourage better recognition of mental health issues; and 

• To recognize that the prevention of stress is easier than dealing with it once it has arisen. Stress and its Recognition 

Stress is a natural reaction to excessive pressure that is experienced by everybody. When stress is  experienced consistently over a period of time, its effects can become detrimental and lead to further and  more serious psychological and physical illnesses. Stress itself can be caused by an infinite number of  variables which will vary enormously in different individuals. By way of example, personal factors like  family problems can easily affect an individual’s work, while work based factors like bullying, lack of training  or poor working conditions can just as easily spill over into the home.  

Recognizing stress can be difficult as its effects will vary from person to person but the following signs can  sometimes indicate that someone is experiencing difficulty: 

• Changes in behaviour. 

• Indecisiveness. 

• Absenteeism; or 

• Increase in the use of tobacco or alcohol. 

Although the Company has no control over external factors which may be more difficult to identify the  Health and Safety Executive has identified 6 main causes of stress at work which the Company can affect:  1. Demands made on employees. 

2. The level of control employees have over their work; 

3. The support employees receive from managers and colleagues. 

4. The clarity of an employee’ s role within the organization. 

5. The nature of relationships at work; and 

6. The way that changes are managed.  

The Company is aware that stress is easier to manage before it becomes a problem and with that in mind  will endeavour to operate in a fashion that takes all of the above factors into account. The Company will  also always be open to discussing how an alteration of one or more of these factors might produce a better  working environment. 

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Principles 

 

• The Company will conduct an annual assessment of the risks to employees’ health, both mental  and physical, based on data collected from staff at work including absence data, staff turnover,  grievance cases, accidents and exit interviews.  

• The Company will always listen to any concerns that employees may have. If employees believe  that their work is putting their mental health or wellbeing at risk, they should speak to their line  manager. All such concerns will be treated with respect and dignity, and employees will be  provided with the necessary information to make informed decisions.  

• The Company recognizes that stress and other mental health issues may require periods of sick  leave or absence in order to recover from stress.  

• Where necessary the Company will facilitate the managed return to work of employees who have  been absent due to stress.  

• All cases will be dealt with in accordance with the Company’s policy on equality and diversity, details of which are available in the Company handbook.  

• All discussions, requests for help and advice will be kept strictly confidential and the information  gathered will be held in accordance with the Company’s Data Protection Policy. 

Signed: Ionut Paul Potor – Managing Director  

Date: 20/03/2025